The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-08-24

/ have begun to feel the inclination al
most irresistible, as though, in fact,
my salvation would be endangered by
deferring it any longer. And there is
nothing to prevent, but my own
hesitancy in taking the final step. I
am getting to be an old man, / have
no ties; have never married"
Il wish,'' said the priest, that all,
who like you have been relieved from
their distress, could feel the same
gratitude to most merciful God. Do
not parley any longer, beg of you,
with the graces that have been vouch-
safed you. But you have not told me
your name"
Pardon me, Father. 1t is George
Wentworth Nicholson"
The priest started; his whole de-
meanor expressed surprise.
"The city you mentioned?" he in
CURED.
Milwaukee,"
"The season."
AN intensely cold December, 1876. .
do you remember the date?"
''The 4th. / have never forgotten
it,
ut is with me, also, a date most
important. 1t was with me, also, the
turning point of my life. The very
day-the very year-the very place. -
"a remarkable coincidence
do you believe in special Provi-
dence?"
Il cannot say that do, Father
$50 you will not say when you have
heard the story am about to relate to
you-my own story. And in order to
your better understanding of it, l shall
have to begin at the beginning"
do so, I am all attention"
II was born in Ireland continued
the priest. "My parents were married
somewhat late in life, and, like your
self, I was an only child. But the
situation was different. My father and
mother were poor. From the beginning
they had offered me to God in the
priesthood, and 1 shared their wish
and ambition. A relative of my father
persuaded him to come to America.
first my father, then my mother, died
of cholera, which was then epidemic
in this country. I was left to shift for
myself. I could no longer go to school,
the relative gave me no assistance
whatever, probably because he had a
large family of his own.
For three years l kept up a more
or less brave struggle with all sorts
OF conditions of poverty and hard.
ships. But never let go my purpose,
mind, which saved me from a great
deal that might have otherwise ship.
wrecked me, body and SOUL"
''You must have been a very I'M
usual boy observed the visitor.
Father Harvey shook his head.
mo, no. he said, with the greatest
simplicity. ut was the prayers of my
good father and mother in heaven
that availed." He paused for a
moment, and then resumed his mar
rative.
Zone very cold morning in the win
ter of 1875, felt myself to be at the
end of my resources. 1t seemed to
me that I could not keep up the fight
any longer. The little odd jobs I
could do barely held body and soul
together. I no longer had the courage
to study at night, as I had been doing
for three years."
How old were you then?"
Between fifteen and sixteen. AS l
said, it was a very cold morning. l
had turned out of my attic room, and
was wondering where I might get a
job which would buy me breakfast
Suddenly, lying on the pavement in
front of me, saw letter. I picked
it up; it was addressed to George w.
Nicholson, Bolton Building, No. "a "
Father" exclaimed the stranger
wait" rejoined the priest. II shall
soon be done. I turned the letter over
and over; it was not heavy, yet felt
beyond a doubt that it contained
money. For moment stood deliber-
ating. Mark me, sir, I had never, un-
til that moment, through all my adj
versities had the slightest temptation
to dishonesty. But now, with the
conviction that there was money in
that letter, there came upon me with
dreadful suddenness and strength the
desire to open it. turned and once
more sought my miserable room. Ar
rived there I again felt it, turned it
over and over, and held it to the light,
downside up and upside down
tampering with temptation. reasoned
that if the letter contained money
was entitled to it, having found it
But this argument was untenable, for
the address on the envelope was plain
ly visible; the postman had evidently
dropped it in transit. Nothing could
have been easier than that I should
convey it myself to it's destination, OF
even drop it again in the postoffice
Three different times l was on the
point of opening that envelope; three
! 1, Lo1l