The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-05-25

They're naturally very reserved,
these Cornish folk. They chatter away
among themselves, but not to strang-
ers."
"They are the most interesting peo-
pie in the whole world!" exclaimed
the young man enthusiastically, and
| DR.. Ready smiled at his impulsive-
ness. The wind grew worse toward
morning, and the boom of gun
sounded quite close by them, coming
up from the beach below DR.. John
shot out of bed and into his boots.
In a moment DR.. Ready had joined
him, and the two men, in oilskins and
sou-westers, hurried down to the sea-
shore.
The life boat was already away and
lost to sight in the binding mist of
spray. The men strained their eyes
for sight of the ship that they
knew from the sound of the guns,
must be at hand. And then the tide
turned and the gray dawn light show
ed them a big liner hard and last on
the rocks about half mile away. The
lifeboat was taking people off, and DR.
Ready declared that he could make
out the faces of the men.
There's John Lee!" he exclaimed,
turning to DR.. John at his side. He
started little nervously-it may be
that a sudden memory stirred him.
Had you not better go and see how
Mrs. Lee is this morning?" he said.
81 was there last night, father. She
is not in any danger"
II should go in all the same, John,
if I we're you. Come, I will go with
you. 1t will be distraction for her
she must be anxious about her hus-
band"
"You are fanciful father. So will
all the women be whose husbands and
sons are out with the lifeboat.'
GAY, that's it, John, sons and hus-
bands too; perhaps they may lose
BOTH DR.. John made no reply; he
was wondering little what DR.. Ready
was thinking about. Come, John, -
went on the old man, eve are not
wanted here yet And they turned
into the rocky path that led upward
to where John Lees cottage nestled
closely against the gray cliff
Mrs. Lee was seated in a deep arm
chair beside the little hearth. She
looked up as the two men entered:
Back again John?" she exclaimed.
you're very soon hame again. Did
you bring them OFF,"
'It's I, Mrs. Lee" said, DR.. John,
as he bent to take her hand. She
looked up at him wonderingly.
you're the very living image of
John when he was your age"' she said,
DR.. Ready had seated himself on the
other side of the hearth.
Suppose you tell DR.. John about
those days?" he suggested. She trem-
bled and they knew that memory was
painful to her.
"Well, I WILL" she answered. CDR.
John, I never told you about my little
lad my John, that was drowned" Her
eyes rested on his face for a moment
and she passed her hand across her
brow
"Drowned?" he questioned.
Eyes, DR.. John. He was a little lad
of five then. He got playing in his
fathers boat and somehow it went
adrift, and when the tide threw it on
the shore again *"* it was empty y
The young man had slipped on his
knees beside her. Memory was still
struggling within his mind.
"And his name was JOhn?" he re.
peated.
"John-yes, John was his name
DOCTOR" DR.. Ready was bending to-
ward them from his seat on the op-
posite side of the hearth, his eyes were
fastened on his adopted son and on
the fisherman's wife.
"That is long while ago." he ask
ed her.
Long? It is an eternity!" she ex-
claimed. 81 have never smiled since
that day, and John has grown bent
and white. Yet once he looked like
you, DR.. john
"And you are sure that the boy was
drowned? Quite, quite sure?" She
made little impatient gesture with
u01 AchAus
"Quite sure" she said, and there
was finality in her tones.
think again." the young man said,
for to him had come new revelation,
born of the tumult of the storm and
the dim remembrance of the launching
of the lifeboat. He had forgotten DR..
Ready, though the old man was watch
ing intently. think again! Did it ever
strike you that the boy might have
been saved?"
Saved? All! by whom? Who
could have saved him?"
perhaps a ship passed." he said
gently. Perhaps God sent ship to
save him.
She sat upright and looked at him
keenly.
"You are going to tell me some
thing" she said family. "Is-is-my
SON dead? Tell me quickly-I-I want