The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-11-09
Continued from Page g.
THE RETURN.

| inner beauties and exquisite expert
ences of the Faith which was her
heritage. In spirit she sank to her
knees. 20 Cod" she prayed, "give
her not of the kingdom of this world,
only to abandon her to the outer dark
ness resultant from her mothers
choice for her"
| She shuddered at the jeopardy in
which her sin had placed the soul OF
her gifted child.
And then-just then-when the
sense of the abject weakness of her
own faith and of her utter unworthi-
ness to shake doubt from another soul
overwhelmed her, the vision of her
mother rose before her. The eyes
were no longer accusing and wrath
full, but soft and full of light, and she
felt suddenly strong-strong to take
the journey back, upon which she must
not go alone.
But, as her soul found strength, her
body seemed to weaken. She grew
suddenly faint and sick She touched
her husbands arm. He turned toward
her and stared at sight of her face.
What is it, Helen?" he exclaimed.
"Are you ill?"
"Only a little faint" she replied.
81 must get some air."
He reached for her cloak, and hast
lily arranging it about her shoulders
led her from the box. Inquiring eyes
followed them as they made their way
out, and solicitude stamped itself on
many countenances at sight of the
pallor of Mrs. Cathro's face. Her
husband looked for the air to revive
her Immediately, and when it failed
to do so insisted on taking her home.
ooh, no, indeed, DEAR" she remon-
strated, "you could not do that and be
back in time for the finale. 1t will be
disappointing enough to Constance not
to have me here, but if you should be
absent, too, it would break her heart"
But l can not let you go home
alone. You look far from we'll"
tits simply one of my old heart
attacks" she returned weakly, "and
you know they always seem more
serious than they really are. James
can take me home and bring the car
back for you
Seeing that any other arrangement
was only likely to disturb her, he made
her as comfortable as possible in the
machine Its just too bad, dear,
that this had to happen" he said as
he kissed her. "Our little girl has had
an unparalleled success tonight, and
your absence from any part of it will
dim the laurels for her"
81 know it will, she's like that. God
bless her!" returned the mother as
the car rolled away.
The last phrase in his wifes reply
repeated itself unpleasantly in Senator
Cathro's mind. 1t was one long for
eign to her lips, and her use of it
now troubled him and made him doubt
the wisdom of having sent her home
alone
When he regained his seat the final
curtain was descending amid plaudits
that shook the walls. Greater voices
Washington had heared; but never a
rarer, more perfect marguerite" And
her voice, that took captive the senses,
seemed to hold all earth's sweetest
sounds
OF course, there was to be a supper
afterward, and, of course, the young
prima donna, radiant and joyful in the
first flush of her triumphs, must needs
run home for a minute to assure her
self that her mothers indisposition
was nothing serious. II shall enjoy
myself SO much better if I do" she
said, with winning firmness that
silenced all remonstrances.
When the rush of the big machine
was heard in the driveway below,
Mrs. Cathro dismissed her maid in
order to receive her daughter alone.
She was not surprised that she had
come Somehow she felt that she
would The hurry of light footballs
sounded on the stairs, the swish of
draperies along the hall, and Con-
stance, her arms full of exquisite floral
offerings, stood in the doorway.
"Oh, mother" she cried, ''it was a
SUGGEST" The flowers dropped to the
floor and her strong young arms went
round her mother in a rapturous en-
brace. You are better now, mother,
dear?" Her clear, dark eyes regard
ed Mrs. Cathro anxiously.
Yes, Constance, darling, I am bet
ter
you were satisfied" she whisper
ed.
Satisfied | was exultant You
were your grandmother over again,
except, and here her voice trembled
and again her eyes were Swallowed
with the poignant reflections that had
companioned her during the preceding
hours "except-that your grandmoth-
er was a Catholic"
Constance stared at her mother with
her soul in her eyes. My grand
-Catholic?" she cried. "And
you, mother?"
For the second time that night it
seemed to Mrs. Cathro that her own
soul rose up to accuse her IL
sold my birthright for a mess of pot
tage," she moaned.
For an instant the turmoil of the
girls thoughts held her as by spell