The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-10-05
Continued from Page 81
MASTER AND MAN.

expected courtesy as well as gave 1t.
Even when, as happened once or
twice, he gave expression in her pres
ence to his hatred of the rich and the
powerful, even then she was all gen.
tleness and compassion; though she
talked to him seriously and sternly
about this Socialism which Mary had
instinctively known to be wrong.
y
A month passed. Mary was slowly
struggling back to health, almost hap
ply because her husband had been a
little more gentle of late, and once
or twice had even leased her as he
used to love to do. But one Saturday
afternoon when Peter and his friends
went to the saloon as usual, they
were refused further credit. They
strolled away, feigning Indifference;
and gathering in knot at the near
est corner talked in whispers, gesticu-
lating menacingly. One uncouth fell
low-Adam, they called him-always
leader among them, drew sensa-
tionally -colored picture of the gay,
easy LILO leu NY MI. tAC
president of the steel plant, and art
fully contrasted it with the squalor
into which he had thrust them, or at
least allowed them to fall He went
farther, and did what none of them
had ever dared to do before; he advo-
Gated revenge in the shape
of death.
Peter was reused to state of
frenzy. He approved of all Adam said,
and declared himself ready to do the
deed. Nor was Adam loathe to yield
him the honor. He was far more dar-
ing in word than in action, as other
men have been before and since.
An hour later Peter was hanging
about an elegant mansion. Inside his
threadbare coat revolver was con-
cealed. There he waited and watched,
nursing his anger on the thought of
his wrongs. Dusk fell, and the early
winter darkness, and still he waited.
At length an automobile came and
stood before the house; the door
opened, and the man whom he sought
appeared. Peter glanced fearfully
about him. There was no one in sight,
but he decided to wait until his victim
was seated in the automobile before
he fired at him, and then make his
escape in eafriendly darkness.
Mr.. Morrison came down the steps
and his wife was with him. Peter
was a little disconnected to see her.
He wished her far away. 1t would
be bitterly hard on her, he realized,
with the first pang. his heart had felt
that day. Mr.. and Mrs. Morrison
reached the foot of the steps, passed
through the gate, and came close to
him; and Peter looked at the wife
rather than at him, wondering vague
ly where he had seen her face before
Mrs. Morrison CHANGED to glance at
the shabby figure pressed close against
the fence; and to Peters amazement
a smile of recognition frightened her
face, and she held out her daintily
gloved hand, saying cordially:
'How do you do, Mr.. Barzynski
And how is your wife,"
Then Peter saw that Mrs. Morrison
was the 'good lady"
"She-she's BETTER" he managed tt
falter.
Mr.. Morrison had been giving some
directions to the chauffeur, but wher
he turned to his wife, she said, John
this is Peter Barzynski, one of YOU
old men. You remember, told yol
about him and his sick wife,
Mr.. Morrison, stout, pleasant
faced man, much older than his wife
shook Peters hand in the friendlies
way possible; minute more, and h.
and Mrs. Morrison had stepped int
their automobile and were gone; ant
Peter stood watching the car disap
pear in the distance, his right hant
resting Imply against his revolver.
Long, long, he stood there, remors
and horror little by little filtering int
the depths of his soul, as he realizes
what he had been about to do. I'll
thought of all Mrs. Morrison's kind
ness to his wife, and of the sorrow
with which he had almost repaid il
He thought of the grief he had nearl
caused his patient Mary. He though
of the fearsome death penalty he mus
have faced had he done the deed; an
this thought recalled the still NOR
awful punishment awaiting crime i
the world to come. His faith was nc
dead
In an agony of terror and remors
Peter turned away from Mr. Morrison
house. and wandered through th
D streets, face to face with his own sill
4 stained soul; hating himself; an
Y loathing the odious doctrines whic
= had enslaved and deceived him. He r,
S solved to repudiate them, and to avoi
r their advocates. Still the futuI
f showed no CLEAN of hope to guide {
cheer him. He was out of work; b
was penniless; he was about to ad.
friendless as well, when there sto
into his embittered soul the sweet r
| nf Ono ErSor,1 xxyIo ;e, cry<