The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-04-27
HEAVEN AND PURGATORY
Translated from the German of Rich
ard Won VoIkmann for The Catholic
Bulletin, by Helen Hughes Hiel-
scher. -t-

Bulletin, by Helen Hughes Hiei-
scher. .'
1t was at that time, when the earth
is at her most beautiful, and when it
is hardest of all for the men to die,
when the lilac blooms, and the rose
has thick buds, two wanderers came
along the road to Heaven, one a rich,
the other poor man. They had lived
close to one another on earth, on
neighboring streets, the rich man in
splendid house, and the poor man
in little hut. But, as Death makes
no distinction, it so happened that
they both died at the same hour.
Now they were come together again
on the road, and they went silently
along by each other. The way got
sleeper and sleeper and the rich man
got very tired because he was fat and
short of breath and had never walked
so far in his life, and thus it hap
pened that the poor man soon got
quite little piece ahead of him and
arrived first at the gate of Heaven.
He did not venture to knock, but
seated himself quietly before the
door, and thought: "Let me wait for
the rich man, perhaps he will knock.
After some time the rich man ar
rived, and when he found the door
shut and that no one opened it i'm
mediately he began to shake it and
Ertc
hurrying, opened the door and looked
at both of them, and then said to the
rich man: "That is you certainly,
you could not wait. I shouldn't think
that you need to put on such airs !:
we haven't heard so many favorable
reports of you, as long as you lived
on EARTH" The rich mans courage
fell considerably; Peter did not trou.
BILE himself any further about him but
reached his hand to the poor man.
so he could rise easier, and said
step into the waiting-room both OF
you, and you shall find out further"
And it was really not at all Heaven
into which they stepped, but only a
great wide hall, with many closed
doors, and benches around the wall.
REST here little while and wait
till come back" said Peter again;
"but employ your time we'll, for you
must think over what you would like
to have up here. Each of you shall
have exactly what you wish. Now
think about it, and when come back
make no fuss but tell me what you
want, and forget nothing, for after
wards it will be too late"
Then he went out He came back
after a little while and asked if they
were through with their considera
ton, and what they would like fol-
all eternity. The rich man sprang up
from his bench and said he wished
to have great golden castle, sc
beautiful that no emperor had the
like, and every day the best of food
Morning chocolate, and noon, one day
after the other, baked veal with apple
butter and milk, rice and fried sau
sage and after that tapioca cooked in
fruit juice. That was what he want
ed. And in the evening, something
different every day. And, further, he
wanted a fine comfortable grand
fathers chair and a green silk night
dress; and Peter must not forget the
daily paper that he might know what
was going on.
Peter looked at him pityingly and
did not speak for a long time. Al
last he asked, lis there anything fur
Their that you wish?" 20, yes" the rich
man went on again quickly, money
much money, the whole cellar full;
so much that no man could count it.
"You shall have all these things
replied Peter, come follow me-" And
he opened one of the many doors and
let the rich man into a splendid
golden castle, in which was every
thing just as he had wished. After
he showed him round, he went out
and bolted the door after him with
a great iron bolt The rich man put
on his green silk sleeping robe, seat
ed himself in his grandfather chair
eat and drank as he liked and, wher
he was satisfied, read the daily paper
And once every day he went dowI
into the cellar and looked at his
money.
i Twenty, fifty years went by, and
again fifty so that there were a hun
dred years-and that is only little
span of eternity-but the rich mar
was so tired of his golden castle thai
he could hardly stand it any longer
'"The roast veal and the fried sau