The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-05-24

ton: you say the word and he'll pull
the ropes and get you in double quick
and then you'll be native son and
he's tipped me off that as far as he
can fix it you're going to take the
escalator right up to the top, and
fast. OF course you'll have to cut
that being a absolutely.
You'll have to renounce the Pope and
all his pomps, but that doesn't mean
that you'll have to take up with any
other special religion. You can be a
Shaker if you want to, or New Gull
turist or the devil knows what '
Now | can see by your lamps that
this thing has hit you pretty hard as
a surprise and won't crowd you
for an answer tonight. But l might
as well tell you right here and now,
that unless you come across, you're
done for. The boss has plan to let
you down easy (but oh so quick) by
shifting the force and making believe
to kill the need of the place you've
got now. AS a matter of fact, he'll
rename it and give it to Schoenfeld,
and you'll be where you were before
perhaps. Now think it over old man
and cheer up! You look as though
you'd lost your grandad. Don't be a
fool. These religions don't do any
thing for you in this world except take
your money and kid you into thinking
that you're going to be happy forever
after if you'll only pay up. Remember
what White was reading here yester-
day-'Take the cash and let the credit
60 Why I'd walk right out of the
Pearly Gates, think, for the chance
you've got in your fist this minute!"
He put on cravenette and hat and
walked off whistling, and the Catholic
young man went down the long de-
serted stairway and out into the rain
swept night.
Needless of the weather, of the fact
that he was unprotected by coat or
umbrella, he walked on in the streets
through which he usually rode, fight
ing with clenched hands and set jaw,
an enemy which had reared it's head
suddenly within his own heart. He
did not call upon God to help him.
AS yet his will could do nothing but
say No-weakly and reasonlessly-to
the voice of the tempter. For what
does it matter?' said this stranger
newborn in his soul. "You can still
be a Catholic secretly, in your heart.
These fellows will never know. You
can still receive-that is, you can still
be in sympathy with the Church; send
it money in a quiet way and go to
the-that is, go to Mass whenever the
opportunity presents itself, as it sure
ly will very often. God will under
stand. He does not ask impossible
ties of you and He does not wish to
ruin your whole future career now for
the matter of not joining a society in
which, after all, you have to admit,
the members are good and charitable
and Christian-like. ="
More of this and then
"'Think of going back to the old desk
the disgrace of it before the Office
boys-before the big men-before the
president who had tried to be so kind
before the home folks, and 80
Blinded with tears, sobbing in his
throat, he rushed up a nearby station
stairway and boarded the last car of
an elevated railway train just as the
gates were slamming. The platforms
were deserted, even the guard going
within for shelter against the driving
storm. The youth needed nothing
save to push back his hat that the
rain might fall as cooling draught on
his heated brow 1t was better here
up above the congested street. Here
he could begin to think and-God
knows he needed to do ito pray
for light in this black desolation. He
stammered words aloud into the
storm to God. He told Him that he
did not wish to desert Him; that ne
wanted no created things, no honor
no place, no interest ever to break
their friendship. He asked humbly
and sweetly for grace, for aid, for the
power of right reasoning. And sud.
denly before him as picture in his
mind, he beheld the scene of the Last
Supper. And while he watched he
saw one of the twelve stink into the
shadows and out into the night.
"Judas!" he whispered, and thought
of the death that awaited the man who
would kiss his Lord without love.
His dying, his adventure and my
own will they be the
same? ="
The train swung around the curve
which was near his home station. In
the distance he saw it's lights but it
was not only the rain drops that made
them seem dim. His eyes were smil-
ing through rain of their own, and he
was whispering, Il thank Thee, dear
Christ! I thank Thee!! Tomorrow
nor tomorrow, nor in all the years
that may come shall l ever betray
Thee!"
The train had reached the station
The guard came forth with upturned
coat collar and looked curiously at the
young man standing there, drenched
and streaming. 1t was not at his
clothing, however, but at his face, his
eyes, that he looked. The face was
radiant and smiling and the eyes were
alight as with vision. The guard
swung open the gates, and the young
man stepped off
The unusnonorc mercifIl1Iv h1amof