The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-02-01

The others began to tumble in their
pockets and coins began to rattle. AS
they came in my direction l heard
them saying in English: For the
poor!"
For the poor" 1t seemed to me
at that moment as though Vesuvius
had slipped down into the sea; as
though Naples no longer lay spread
before us; as though l was sitting at
supper in far-off land and Divine
voice was saying in winning accents:
"The poor We have always with you"
Instinctively l felt in my pocket and
pulled out all my change-a few
shillings. Have you any money!" l
asked my companion. Il have couple
of sovereigns slowed away some
where" he said. "All right said,
lend me those Whatever for?"
he asked. why for the poor of
course" l replied. For the poor!"
he calculated, "a couple of sovereigns
for the poor!" YES" said, I'VE have
them always with us you know" And
really do not believe I knew what
[ was saying.
The Sisters came along. For the
poor" they said in the sweetest
accents. For the poor" l answered,
they are always with u.s." The Sis
ter looked up at me for an instant.
She thought l was hooking, but l
slipped the sovereigns and the small
change into her hands. She simply
said: God bless you!" And passed
on to the next group.
Presently the whistle sounded and,
going to the rail, looked over in time
to see the Sisters with their escort
passing down the gangway. Indeed
they needed an escort now for their
bags and baskets were filled 'full
measure, pressed down and overflow
ing" They had been to the kitchen,
they had been to the stewards, they
had literally ransacked the vessel!
We weighed anchor and steamed
slowly out while all eyes were fixed
on the lovely bay and Vesuvius with
his column of smoke. But I fancy
many hearts were elsewhere, I know
mine was. The dinner bell rang, we
| filed down to the saloon, we had the
usual banal talk, and we were glad to
escape to the fresh air above. Saunter-
ing into the smoking-room later on |
met four men coming in to play
| bridge. What shall we play for?'
said one when they had cut for part
ners, "the usual?" There was an
awkward silence for moment. And
then one said: "'To tell the truth
am cleaned out!" $50 am T." chimed
in a second "And so am T." echoed
the third and fourth.
Then a laugh rang out and they all
four looked sheepishly at one another.
''It was those blessed nuns" said the
first. And as looked at him recog-
missed him as the young fellow who
had been so excited at their arrival.
81 say you fellows" he said in a
shame-faced sort of way, What was
it? l simply had to give! Talk of
magic! Talk of hypnotism! Why they
are not in it! simply had to shell
out all had and yet they only said:
For the poor! What did it all
mean? Why did feel that just must
empty my pockets"
ooh, hang it all! Let's begin!" said
one of the party, and the cards were
dealt around
AS l paced the deck that night be-
fore turning in, some peculiarly subtle
change came over my whole being.
was young, was having the time OF
my life, had never thought very
seriously about anything, in fact had
not at all made up my mind what to
do with myself.
But now that 1 stand at the altar OF
God and say: What shall render to
the Lord for all He has rendered to
me?", sometimes l think that those
two sovereigns played a part in my