The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-08-23

people, who need me now more than
ever" she would cry despairingly,
and despite Gerald's splendidly writ
ten letters of love and comfort, she
would droop and moan with sorrow.
Dear Sister Rose, her old friend, Mel
lie Meehan, tried to console her and
would chide her gently for allowing
her affection for Gerald to depress
her so. She would urge her to visit
the convent and sew for the poor and
thus find relief from sorrow.
Up and down the road Mary would
glide to and from chapel and unno-
ticed by herself she grew thin and
haggard. Her mother spoke gently
to her of the future when she and
Gerald would have a cosy home in
Erin or America and with true Spar
tan courage would laugh heartily at
the prospect of her crossing the
ocean to visit them in the land of the
free. To all of her sallies, Mary
would gently shake her head She
declared sorrowfully she had a pre-
sentiment from the first hour that she
would never meet Gerald again.
The swish of the waves, as they
beat near her home, seemed to sing
a Requiem in her heart, the very
birds that lowered about the rocks
had a sadness in their song, as they
flew from bush to bush. She would
write Gerald how she sat directly
under Cove Rock, their old trysting
place, and imagined it was even with
the harbor at New York In her day
dreams he seemed to be walking just
wee bit beyond her vision. The
cruel sea, quiet and peaceful in its
cruelty, rolled and tossed and seemed
to mock her in her misery. For
Mary was miserable! She had come
to the point where Gerald occupied
her thoughts solely. No longer could
she pray without distraction, no long
er would she listen to the kindly
counsel of Father Dillon and she grew
quite impatient with dear Sister Rose.
When her wearied mother reminded
her of the Cuffe pride and heroic faith
of her forefathers, she nodded her
head and smiled abstractedly. She
was a victim of despair.
Gerald wrote soothingly. He, too.
tried to cheer the lonely girl. He had
labored in many positions, some very
hard and ill-paid, and now he had a
lucrative situation as railroad en-
gineer. The work was dangerous, but
he drew good wages and every dollar
was treasured toward making home
for Mary. He wrote interesting let
tiers of his new life, told her she would
love America and over and over in
quired for everyone, old and young
whom he had met at the Tough.
His brother was with him now anC
together they tried to be happy in {
foreign land, far from those they
loved best. Mary would carry these
letters to the rock and read then
again and again, but far from cheer
ing her she seemed to become more
depressed. Then one day Gerald
wrote, asking her to make ready tt
come out by Easter. Two years O
separation was long enough for him
and his brother and sister we're anx
ious to give her loving welcome
Half-heartedly she fell in with he
mothers plans in getting her outfi
ready. She tried to sew, but the
needle would slip to the floor and liz
at her feet unheeded. Sometimes she
would take her sewing to the Rocl
and after long hours would return
apologizing to her mother for being
slothful. She declared it was not tt
be that she would see Gerald-some
thing more was in store for her thar
home in America.
And the day-dreams ended! Quietl.
and even cheerfully Mary Dryer an
swered Father billions knock, wheI
he came to see her, one dull, gra.
day. The letter in his hand SHOOT
as he nervously tried to read from ii
The big heart of the gentle prizes
ached as it never panied before, al
he witnessed the silent victim of
cruel tragedy and he unconsciousl,
the cause of it all.
| For was it not on his invitation
that Gerald came to the Tough an,
met Mary Dwyer, and now upon hin
fell the sad duty of telling Mary o
Gerald's death in America.
KILLED by his train, whilst work
ing day and night to save money t
pay for the pretty home he had bought
wrote the brother, and Gerald wa
resting quietly among strangers ia
from the colleen and land he love
well.
Mary did not move for minutes
hours, they seemed to those watch
ing her, and when she did, like on
awakened from long sleep, sh
opened her eyes YEARLY, wildly an
dazed-like, asked, "Why do you cry?
cannot and will not 1t would
wicked. l have told you all along tina
God had other designs and woul
never see dear Gerald again" TURF
ling to her mother she said quickly an
simply, Nanny, dear, do you nc
remember in the long ago, when I wa
a weeny little girl, how you ofte
patted my head and said there wa
much work for me to do, that I mus
learn my tasks if wished to pleas
God and you.
"You said / must keep the Cuff
faith and be proud of the act of m
grandfather, have been proud Man
my dear, but I have lacked the tru
faith. I have been impatient at time
4 III :