The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-06-28

tattered gray shawl more closely
about her narrow, STOPPING shoulders,
and said:
Il hope I'm not disturbing you, sir,
but / wonder if you could let me
have the price of cup of coffee?"
Her tones were dry and very tired
1t was evident that her mendicant
formula was very familiar to her own
ears.
Delmege, rising to his feet, noted
the hard CLINT that came into the
woman's eyes as his hand slipped
into his trouser pocket.
Thank you, SIR she murmured,
her thin, soiled fingers closing on
the coin he proffered her. God will
reward you for helping poor woman
in distress"
On the point of moving away, she
cast another glance at his face. Then
she stood stock still, the look freez-
ing into surprised, incredulous stare.
Dear mel" she exclaimed, partly
to herself "You can't be-are you
little Tommy Delmege."
!, II used to be, long ago." he smiled,
when had no literary aspirations.
Now they insist on calling me T..
Pemberton. But, my dear madam,
you certainly have the advantage of
me-"
Eyes, it must be Tommy Delmege,"
the woman continued. I'D know
those eyes of yours anywhere. l re-
member we used to argue about
whether they were brown or gray"
That" laughed Delmege, lis still
matter of debate
And you used to serve Mass at ST..
Margaret's; and l remember the time
you got set of books in the paro-
chial school for the best English COM
position; and then I"
Delmege took quick step forward.
Good heavens!" he whispered.
''You are the priests Annie!"
The childhood phrase came to his
lips automatically. Here, after many
years, was the plump and rosy sec
ond girl in the clergy residence at
St. Margaret's. Here was the Annie
who used to open the door and sweep
the front steps and make gay morn
ing trip down Twenty-fourth street
to the bakers and the fruit stand.
Here was the Annie who had tied
up his cut finger that awful day he
had played at fighting a duel with
Joe Kelly, the Annie who had on
many occasions conveyed cakes and
apples to the altar boys. Here was
Mrs. Laidlaw's sister!
The two women-how well he re-
membered it all!-had been employed
in the priests house. One day Annie
had disappeared and no word was
spoken of her after. Vainly had he
asked his mother, Father Don, Bill,
the sexton, her own sister Kate 1t
was as though the earth had swal.
lowed her up, for the place that knew
her once knew her now no more.
Then Kate had married Colonel
Laidlaw and blossomed into a we'll
groomed and wealthy society lady.
The process was slow and took place
while Delmege was in college. Once,
while he was a reporter on The Echo,
Delmege had ventured to ask Mrs.
Delmege what had become of Annie,
and was told that nobody knew. And
now, today, he knew.
Il suppose" said the woman, a hard
bitter smile distorting her features,
you hardly expected to see me to-
day."
Annie, sit down here, please; you
look tired. hardly expected to see
you any day. / need hardly tell you
that / am surprised. And there is a
coincidence in this matter, too. The
last person was speaking to was
Kate"
The woman pursed up her lips.
Don't talk about Kate she said
shortly. she's nothing to me. Oh,
yes," she added, putting out her hand
as Delmege was about to speak, 81
know all about her. / see the papers
sometimes, and whenever / do I'm
sure to find her name on the society
page, and the church page, too.
suppose people call Kate a pillar OF
society. l wonder what they'd call
tme?"
"You mustn't look at things like
that, Annie. I'm sure you have bee
very unfortunate and eventually have
lost heart. You know I have never
heard word about you or got a hint
of your whereabouts since that time
nearly twenty years ago, when you
left ST. Margaret's."
"You don't know why l left? Well
I married a man nobody thought
should have married. He's been dead
for fifteen years-drank himself tc
death. And it was good radiance.
was fool, of course; but plenty OF
} other girls have made mistakes"
} And repaired them"
Some do. But some need help tc
} repair mistakes. I'm that kind.
wrote to Kate, and my letters were
returned unopened. l called to see
her at her Van Ness avenue mansion
| called six times-and she was never
at home. If she had only been q
sister to me, helped me little, given
me a word of consolation, why might
, have turned out we'll enough; but she
slammed her door in my face, and
you see what am"
Delmege bowed his head. The vino
: from the ocean was rustling the Ions
: grass, and the cypress trees bent a:
; though beneath a burden of sorrow
and wrong and sin.
9tT,d rather not toll Won Tororo1,