The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-02-08
not feel remorse? rejected all and
sometimes suffer-
T,ho, he nroonodod y,oora ooly,oIxy

not feel remorse? / rejected all and
sometimes suffer"
Then he proceeded more calmly.
When | graduated from college /
took civil engineering course at
technical school in Boston. I had
great hopes for the future, and | felt
that my dreams would soon be real
lied. Upon graduation a prominent
position would be given me, and from
this place / would rapidly spring to
the top. During my last year at the
'Teck.' school, was called to the bed
side of my dying mother With her
expiring breath she made me promise
I would never leave my sick sister.
This did readily, and my mother died
content
Cali was lost. My castles came
crashing about my ears. When /
graduated, l did not accept the posi-
ton, for I could not take my sister
with me. Removal from these hills
would kill her in six months. / could
not and would not abandon her So
I gave up all, and here / have lived
for five years"
Father Thorne's heart 1eaped with
happy thrill of admiration for this
young man. What noble sacrifice?
How could he do more in this world,
for was not this greater than fame,
ambition and success? The silence of
the woods seemed to breathe an i'm
pressive answer. Rockwell's voice
aroused the priest.
Nellie realized what l had given
up, but I love her so much l cannot
let her see that l suffer sometimes.
That is why l try to be happy, gay,
light-hearted, to fill the last days of
her life with sunshine. When l feel
sad, like today, come to the hills
with my transit and spend few hours
surveying. Then Nellie's love always
fills the void left by the fight of am
bition and success. Again comes the
thought, is it not sinful to waste my
talents; throw away my education,
lettering among these hills?"
The priest shook his head slowly
"You spoke of success, doing some
thing great for your fellow beings.
Have you not succeeded in filling one
life with joy? Have you not done
marvellous things for one of your fell
lows, the nearest and dearest to you
on earth? What is that if not ambi-
ton fulfilled, success attained, and
noble deeds done?"
eyes," cried Jim Rockwell, his old
voice and manner returning, Millions
words on his blindness always con-
sole me. You remember them:
"'God doth not need
Either mans work. or His own gifts;
who best
Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him
best: His state
Is kingly: thousands at His bidding
speed
And post DER land and ocean without
rest:
They also serve who only stand and
watt"
The words died away like solemn
benediction. Rockwell's countenance
was lit with smiles when he faced
Father Thorne. Their hands met in
a firm knowing grasp, and their eyes
read the secret of each others &C
tions. 1t was contained in the word
sacrifice
Swinging his transit over his shout
der, Rockwell stalked across the field
whistling.
Father Thorne walked home, slowly
celebrating, like a man with settled
determination. Entering his study
he went to the desk and took up his
letter of resignation to his Bishop
The faces of the dead quarryman and
Jim Rockwell flashed before his eyes.
as he slowly tore the letter into bits
and cast them into the waste-b basket
Bernard F. DooleD. in the RosdTD Magazine