The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-03-08
THE VENGEANCE OF GOD

y NA W1lVUAFNiWO w. uVU
(The facts of this extraordinary
story are vouched for by the author
and were related by the priest of the
story himself.)
The bell of Chauvry school was
ringing forth it's noisy summons; big
brothers were carefully plotting their
tiny sisters over the uneven cobble-
stoned street, and up the rough steps
to the school house. All the children
from the more distant villages were
armed with small covered baskets con-
tanning the midday lunch of bread
and stick of chocolate.
The school master was already in his
place before the last child had en-
tered; it was easy to see that some
thing had annoyed him, for his brows
we're contracted into heavy frown
half concealing the small closest
eyes, and his lips were twitching nerv-
ously; he had only been appointed to
Chauvry since the New Year and was
disliked and distrusted by both par
ents and scholars.
Suddenly he lifted the little handbell
on his desk and rang it violently;
silence fell instantaneously upon the
class.
ct want that image taken down." he
said, pointing to the large cruciix
which was hanging on the wall behind
hiVoo ir 20 nf hn xryhn1n Cnhnn1
gasp of horror broke from the chill
dren; their own crucifix taken from
them, what did it mean? 1t had always
stood there No one spoke or stirred,
but all eyes we're watching the school
master "Well, who is going to do
it?" he continued, tapping his foot i'm
patiently; but still no one moved.
"Look here" he cried, his voice ris-
ing in anger, do you dare disobey
the State? shall report you and then
we shall see what will happen" and he
looked fiercely round the room. At
the same moment boy got up, a
poorly-clad, miserable child, with a
head too large for his sloping Shout
ders and sunken chest ct will do it, -
he said, and walked boldly up to the
masters desk, but without daring to
look right or left for fear of encoun-
tering the Mortified gaze of his COM
panions. There's a good little citi-
zen," said the schoolmaster approving
ly, "you will get on in life my boy, a
courageous, liberty-loving child, not
afraid of the Cure like all of these;
here take my stick, and lift the crucifx
off the nail, gently"
The boy took the stick into his
trembling hands, but it required great
er audacity than he possessed to act
calmly beneath the battery of forty
pairs of eyes, all flashing terrified, furi-
Gus glances at him. "Take care!'
cried the master, but he was too late,
the stick had slipped from the child s
hands, and had fallen to the ground
with the crucifix; the little fellow
started back in terror, while the
schoolmaster, with muttered ex-
clamation of annoyance, bent down to
pick them up; the head and body were
intact, but there was great diagonal
rent across the knees.
Half the school was by now crying
with fright, including the little boy.
go back to your place." ordered
the master roughly, and with head
down the would-be hero of the morn
ing skunk back to his seat, the chill
dren shrinking from him as he came
near.
"Open your books" came the next
command, and the class was carried
on with modified success. The chill
dren were now standing up one by one
to repeat their lesson; 1t was the turn
Of a little girl, pretty fairheaded
child about ten years old, when sud-
denly the master cried out, What is
that round your neck?"
ga medal" was the reply.
"Take it off,"
ST will not"
"What, you dare to refuse? Is
there anyone else with one of these
superstitious things?" and he looked
round the room; yes, there facing him
was Madeleine, the child's younger sis
Ter, W0dr1uS d U0duI1luI LuOUd1 VI OuI
Lady of Lourdes.
"Take it off," he roared.
The child shook her head firmly.
''Come here Immediately both OF
you," he cried, almost beside himself
with mortified rage at seeing his
authority defied.
The two children, Louise and Made
leine obeyed and stood trembling be
fore him; in a frenzy he seized his
stick, and taking first one and then
the other, he gave them several sharp
cuts across the shoulders.
It was the first time that such a
thing had ever happened in the annals
of school life, for corporal punishment
is forbidden in French elementary
schools. The two little girls were
weeping bitterly from mingled pain
and fright
''Will you take it OF now?" he cried
throwing down the stick.
81 will wear it inside" replied Louise
between her sobs; ''but I will never
take it of, not even if you kill me, .
and with that he had to be content
1t seemed a farce to try to continue
the class, the children's feelings hav-
ing been too deeply outraged for them
to be capable of settling down quietly,
and finally he dismissed the school,
half an hour earlier than usual. Once