The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-03-01

"Musha, what's on your mind
at all at all?" Mrs. Malone asked at
length, as she became aware of her
visitors searching glances. ut isn't
any trouble that you're having at home,
hope?"
"Sorra trouble at all at all, Nellie
darling!" Kitty answered briskly, and
as if glad at heart that the silence
was at last broken by something more
human than the monotonous ticking
of the clock that hung above the fire.
place. "Sorra a trouble we're having,
thanks be to God for all His mercies!"
"Amen to that same! But, since it's
not sorrow, suppose tbs joy; and,
as joy, they say, never yet killed any
one, you may as we'll be telling it to
me while the kettle is singing it's even
ing song. Sure tbs pleasure to see
you coming in like that of an evening
and sitting there so friendly and neigh
borly; for It's lonesome like I do be
sometimes all alone by myself in the
dusk, when my good mans out there"
and the young wife looked toward
the bay over which the night was fall
ing whilst they talked Indeed, when
the waves are high, and the wind
shrieking and bowling in the chimney
here, tbs meself that knows a fisher
mans wife has worries and fears as
them that is single never dreams of. "
And the bride of fortnight sighed.
| Here was an opening for Kitty.
Maybe, then, you had a sort of pre-
sentiment of your wifely responsible
ties even at the altar, Nellie acushla;
for it gave me turn, it did, to see
you took all of a tremble, and turn
white as ghost all on sudden, the
Lord be praised!"
cat the altar"
mo, but in the sacristy where you
were writing your names. Sure tbs
trembling like leaf you were"
''Musha, and was me emotion as
visible as that?"
ooh, then, and sure but it was! And
tits often I've been wanting to ask you
what it was that allied you at all, at
ALL"
well, then, sure there's no harm
in telling you, alanna, if only as a
solemn warning to you that's not mar
ried yet" observed Mrs. Malone, after
admiring her brand new wedding ring
in silence for some moments. "And,
as you're good Catholic, don't mind
telling you that St. Joseph was the
cause of it."
"The cause of your emotion!" ex-
claimed Kitty, looking rather shocked
Eyes; or that's to say he was and
he wasn't. I was to blame tool see
it now; but twas not my fault either,
but my indiscretion. My intentions
were good, and everything is in the
intention. It wasn't that | didn't love
and respect st. Joseph as much as
any Christian could; but, between our
selves, it didn't seem right like, when
came to think of it, that he should
have all the matchmaking, and there
so many other saints in heaven that
no one ever seemed to think of troub-
ling when it came to marrying; so
says to meself, ''Pll just give one of
them a trial for politeness' sake, and
keep st. Joseph out of it for once"
"Well, 1 never!" said the scandalized
Kitty, raising her plump red hands,
and casting her brown eyes to the
smoked rafters. els it the truth you
are telling me, Nellie Malone,-you a
baptized Christian, and an Irishwoman
at that, plotting and planning to keep
the blessed st. Joseph out of your
marriage, just, for all the world, as if
| Won xuorn a hoathoOiO
J ''Musha, don't you be misjudging of
me now, Catherine Dunno. I meant
. no slight to st. Joseph,-the Lord for.
, bid! And I kept up me prayers to him
| on every other subject; and maybe
: 1 said them oftener than ever, so that
they'd be no manner of misunderstood
) ing, and that he'd be certain sure
). meant no offense in keeping him out
: of me matrimonial concerns But
) though felt call to the holy state
{ of marriage, I misdoubted me poor
: human judgment in the matter. SliI
of a girl though I was, I had seen
many an unhappy marriage; and
) whenever I saw couple not agree
ing well together as Christian man
and wife should, says to myself, Sure
they never could have asked the guild
ance of the blessed st. Joseph afore
they took the wrong turning"
"You said that, and yet"
"Arrah, but you go too fast entirely
2 for a quiet life! I didn't see how
couldn't have the blessing of God and
of the Blessed Virgin for once without
taking st. Joseph into me confidence
, when I intended no slight, and kept
up me other devotions to him. So
, took me Lives of the Saints that was
a catechism prize, and I picked out
all the married ones, so as to. have
for a powerful intercessort one that
= would take sort of personal inter.
est in me case. It was just such a
fine cold night as this, remember;
and l had made me poor old father
comfortable in the chimney corner
with his pipe and 'baccy. You see
having no mother made things more
difficult for me; for mother can al
ways advise a daughter.
$50, having no one and nothing to
depend upon but the good saints and
me poor sinful self, felt the respon
sibility of me action all the more; and
T was Glad in me- soll1 that mo father