The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-07-19
CONTINUED from Page 81
BY THE QUEENS MERCY.

Then came the last effort, the final
struggle, but alas! how brief, how
fruitless! He had torn himself from
his sinful associations and compan-
ions, and had gone to distant univer-
sity, there to recover the lost ground.
In little more than a week he was
peremptorily dismissed as being a
source of scandal to his fellow stu
dents.
That was the end. In a spirit of
shame and desperation he had sailed
for America, and given himself up to a
life of vice. But there was still one
tie that bound him to the past. He
had kept his First Communion prom
ise In his deepest degradation he had
ever been faithful to that. Yes, and
would ever be; and then some day,
some day he would make it all right,
he would "straighten up" but not yet,
not yet.
A sudden gust of wind sweeping
through the pines reused him from his
reverie Great black clouds were run
ming up swiftly from the southwest,
and ominous and sullen came the
rumbling of the deep-voiced thunder,
like the boom of distant cannon. The
freshness of the coming rain was in
the wind.
''Come, Ned, old boy" said Staun-
ton, pushing his horse into a gallop,
cor we shall get ducking, and water,
you know, is not on the evenings pro-
gram. Did it but rain whiskey for a
change, / shouldn't so much mind a
bath"
Still the storm drew on apace.
The roar of the thunder was now al
most incessant. Like fiery serpent
the lightning leapt kissing from it's
lair. The tall trees tossed their
arms wildly as if in fright. And
then with sudden clap of thunder,
the 1oodgates of heaven were thrown
wide, and the sheeted rain swept down
in torrents.
The troopers face grew white with
fear; to him the roaring of the storm
was as the voice of an angry God.
With a quick resolve he checked his
horse, and sprang from the saddle,
and there in the pouring rain he knelt
with uncovered head, and said the
three Hail MaHys of his First Com
munion promise. Did he but realize
it, it was terrible mockery of the
Omnipotent, this prayer from a heart
intent on sin! But it gave him fresh
courage, and leaping once more in the
coddIo he mt cn1Irc RI hic horco ond
galloped on through the raging storm.
Of sudden there was a sharp hiss
in the air, binding flash of light; a
crash that seemed to split the hill to
its very base and giant pine, riven
by the bolt, was hurled across the
road almost at the horses feet. The
animal reared back upon his launches,
and with wild neigh of terror,
swerved from the road and dashed
off through the trees. The suddenness
of the movement flung the trooper,
blinded and dazed, from the saddle.
In falling his right foot remained
caught in the stirrup. In vain he tried
to extricate it.
Ned, Ned" he cried, whoa! For
Gods sake, whoa!"
His voice was drowned in the howl
ing of the storm, and on, on through
the trees went the terrified, plunging
horse, dragging his PROSTATE rider at
his heels. A sickening fear seized
upon the heart of Will Staunton, as he
was dashed against the trees, and
stones and dead branches that strewed
the path of the flying horse. This then
was the end of it all. ct is appointed
for man once to die, and after death
the judgment" With cry that burst
from his very soul, the unhappy man
prayer aloud in anguish:
: Mary, Mother of God, help me this
once, and, before God, promise to
amend"
His head struck hard upon a stone,
there was a noise in his ears as of
many rushing waters, and then all was
darkness.
III.
It was night. The last angry NUT
terings of the storm had died away in
the distance. Faint and low rose the
lullaby of the soft-voiced breeze hush
ing the affrighted trees to sleep. A
shaft of moonlight piercing through
clump of trees, rested on the pale and
bleeding face of Will Staunton who
was stretched senseless on the ground.
He was lying in a little pool of blood
that oozed from deep and ugly cash
in his head. The face was as the face
of the dead. His hat was gone. his