The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-12-06
LADY'S RING

that a priest who was celebrated for
his eloquence was to preach that even
ing in the village church. There was
much excitement, for everyone was,
of course, anxious to see and hear the
famous Father D.. Long before
the service commenced the church
was filed to overlooking, and quite
a crowd of people who could not find
room within were standing round the
doorway The Innistoge people no
ticed many strangers in the congre-
cation that evening, for people had
come from the neighboring parishes
and, further still, to hear Father
DIS sermon.
1t was the feast of the Assumption,
and a wealth of flowers placed there
by loving hands adorned Our Lady
shrine. The statue was, indeed, only
a rude one, standing on a wooden
pedestal, for the poor Irish congrega-
ton, generous though they were,
could not afford better one; but all
that pious care could do to make it
beautiful had been done, and Our
Blessed Lady seemed to smile down
upon her supplemented clients.
When the Rosary and Litany had been
recited the parish priest, Father Tom
Geraghty, or, as he was affectionately
called by his parishioners, Father
Tom," led the celebrated Father
D to the altar steps from which
he was to preach, for there was no
pulpit. Father Tom was smiling ra-
dainty as he thus introduced the
preacher, pleased no doubt at the
thought that he had secured for his
people such an intellectual treat as
he knew Father D-'s sermon would
be. Little did he think that his own
few, simple words would have far
more weight with the majority of the
people there, who knew his kind heart
and sanity life, than all the flowers
of rhetoric. The sermon was, OF
course, about Our Blessed Lady, and
as the preacher painted in glowing
poetic language the glories and the
privileges, the power and the mercy
of this example of all womanhood
so mild, SO merciful, so strong, sc
good, so patient, peaceful, loyal, low
ing, pure" every heart was stirred
to it's very depths, as the strong
emotion on every countenance could
testify. When, at length, he described
her entry into Heaven more glorious
even than that of her Son, for He
was there to meet her, many coulC
no longer subdue the emotion which
they felt, and tears of rapture filled
their eyes, The sermon was followed
by a hymn, and seraph voices seemed
to mingle in the strain as the soft
Irish voices exulted in the glories OF
this great Queen to whom love and
loyalty was with them an instinct
for had not devotion to her been
handed down to them through cen
turtles of persecution, and generations
of martyrs?
"See, see, the Eternal Hands
Put on her radiant crown,
And the sweet majesty
OF mercy stitch down
For ever and for ever
On her predestined throne"
So ended the hymn, and then the
people knelt down to receive the
Benediction of the Son whose Mother
they delighted to honor as He Him
self had done.
When all was over, the congrega
ton filed slowly out of the church
fired with renewed ardor in the serv
lee of Heavens bright Queen and
mans gentlest Mother. The preacher
had made an impression which was
not to prove evanescent. Many re
NAMED behind after the bulk of the
congregation had departed to offer g
last prayer before Our Lady's image
Among them was young man whose
face seemed lit up with the fervol
of his emotion. He was the last tt
linger at Our Lady's shrine, and In
the effervescence of his love he re
solved to give her the costliest thing
he possessed. 1t was beautiful dia
mond ring which had belonged to his
dead mother, and taking it off, ht
placed it on a finger of the statue
Gerald Darcy had reason to know il
after-days that his act was a strong
though wordless prayer, and that il
you are all treated like lot of chill
dren; no wonder you have no go ii
you, old fellow, staying in beastly
hole like this"
was heard in Heaven. He was the
son of the bank manager of the place
and one of a numerous family of boys
who would eventually be thrown OF
their own resources, for their father
could not provide for them all out
of his modest salary. Gerald was tt
be the first to leave the paternal roof
tree and go away to seek his fortune
In fact, the very day following the
feast of the Assumption, he was tc
leave for London to take up a posi-
ton which his fathers influence had
e~1,,-.->s1 e. 1.s~~. 60, hn~1~ p