The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-08-02
Continued from Page 81
HOW THEIR PRAYERS WERE
ANSWERED.

ANSWERED.
| AS he listened to the sermon some
thing in him was kindled by the
preachers words; perhaps it was
faith, perhaps it was fixed deter
mination to leave no possible stone
unturned to gain this prize, and after
prayed as he had never prayed before
in his life, for the success of his
scheme.
The anxiety he was enduring, the
vacillation between hope and fear
which every rise and fall in the stock
in which he was so deeply interested
caused him to feel, was telling on his
| physical strength, and reacting on his
spiritual nature, as our bodies are
wont to act and react on our souls,
and weigh them down or raise them
up without our suspecting their in
| fuence.
John Murray, though usually calm,
collected and not particularly fervent
worshipper, was today in high emo
tional frame of mind as he knelt be-
fore our Lady's statue and repeated
the Memorare with passionate fervor,
almost commanding her to grant his
request: you can, you will, you
must grant my petition. / believe that
never was it known that you refused
to help your clients. Hear my prayer,
o gracious Virgin, and grant me the
success / covet."
Johns prayer was not so long as
Mary Luttrells, but after he had fin
ished he strolled slowly round the
church, and presently recognized her
graceful figure bent in deep and hum
BILE duplication at the feet of the Sa-
cred Heart. His prayer had been like
the storming of citadel, tumultuous,
vehement, violent; Mary's was calmer,
deeper, gentler, humber; her form
was motionless; she was absorbed in
devotion.
John stood little way off watching
her, and when at last she rose from
her knees and came towards him, her
usually pale cheeks were flushed, her
eyes shone with new light, and
John, as he looked at her, experienced
new feeling overwhelming his trou-
bled spirit, feeling that was at once
pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow,
hope and fear, blended inextricably to-
gether.
He knew intuitively that the sermon
had moved her as it had moved him
to ask some great favor; he won
dered what her request had been; he
longed to know not only what it was,
but if it would be granted. He longed
greatly to find this out, for he argued
if Mary's prayer was granted, his, too,
might be, and as he walked home with
her, as he frequently did, he sum-
moned up courage after they had dis
cussed the sermon to say:
will you tell me if your prayer is
granted?"
Mary Luttrell, remembering what
her prayer had been, flushed crimson,
and, womanlike, answered with an
other question.
What prayer" she said, almost
guiltily.
"The prayer you were making at
the Sacred Heart altar this morning. y
Mary hung her head.
1T was foolish prayer, because
only by miracle could it be granted,
and we ought not to expect miracles
Perhaps not, but am quite sure it
was better prayer than mine. But,
anyhow, will you tell me when it is
granted. if it ever is?"
Yes, / promise / WILL" said Mary,
smiling, and her smile was very sweet,
in Johns opinion, that he began to
think there were other things in the
world better worth desiring than finan-
cial success.
We'll, prayed for something, too,
this morning, something l want des.
/ perately / will tell you what it was. .
said John. And he told her Just as
they reached the home of her EN-
lployer.
Some days later John Murray heard
that his speculation had failed, and he
had lost every penny he had invested
He ragged and stormed, blamed him
self for his folly in risking so much
on an uncertainty, made things de
cidedly hot for his unfortunate clerks
and then remembered that he would
probably see Mary Luttrell next day
which was Sunday, at Mass. He would
certainly tell her his prayer had beer
refused, and somehow he derived
great consolation in his loss in an
i fieinafiuS1 her cvmnaffv
The next morning he saw Mary in
her usual place when he entered the
church, and after Mass was over he
lowered near her when she went to
the altar OF the Sacred Heart, fol-
perseverance in prayer was part Of
Mary's scheme of life.
Her attitude, at any rate outwardly