The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-17

impaired heart is preferred. Now
Jennie, stop going around, and tell
me what's the matter" Father Moore
ordered the girl.
ut is Helena" said Jennie. "She
has forbidden me in so many words
to marry Jack If he should ask me to
And she actually says il that time
came should have to choose between
her and him-taking Jack would mean
giving up Helena"
"Fiddlesticks! said Father Moore
stopping his pipe with the tip of his
little finger. Don't you worry, my
dear Helena can't afford to lose you
Besides, isn't it silly and somewhat
melodramatic?
Maybe, but it's worse than than;
it's Mr.. Harding" said Jennie, and
this time she laughed naturally.
''Is-it-possible!" said Father
Moore slowly. "Blows the wind in
that quarter? I never surmised it
Mr. Harding is a decent sort of man
He's rich to an improbable point. And
you don't want him, Jennie?"
Jennie shook her head till hairpin
dropped, and Father Moore restored
it to her, with an obeisance.
"You actually want my boy, Jack:
Well, my girl, you are perfectly right
there. Jack won't see you starve
either Helena is ambitious; she al
ways was. How much more than
twenty-five that young woman seems!
Jennie, suppose we give her Mr.. Hard
ing! How would that do?" Father
Moore twinkled in keen enjoyment oil
his suggestion.
II don't keep him in box, Father;
do you? Could you give him to whom
you pleased?" said Jennie.
'Not precisely. But if he has taken
a notion to want the little Robbins,
believe I might direct him successful
ly to the older sister," said Father
Moore. "You see, my dear, when 6
mature gentleman makes up his minG
that the time has come, he is in nc
mood to procrastinate! You must LEI
me underrate you somewhat, little
Jennie. I'll get him to confide his de
sires to me. Then I'll raise my brows
and purse my lips and nod my heat
wisely" Father Moore rehearsed the
performance, removing his pipe will
great enjoyment 'I'll say: HIN!
Then: Ha!'-still with the effect O.
wisdom Little Jennie Robbins, die
you say, Harding?' I'll continue
Nice child, certainly, but immature
Now, there's her sister, Helena, that's
fine girl, if you will! Jennie's lit
tie pet of mine, of course, but Helena
Helena is dignified, strong, mature
girl, called handsome by critics.
should have supposed you would have
appreciated Helena's remarkable bal
ance of practical sense and cleverness
She has been the efficient head of q
household since her childhood, and
has brought up the little one, though
there's not five years between them
There's prize for man that wants
a gracious and competent head for q
fine establishment Then l think
may carelessly quote:
A perfect woman, nobly planned,
To warn, to comfort and command.
Then I'll say-with your permission
Besides, the little tad would not sc
much as hear an offer of marriage, il
it were made her. I think I am JUST
fed in saving you modification, my
dear Harding, by telling you that hel
thoughts are filled to overlooking will
youth of her own sort, fine lad
who loves her. It's nothing for you
to regret; Helena, the imperial, will
the imperial name of immortal mem
DRY of beauty, is surely the wife fol
such man as you'll And l fatter my
self, Jane, my child, that shall steel
that ship to port! In which case fame,
Helena holding anger against you fol
becoming plain Mrs. Lamb and leav
ing to her the headlines in the society
columns! Jennie, my dear, what {
short-sighted child you are!"
Jennie's delight knew no bounds
She instantly believed that the pla1
would succeed, that her happiness
would be assured, and that Helena
would be almost as happy, in her way
And her enjoyment of the dear ole
priests chuckling satisfaction in his
Machiavellian cunning, his rehearsal
of his adroitness, was intense.
"But are you sure Helena would be
happy, dear Father" she said, with a
passing fear.
Perfectly sure. She would be hap
py, she would administer well a great
opportunity to do good, and she would
make Harding happy beyond his
hopes. l know Helena" said Father
Moore confidently.
"She has been perfectly wonderful
to me-" said Jennie, the tears rising
to her own surprise, as in her mind
she added to her sentence: Until
today"
Father Moore understood. "She
loves you better than anything else in
the world; in fact you are the only
thing in the world, now, that Helena
really loves" he said. when women
love one person exclusively they are
often liable to be unjust in some great
matter toward that person, and posi-
bly, make the other wholly and per.
manently wretched. There's no say.
ing what Helena might do if you held
out for Jack, but I'll marry her to Mr.
Harding and there will not be a
shadow! She'll be devoted to her
husband-she's the sort that is-and