The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-08-22

she remembered her grandfather
who had gone smiling to the guillotine,
and would not be less brave than he
in giving the child of her heart to the
service Of God, destiny more honor
able than any earthly service. But
though she endeavored to make light
of the parting her son understood her;
he, too, remembered some of the
things she had told him, and held in
reverence the memory of his great
grandfather.
When night fell and Michael Wood
returned to his house his son was
gone He said but little; his wife
hardly spoke at all, but went about
her daily tasks gently, as of old, and
if she spent more time before the altar
of their parish church, scarcely any
one knew it, for she came and went
SO softly, so fairy-like, that it was as
though an angel passed into the far
corner where the dim shadows hung
about her like veil to shut her from
the sight of earthly eyes the while she
prayed.
Michael affected not to notice his
sons absence. Now and then, when
the rare letters came from the youth.
full religious, he would read them in
the privacy of his Office. AfterWard
he would lay them on little priedieu
in his wife's room that she might see
them also. He never found them again,
nor did he ask for them; yet, for all
the silence between them there was
no estrangement; rather they chung
the more closely like two blind chill
dren on strange road who fear to
speak lest the sound of their voices
shall stir up some unseen danger.
Five years went by, leaving the
traces of their passing on the mer-
chant and his wife. Michael had
grown thinner and less alert in his
manner; his eyes had lost little of
their quickness, his hair was white,
his lips a trifle softer in expression.
Sometimes his wife thought that he
must break through the wall of re
serve that he had built about him, but
somehow it never came to that.
Everything that he had touched had
prospered exceedingly, but he had kept
his word, and no money of his making
had found it's way to the college
where John was already nearly at the
end of his course. He had never even
visited his son, perhaps because he
felt that he could not trust himself,
hut hn nhioctiN11 rrtn 6o
boys mother had insisted on her right
to pay her yearly visit to him whom
she had given to God with such large
generosity.
Then Brother John wrote to his
parents. 1t was a joint letter this
time, bidding them come to witness
his elevation to the priesthood.
Michael passed the letter across the
breakfast table to his wife. 81 shall
not go, of course" he remarked briefly
She did not look up for a moment
her eyes were travelling rapidly over
the closely written page, but long be
| fore she came to the end of it hel
| sight failed her and she laid the letter
aside.
Five years." she murmured.
Five and half" he corrected, "the
| boy was right after all 1t is very dis
appointing, he grumbled, half-hearted
| ly.
She rose from her seat and came
and stood beside him: "Disappoint
ing! she repeated
He started little and flushed un
easily under the gentle reprimand oil
her tone: Il wanted to make him a
partner, he returned.
"And them"
HE would have succeeded me; the
old name would not have died out"
"And them"
He would have had a son-sons
The business would have been an ole
one in the third generation"
'And them"
He swung round and faced her,
What do you mean?" he asked quick
ly and looked her in the eyes. The,
were very grave, but there was a hin
of a smile upon her lips. She did no
answer him.
'Then-oh-er-th he said fee
bly,.
The smile conquered her lips at last
spread to her eyes and she knelt be
side him tenderly as though she would
persuade him.
Half unconsciously one arm stol.
around her and he drew her head dow
upon his shoulder, but still he did no
speak. A solemn silence fell upol
their hearts. Michael reached out hi
hand and took the letter from her.
Don't read it to me-not now
she begged.
you don't want to hear it,"
mo, | want to see it-later on
alone"
He recoiled as though she ha,
struck him: Alone!-Jeanne!" HI
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