The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-04-18

| fruit or his good luck. That mad
been seven years before, and the little
girl she had left in the world after
her, then but child of three, was
now the only thing in the world to
make the saddened husband think
! that life was at all worth living. She
was his dearest treasure, even more
than the millions which the world
envied him. 1t especially was for her
sake that he had bought Great House
Here she was free from the restraint
of the city home, no matter how spa
cious and magnificent Here she might
roam to her hearts content a true
little princess in realm that was like
to a fairy kingdom. To the outer
world it was all golden dream. The
wealthy mine owner and his ten year
old Dorothy soon became such an OBJ
ject of admiration in the town that
the history of the Great House and it's
threatening curse grew to be but the
remnant of fairy story of prehistoric
times. At any rate, the vague rumors
that reached the ears of Alexander
Merritt caused him no uneasiness. He
was happy with his child, happy with
his money and all that money can
buy.
"It may be all right" said Martin
Lally to Giblin, the gardener. Martin
had just brought the horse around to
the front door to take his master to
the train. ut may be all right now.
People nowadays has no faith, and
it's only the likes of you will laugh
at a curse put upon anything, but as
sure as I'm alive the day will come
when you'll see it again, if you stay
here that long. I've been here now
since the place was built, and I've
seen others here just as happy and
contented as the master and Miss
happened"
WELL" said Giblin, "'Pd take my
chances with it if l had all his money.
Funny you stay here if there's such
a curse on the place."
well, the curse can do me no harm.
It's only them as own the place. Any
one else can escape the curse. You
never heard the story of it? Well,
I'll tell you
But Martin did not tell Giblin the
story that day, for Mr.. Merritt came
from the house at the very moment
that Martin was about to launch forth
into ancient history.
The man frowned as he caught the
closing words of his coachman.
What is that you were talking
about Lally?" he said as they drove
out through the gate. "You don't
mean to tell me that you believe
there is a curse on this place, you
that have been here all these years!
thought it was only few old wo-
men of the town that dared to think
of such thing"
''You mustn't pay any attention to
me, SIR" said Martin. 81 was only just
RECALLING Giblin."
Still you believe it, Martin. You
have been here all these years, ever
since the house was built; surely you
have a reason for holding to such a
belief all this time
81 have SIR" said Martin. "It was
me that cut down the body of old
Grace after he committed suicide
4. well, I don't wonder that you
were frightened. It's a wonder to me
that you remained here after such a
terrible thing; Most men would be
frightened out of their lives.'
well, sir, beggars can't be choos
ers. Men have to live in spite OF
their belief in ghosts and such things
left the place many time, but
every time new owner comes soon
find myself back at the same job.
suppose it will be so till the end"
"That means that you think I an
going to follow all my predecessors
and be obliged to leave the Great
House. You don't know my stubborn
ness, Lally. The devil himself COULDN'T
dislodge me from the place. I like
it too well, and the little one-why
it has been life to her. 1t would be
murder to take her away. She loves
every blade of grass about the place.
"Just like the first missus," sale
Martin. "She was darling, Mr.
Merritt. We all worshipped thu
ground. she walked on, she was tina
beautiful and kind. The master
loved her, too, but saw that she was
afraid of him. She seemed to be {
different person when she went t.
drive with me alone. 1t was all owe,
religion, as I found out afterwards
She had been Catholic of the OLE
stock; her mother, good homes
Irish woman that educated her stric
Catholic. She was barely out o
school when she met the master, ant
nothing would do for him but tt
marry her. He had some kind o
hatred for the Catholic Church ant
, the Irish, and he soon showed it t.
the poor woman. Many a time
could see the tears come to her eye
as she passed the little church in thu
town, afraid to go in for fear tn
husband would make trouble abou
it. I told her she ought to do it il
: spite of him, and save her own sou
and the souls of her daughters-ther
were three of them, sir. But sh
never seemed to get the courage
One day when I had her out drivin;
she was taken sick suddenly.
! brought her home as fast as I could
? The first thing she asked me to d.
: was to go and get priest for her.
ppnx hn a11 h. mn