The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-06-20

M 4NSNS1 MAAN nUOuG LndI AOWS Az
answered tenderly. Wait" and his
voice trembled, wait until mother
gets we'll"
'We'll have to ask the Blessed
Virgin again tomorrow, won't we? Oh,
just minute" as her father was leav-
ing the room. "Don't you think" and
she sat up in bed, her hands clasped
in beWilderment at the suddenness of
the idea, don't you think if we said
the beads again in the morning, in
stead of waiting until tomorrow night,
it would help more?"
Perhaps it would" came the hum
BILE response. well do that"
He paused at his wife's door. The
nurse shook her head. There was no
change. He went slowly downstairs
and back to the library. He again be-
came aware of the beads that he car
ried. He had meant to replace them
in the loved fingers where they right
fully belonged. He would wait awhile
before inquiring of the nurse again,
and at that time he could return them.
In the meantime he might as well see
if he remembered the method of using
them, since he was to say them again
with Margaret in the morning. He
recited the Our Father and the Hail
Mary Yes, he knew them. He re
peated the Hail Mary. 1t seemed to
fascinate him. Then he remembered
that, among other things Margaret
had told him, was the strange fact
that prayers said on these beads would
benefit her mother, as the indulgences
belonged to the owner. He decided to
say the beads again from the be-
ginning, reading the Apostles Greed
and the meditation on the mysteries,
from a prayer book as before. Mar
garet had knelt. A sudden impulse
made him follow her example.
The unusual attitude seemed to
produce a corresponding change in
his mental processes; or was it that
with the submission of the body, the
grace of God, withheld until then, had
suddenly flooded his soul? He had in
tended, but not because of any very
strong faith in their efficacy, to offer
the successive Hail Marys for the re
covery of his wife's health-the very
improbability of which made his re-
quest seem unreasonable to himself.
But once on his knees he felt impelled
to include it, however preposterous it
might be, in the all-embracing petit
ton to her who was "full of grace"
that she F'pray for us now, and at the
hour of our death" And with a
newly-understood veneration he re-
peated again and again the Angelic
Salutation.
How unworthy I am" he medi-
tated. Unworthy even of the patient,
devoted wife God has given me. May
not her illness be a just punishment on
me for my obstinacy in refusing to
accept the Truth that has been SO
clearly indicated to me for at least
seven years? I have been blind, and
criminally so! All, if God will but
spare her to me, will make amends.
And yet, what right have I to bargain
with God? l have denied Him and
repudiated His Blessed Mother. dare
not ask"
And yet, like Peter, to whom else
could he go? There is but one I'M
changing answer, and Mark Gaylord
interpreted it. Alright. Humble, re-
pentant, believing, he begged this
favor, if it were the will of God to
grant it, and he implored the Blessed
Virgin to be his mediator. In her honor,
he once more commenced the recita-
ton of the Rosary.
He was still on his knees, absorbed
in prayer, when Hannah looked in at
the door. Startled, she stepped back.
1t was long past midnight. She had
come to call him, but expected to find
him asleep in the chair.
HAS he gone crazy?" she asked
herself "And what, I'd like to know,
is he doin' with the Missus' beads!
Sure he knows nothin' to say on them.
I'm almost afeard to speak to him, for
/ don't think he's right, at all-'tis the
sorrow that's turned his brain!"
A swish of the nurses dress up
stairs recalled her own errand. She
must brave the danger, whatever it
might be, in addressing him.
"Mr. Gaylord" she whispered.
There was no response.
"Mr. Gaylord" little louder and
tentatively advancing one foot into
the room.
The haggard resignation in the face
turned towards her was pitiable.
Is-she-is-there- changer" he
falteringly asked.
There is that replied she, land
it's for the better. Miss Kellogg says
the crisis came about an hour ago. /
didn't know about it. But, at any rate,
it is over with, and Mrs. Gaylord will
get well. And I was sent down to say
as how since Mrs. Gaylord is awake,
and We may go up but We mustn't talk
much Well, sure, We can't go up at
all if ye'd be sobbin' like that tbs
laughin' We should bel"
ooh, Hannah" he exclaimed, wiping
his wet cheeks, prayers are truly
heard and answered. / never used to
believe that have been praying to
Our Blessed Mother" he said "Our
Blessed Mother" proudly now,-"and
God has granted her petition and mine
If 1 can speak but one sentence to
Helen tonight it shall be what she has
waited years to hear. / shall put her
beads in her hands and tell her that
thro11Ch fhopa r havn hnoonnn a Cafh0-