The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-03-07
THE RIGHTEOUS

Perhaps he should have known bet
ter, since his full name was Peter
Augustine Brady and his maternal
grandmother had been one of those
splendid and militant Gallaghers-
pronounce it Godfather hail
from the farming region nigh Stra-
bane. Perhaps, had his father not
met with that fatal accident in the
powder works when Peter was five
years old, the boy might have received
a different "set" in his life philosophy.
Perhaps, had his young little mother
idolized him less and beg pardon
spanked him more, he might have
learned that, while life is largely a
matter of viewpoint, it isn't always a
matter of your particular viewpoint.
Perhaps the right sort of teacher or
the right sort of chum or the right
sort of yellow dog might have been
instrumental in bringing about Peters
ultimate salvation; and, perhaps, there
is hope for him yet. You see, in tell
ing the story of Peter the Righteous,
it is necessary to strain our optimism
to the bursting point.
1t must be nearly fifty years now
since Peter entered our parochial
school. He was thin and nervous and
pink-faced, and wore black velvet
suit and a broad, white collar. He
had been Disseminated against, it
seems, at the public school, and his
mother simply couldn't stand it. The
details of that alleged discrimination
1 have never been able to learn; but
we who have known Peter through the
years feel that there could have been
very little to it. But, of course, Peter
thought otherwise.
We called Peter stuck-up; his teach
er called him stubborn; the principal
called him self-willed; his mother
insisted that her boy merely displayed
proper spirit. He was not popular
schoolboy, and he knew tin those
good old days we had unequivocal
methods of making such things Under
stood; but Peter maintained that we
were simply band of "hoodlums'
and his mother explained us away as
rowdy element. Well, two of those
rowdies are parish priests today, five
are Christian Brothers, another is
chief of police, and several more are
highly respected and respectable pro.
fessional men. But, of course, that
has nothing to do with Peter.
Peters star performance at our
parochial school came off in the month
before our graduation. He was one
of the seven final contestants for the
Cathechism medal. He passed a bril-
liant examination, too; but it was not
the most brilliant. At least, that is
what everybody said, except Peter
Good old Father Kearney who fired
| the final rounds of questions, compli
mented the rest of us warmly, anC
awarded the medal to Frank Flynn
Then we gave three resounding cheers
for the winner-al except Peter
Peter protested, right then and there
He said he was better than Flynn any
day, and that he could prove it. Fa
Their Kearney was puzzled and the
teacher was indignant, and the princi
| pal-with more nerves than was gooC
for him-was quite upset. We mum
bled unutterable things at Peter anC
surreptitiously shook our fists; bu
Peter calmly insisted that he haC
been wronged. And he told his moth
er about it. She saw in her boys
eyes that he was speaking the truth
and she told some sympathetic neigh
bors and protested to Father Kearne!
and gave the principal a piece of he
mind. She punished everybody b!
staying away from our graduation ex
ercises. Naturally, it was a grea
scandal in the parish.
1t was really too bad, now that WI
think it over, for that was the onl.
graduation Peter was destined t.
have. He had meant to go through
high school at least-perhaps eve1
make his way through college; but il
the third high-school year Peter AM
the instructor in history fell out owe
the date of the Battle of Hastings
To us that was one of the most me
mentous results of the Norman Con
quest. The instructor thought, an
we thought, that Peter had said 1860
: but Peter held-and I daresay hold
to this day-that he said 1866. Bill
Thorne, the class philosopher, pointe,
out that it was absurd to make 8
much fuss over half dozen years o
so and away back in the eleventh Ger
fury, too; but the instructor didn'
see it that way, being an instructor
: and Peter couldn't see it that way
being Peter. And so, am sorry
say, Peter used some highly imprope
: language in telling the instructor whs
he thought of him, and then refuse
, to apologize when directed to do S
> by the principal Then, being in a
: things supported and abetted by hi
: mother, Peter left the high school
i just about seventeen minutes too 500
3 to be expelled.
We lost track Of Peter for a fe
t years after that, for he and his motht
i removed to Maryland. 1t was on
o long afterward that he heard whi
e happened there. Peter enrolled at
s Catholic academy and developed v
t cation to the priesthood. Peter Wa
, 1 yvorxy r,0ciffvn oFn011% 4ho ronIffv nf RI