The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-12-26

the door distracted nor attenU1on.
t"Come in she said quickly. ooh,
is it you, Nellie? How good of you
to come to see me today"
Il couldn't think of allowing your
birthday to pass without seeing you, =
said the newcomer, and she kissed her
friend affectionately. See what have
brought YOU" She opened her bag and
drew forth a small leather case, I'M
clasped it, and displayed rosary of
turquoises. Your birthstone" she
said brightly How fortunate you
are, to be golden-haired and have heav-
emily blue eyes! When you say your
rosary in church people will remark,
She got that rosary on purpose to
harmonic with her complexion You
know how even pious people will talk. -
The girl laughed merrily.
4 You are very good, Nellie, to re-
member me, and l shall cherish your
gift. 1t is beautiful" said Belle, adj
miringly, as she held the beads.
They are not real stones, of course,
Belle" said Nellie. "You know, /
could not afford them,' she added
apologeticafly, much as I would like
Il it."
Il mot another word" said Belle
"You are the dearest friend l have in
the world, and | love you more than
| can tell
i There was curious, stided note in
4 Bellies voice and mist before her
Il eyes. She felt with her Gaelic in
stinct, inherited from generations of
i ancestors, that it had come to the part
i ing of the ways between herself and
4 Nellie-a parting which lay in her
i own hands. For one brief second a
/ vision flashed before her, giving her
a choice Of two gifts: a rosary repre-
] senting faith, or bunch of American
4 Beauties symboliZing all that life was
i worth-pleasure, riches, the gayety
i her soul craved and the price; the
loss Of her most precious possession,
i the Faith.
4 Nellie" she said in a choked voice,
keep the rosary. You may think | am
4 mad, but / have made UP my mind
am going to marry George Matther.
/, son."
i With a low cry Nellie Moran COW
cred her face with her hands, and
said brokenly: Belle, don't do it.
You know that he will never allow
II you to practice your religion. He
comes of a family whose hatred of our
1 holy faith is we'll known. Think we'll,
Belle" she pleaded, before you take
this STEP
In a hard, cold voice Belle Moore
q answered.: Il have made my choice.
$ love George Mattherson,' and she
4 hesitated, blushing a little. 81 also
l dearly love the things that union
| with him will bring. 1t is best that
n should return your rosary. / am not a
+ hypocrite, whatever else l may be-"
II do me a favor, Belle" cried Nellie
D piteously, after she had exhausted
| every argument to change her friends
l decision. keep the rosary and prom
Use me that even if you do carry out
u this dreadful course you will say one
, Hail Mary every day for my inten
ton. You know, always have special
Intentions" she added tearfully, "that
| | bother my friends with"
Belle hesitated, but it was only foI
moment. I shall do as you want
I mes But, remember, | am going into
: this deliberately with my eyes open
| know that | shall not be legally mar
ried as a Catholic to George Matther
: son, but shall have to be content with
civil ceremony. / know that l can
not receive the Sacramento, that
, shall have to give up everything for
: him. But | love him so much!" She
; paused, and added slowly: Does II
not seem a mockery to do what you
> ask"
"Why will not he make sacrifice
for you?" cried Nellie, hotly. 'You
could be married by priest and get
George to sign the papers necessary
to make your marriage valid"
Il have done all in my power" CRIED
Belle, Ito make him do so. / have
y even gone to Father Matthews and got
= the necessary paper for him to sign
See, here it is" She went to drawer
= and brought out paper from which
i she read aloud the rules to legalize {
/. marriage between a Catholic and {
: Protestant.
g 'sHe would not listen to me-" shC
e continued. 'He said l owed his fam
S lily something; that | could go t.
G church after we were married by i;
It minister or a magistrate; that h
i would never interfere with me, if
e would only give in to him in this; sail
# it was all nonsense about civil cere
e mony not being good enough, and il
d the end / gave in"
There was silence, broken only b.
Il the sobs of Nellie. "Oh, Belle" sh
= walled; cts not too late yet. l fore
see nothing but misery before you il
this marriage. Give the idea III
Think of it! If you have children the
will be illegitimate. You will NEE
with some one equally as good social
as George Mattherson. You are to
X beautiful and too young to do thi
s. thing. If your father and mother wer
r living, think how they would grieve. y
You have said enough said Belle
e rising. Il shall listen to no more"
ID But you will keep your promise?
'e cried Nellie, quickly.
y Il shall keep it," said Belle, as sh
= stopped down and kissed her FRIEND
IL | on,,r Iivoc lilo opar RI No11 This moan