The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-01-31

gave to the house, vaguely aware In
the midst of his hot indignation that
he must remember where this child
lived: and then passed on, grieved
beyond words; for, as is vision, he
beheld whittier this innocent life was
| tending. Those desecrated lips would
never learn to pray, the vice would
grow and grow, and with it other
vices; and that bright head would be
brought low, and even lower, until at
last it's resting place would be a pau
per's, drunkard's or criminal grave.
Throughout a busy day the thought
of the child remained with the priest.
Could anything be done to save him?
Of course, he must first discover
whether the boy belonged to his flock
before attempting any interference.
He remembered that one of his par
ishioners lived near the house where
he had seen the child, and she could
probably inform him about the boy
and his people. He was too busy, he
told himself, today to call on his par
ishioners, but as soon as possible he
would do So But the woman was
employed during the day, and it was
not every evening that Father Grey
was free, so it happened that more
than a week had elapsed before he
looked her up.
The woman knew the people whom
he inquired for. Yes, they were Cath
olics, or should be-the man some
times went to church, the boy was
shamefully neglected. They were very
unfortunate people.
How, unfortunate?"
. well, the mother drinks came the
reluctant answer.
Father Grey caught his breath
sharply-he foresaw a hard battle be-
fore him. 81 must go to see them, :"
: he said graVely.
! ''They moved out of the parish yes
; terday," the woman told him, though
I can give you their address,
5 The priest hesitated-the matter
( had been taken out of his hands now,
and he had plenty of black sheep as it
r was to look after: but, Il will take
: their address," he said, and after
writing it down proceeded homeward.
He was very tired tonight, but in
his study work was waiting for him
the plans for a new school to be ex.
: amined, and some accounts to be
gone over He had seated himself at
e the table, when his eyes fell on an
open book there 1t was the Little
$ Office of the Blessed Virgin and al
$ most unconsciously he read the first
: words on the page: "If this day you
r should hear His voice, harden not
l., your hearts"
Father Grey paused, considering
/, gravely whether the Master had asked
anything of him today which he haG
S not needed. There were those people
l. who had moved out of the parish, but
# surely he could do nothing about then
r now He was sorry he had delayed
n perhaps he had been remiss in the
y matter, but certainly nothing coulC
h be done now for these poor fallen
l. Always. All! who could say how man!
y such dwelt in every parish, and ever
5, in his own; he must hold himself &C
S countable for each individual sou
o within it; yet, how could he come il
d touch with those whose faces he knew
n not, who never entered a church, whC
a forgot the things of eternity, eXcep
Il perhaps in the last dread hour o
S, death, when the soul cries out for it
e, right of life everlasting?
4 Father Grey rose and paced tn
rooms restlessly, and presently paus
in OF 40 I'M Of hn WI
outline next the rectory, which h
~ know to be the church. Generally il
IL moments of depression or discourage
IL ment, merely to look at st. John
u Church served to comfort Father Gre!
u So many years of toll, of patience, @
le sacrifice, had gone into the buildin
sc of it, but tonight it gave him no COZ
|" ISOLATION.
- "It is all vain,'' he said YEARLY, eth
80 whiteness, the labor, the beauty of
- all compared to the worth of one we
~ lamb the Good Shepherd would hav
- for His own"
~ He turned abruptly from the VIII
- dow to gaze questioningly at a pictur
y. above his mantel.
NJ If 1t were you, ne SAID TO tn
q young eyes looking down at hin
= would you go, even tonight,
~, search of these poor souls?"
- The face of the picture was youni
-, almost beautiful, with broad whit
~ ~ brow and dark, curling hair; Will
~ from the deep, glowing eyes a spir
~ looked forth, brave, eager, longin
II, Something of likeness to Hoffman,
~ exquisite Head of Christ" dwelt
~ those fearless, soulful eyes; and tn
was Father Grey on the day of h
- first Mass.
eff it were you," the old priest CO
~ tinued a little wistfully, ''you, WI
a dreamed of martyrdom in heathe
- countries because of your zeal IL
70 souls; would you hesitate to go I'M
r. another parish now because your co
- frere there might consider you il
-n polite? For thirty years the viii
no morning-glory of the Mass has bio
.os somed beneath your touch, but unle
10 you are holier, truer now than on Il
40 day of your first Mass, that glory, fl
Oh you, has been in vain"
a., 1t was after eight o'clock Wh'
NO Father Grey, in neighborlng paris
: paused before a dilapidated fiat bull
- ing. The number on one OF the doc
= was that he was in search of, b