The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-04-11

and mademoiselle entered the small
parlor.
The invalid, turning from the win
dow, regarded his visitor with aston
ishment as she stood in the middle of
the room holding her fragrant burden
and, though now somewhat confused
and embarrassed, looking as she was,
the picture of an old-time gentle
woman.
With native courtesy he quickly
concealed his surprise.
'Ah, it is the lady of whom my
daughter has spoken" he said. Par
don me for not rising to greet you.
am a prisoner of this rolling chair.
Be seated, mademoiselle; Rhoda will
be home directly"
Il came down for a moment"
stammered mademoiselle, slightly
short of breath, "just to offer you
this little Easter plant. l know you
are ill. And since you cannot go to
hear the Alleluias sung and assist at
the Church's great celebration of
Christ's Resurrection, why Easter
must come to you. Is it not SO? Eft,
alors monster, 1 hope you will like
the lily. l must run away now; but
please present my good wishes to
Mees Rhoda''
His hard features softened and lit
up with rare smile, and his voice
was not quite steady, as he essayed a
few words of thanks.
Mademoiselle, without waiting for
them, however, retreated precipitately,
half amazed at her own temerity in
defying les convenances by her in
formal visit.
On the way back to her own apart
ment she again encountered her young
neighbor.
"Oh," mademoiselle," cried the girl,
mother and have been out of humor
and disappointed all day because the
weather is so threatening, and if it
rains tomorrow we can't wear our
new spring finery. But, after you told
us what you were going to do with
your lily, we felt that, until then, we
had indeed missed the spirit of Easter.
And we would like to send one of our
azaleas to the sick old gentleman
down stairs, just as reminder that
spring has come and perhaps he will
soon get out again, you know, and
that all nature rejoices with us be,
cause Christ is risen"
Eyes, chere, send the azalea, by all
means" answered mademoiselle, mar.
yelling at the widening influence OF
the mission that the lily, like a living
messenger, had apparently taken to
itself.
AS she reached her own door, look.
ing back, she saw a mass of superb,
roseate, blossoms being carried down
to the invalid
That evening Rhoda ran in to thank
her.
Father is really happy tonight "
she said "The beautiful flowers and
the little ovation you brought about
have deeply touched him."
But mademoiselle's small coup-de
bonheur was not fated to end here
The next morning the metropolis
awoke to find the skies Lenten gray
and the rain falling in steady down.
pour. Alas for frivolous femininity
and dreams of gay attire!
Yet, whether in festive or sombre
garb, thousands of people made their
way to the churches. For, though the
sun was still shrouded in a winding
sheet of mist, it was Easter Day, and
the bells in the church-towers rang
valiantly:
Christ is risen! What matter if all
else is dark? The gloom shall pass
He will make all things glad. Rejoice!
Rejoice! Rejoice!"
AS Mademoiselle des Ruisseaux
prepared to go out at an early hour
she heard mischievous Michael, the
son of retired sea captain, who lived
somewhere upstairs, singing through
the halls, as he ran down.
Michael was choir boy of the ca
. thedral, and his clear soprano, beauti
full as an archangeIs, the listener tolG
herself, foated to her now, bearing OF
it's wings of song the story of thu
Resurrection.
4 Alleluia Alleluia! Alleluia!-
3 Oh, sons and daughters let us sing,
}. The King of Heaven, the glorious
King,
5 Today is risen triumphing. Alleluia
The voice ceased, and mademoisell,
e was just in time to catch Michael il
q the act of tying a great bunch O
myrtle to the knob of Staunton
4 door.
e Il heard tell how you sent the oil
e gentleman a lily, mam'selle," he said
}, half abashed. $50 begged this of thu
}. choir master last night. Miss Rhoda'
r father and have got to nodding tt
!, each other as l pass to and fro. HI
a can't go out, so l thought p'haps tt
e look at the green spring vine may
, make him feel as if he were at the
grand Mass, listening to the antiphoni
! and to Gounod's great 'Sanctus.' Say
: that's like the choirs of heaven sing
ing together, isn't it, mam'selle?"
/ At this evidence of his love o.
2 music, mademoiselle forgave zee
gamin Michael" various pranks thai
sometimes lay in wait for her on the
, stairs.
"Ah, the boy has a good heart" she
declared.
: The last and greatest surprise o.
the day came to her, however, some
! hours LATER Tn the afternoon there