The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-02-21

clothes are really unfit, and shoes
are out of the question"
1T seems as if there must be some
way of providing such urgent neces-
saries," said Mrs. Moore, sadly.
1--WE have left no way unconsider-
ed" answered the nun, gently. I'VE
try to meet the cases of sheer starv
alton and election, and that leaves us
actually nothing for clothing. This
is very poor locality, and we our
selves are poor"
20 Mother, I quite understand
that! 1t is only wonderful how the
orders do so much" Mrs. Moore
fastened to explain. "But if people
with even ordinary means were mott
] fed, surely they"
They promise-and forget"
We'll, for my part" said Mrs.
Moore, smiling, II shall not have
wink of sleep tonight unless those
small children are shod properly to-
day. Those poor little purple feet
would come trembling through my
dreams. In fact, Mother, want to
provide a comfortable outfit of warm
clothing for those children, at least,
this very day, lest forget like the
rest"
"You could not do a greater act of
charity" replied the nun. "And I am
sure you will be much impressed
when I tell you that your meeting
with the children this morning seems
a direct answer to prayer. When
Maggie began to feel so dreadfully
discouraged about the delay in making
her First Communion, l advised her
to begin novena to the Sacred Heart.
Even with all her faith, she was feel
ing very downcast, as nothing seemed
to come from her petition. But she
persisted bravely, poor child! And
here, on the last day, Our Lord, Who
has chosen you as His agent, brings
you all the way from Malahide to
meet that child at the foot of His
altar"
Tears rushed to the kind little lady's
eyes.
"To think that He should find me
worthy" she said falteringly.
''He knows His own" replied the
nun. "And now to business! I will
go and ask Sister to make out list
of what the children most require.
will not detain you more than a few
minutes"
On her return, Mother Superior
said:
"The news of this direct answer
to Maggie's prayer has delighted the
community, and you have earned for
yourself great many prayers, Mrs.
, Moore. Now I am going to ask you
to extend your kindness still further,
:: and go to see Mrs. Patch, if you have
time She is one of the most perfect
examples of cheerful resignation |
4 have ever met. I am sure you will be
: pleased with her"
: Mrs. Moore readily agreed to do
this; and, taking leave of the nun,
y fastened to carry out what she felt
to be Our Lords commission. Ar
rived at the shops, she felt a distinct
: pleasure in selecting substantial and
5 rather expensive clothing for her lit
i tie protegees.
: In the afternoon Mrs. Moore sought
out the Patch residence, which was
, in so obscure a quarter than there
i was much grumbling on the part OF
the "cabby," who stated his belief
e that "the lady was on wild-goose
e chase, and that there wasn't any
such place at all, at ALL
He finally puzzled it out, however
e "a miserable little falling-down dwell
e ing in a dreary lone, largely decorated
!; with lines of dingy washing. A
8 rickety staircase, carefully swept, lee
n to a tiny door, guiltless of paint in
d deed, but evidently we'll scrubbed;
It for here began the domain Of tidy
# Mrs. Patch. Through the shining
panes of a diminutive window might
:; be seen the bright green convolutions
e of a water plant growing luxuriantly
o in red flower-pot, and contrasting
E; pleasantly with two bits of snowy
=, muslin, which did duty as curtains
r and bore testimony to Mrs. Patch's
skill as darner.
n That little woman herself opened
l. the door. She was the quaintest o.
e USlHSS, WIFI Sy OS
shining black hair tucked under ar
e antediluvian net, and clad in a faded
t, print dress fresh from the tub. She
V ushered her visitor in, with the sim
pie dignity so often found in the de
- cent poor-seeming almost to have
s. an air of pride in the humble place
she called home. The stove, the
q principal article of furniture, had beer
: carefully mended in several places
n and shone with much polish; and the
~ four wooden chairs were a lesson in
scrubbing.
81 Two or three little children looked
+ out from behind their mothers skirts
and in the corner, on box covered
with a quilt, lay a crippled boy, max
ing a necklace of spools on bit o.
l. red cord-the spools being discarded
implements of his mothers trade; fol
. Mrs. Patch was sewing woman
. working, on starvation pay, for big
clothing firm.
:. "Ah, well, l manage somehow
;. she said in answer to Mrs. Moore's in
quiries "You see, my husband
doesn't always be workin'. He's mo-
: too strong, and, to tell the truth
;, others lead him astray now and AGAR
!. though a better or kinder mar
. you'd not often see. But, 0 ma'am