The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-11-27

slept when they passed side by side
through the narrow streets and knock
ed at Father Van Buren's door. The
old priest feared some one Of his chill
dren' was i'll, that he should be sum-
moned at SO early an hour; and was
amazed to find upon his steps Mrs. I
Damen and Joseph, both pale, heavy-I
eyed and tremulous.
"Ah, my friends, it was a long, sad
night for you!. he exclaimed sympa-
thetically. He thought their coming |
was somehow connected with Henry's |
death.
AS for Joseph, he said not a word,
but the mother explained in her I'M
emotional way: II
Henry is gone, and missionaries
are needed more sorely than ever be-
fore; SO Josephine is going to Steyl
to take his brothers place. He IS
starting early; he will reach there
this afternoon
And Father Van Buren, blessed
them, with tears in his eyes.
The mother and son passed into the
church. A minute there was all they
could bear; for they dared not lose
their self-controI, and it was hard in
deed to be stoicaI before the Friend
Who understood SO we'll AfterWard
she walked with him for q mile zoe
more. They were hand in had by
this time, but still silent except tGat
at intervals Mrs. Damen said some litsl
tie word. Remember, Joseph" she
admonished him, remember to wear
your coat as soon as it is cold. You
coughed last year all through the
autumn" At another time: I'll ask
Martin to take your trunk the first day
he goes by way of Steyl. Later, with
sob, she said: ct is only right
God bless you!" Last of all, just be-
fore they parted, smiling a little, she
looked up into his face. 1t was the
first time that morning she had dared
to look at him. Henry will be
pleased" she whispered
They had reached turn in the
road, and Joseph stopped short.
"You must go back, mother. You
are coming too far" he said bravely;
then, folding her in his arms. he
kissed her again and again, and she
chung to him until he broke away and
started swiftly in the direction he
must go. He did not once look back
knowing that he would not, the moth
er stood gazing after him, though she
saw but dimly through her tears. At
last the lengthening distance hid from
her even the faintest outline Of his
tall figure.
Her strength, overtaxed during so
many hours, forsook her then. She
could walk no farther; she was faint
and dizzy How she would get home
she did not know Near at hand there
was a low, broad tree stump, and she
crouched down upon it to rest, if rest
were possible. Utterly desolate, she
stared blankly at the familiar land
scape,-the smiling farms and great
windmills, with CLEAN of silver
wherever the sun shone on the canal.
Soon she hid her face in her arms.
Unaccustomed thoughts crowded in
to her mind. She remembered how
ceaselessly she had toiled that her
boys might be well educated, allowing
herself neither rest nor pleasure. Oh,
1.-THE years had beeB song and hardi
But she had been proud of her sons
and devoted to them. Now both were
gone, Henry hardly, more irrevocably
than his brother. She was alone.
She would be alone, day and night,
for the remainder of her life; and she
was old and weary, weary. Joseph
was so merry! True, she had not al
ways understood why he laughed or
why he was SO blithely happy, but she
, would miss him only the more.
Bitter feelings stole into her heart,
ordinarily most placid. Why had God
treated her SO? He had taken her
husband many years before, and she
had struggled to be brave. He had
taken Henry; she was trying not to
| murmur in her suffering when He
asked for her baby. 1t was too hard
Others lived and died with their OVID
, about them.
A wagon passed on the road, going
in the direction of the village,-passed
/ SO near that she could have touched
! it; but the driver paid no heed 10 her
and she saw and heard nothing.
, young man and an old woman walked
tswiftly by, and wondered who she was
: and if she needed help, but they did
: not stop to inquire. A jolly farmer
drove past in his cart Of vegetables
He was singing at the top of his voice;
but still Mrs. Damen, absorbed with
in herself, heard no sound.
Then, suddenly, inexplicably, deer
: in her sore heart and soul she real
lied, she almost saw, that Henry was
: radiantly py,-happy in way she
had never dreamed, even in the sweet
! days when she and his father had
first lived in their little home, and
/, she was young and light-hearted, and
he kind to her, as he forgot to be
after his malady laid hold upon him
and made of his days and nights 2
purgatory. An instant afterward, how
she did not know or even wonder, she
seemed to be at last at the gate oil
heaven, and to see Henry hurrying
lovingly to meet her; and, with his
arms about her, they looked down
Edown, through mists Of tears and
clouds of sin which covered the earth
land saw Joseph, young still but thin
and worn. He was saying Mass in q
poor church, before congregation Of
European nuns and almond-eyed chill