The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-10-23
THE MEDAL OF GRACE

I'LL WIUhl VI UkHOI
Resale Clayton dabbed her eyes
with the webbiest excuse for hand
kerchief and swallowed a convulsive
sob.
"Of course" she said, II wouldn't
breathe word of this to Bobby, not
that he would mind, but wouldn't
like him to th-think- that / thought
that he" Again the handkerchief
was brought into play.
Margaret Finn, although she was
plain and hopelessly questionable,
was a comforting person. Her hat,
it must be admitted, would easily be
detected by the critical feminine eye
as three seasons behind the times,
yet it sat with a remarkable trim
ness on her neatly coiled hair. Her
clothes showed unmistakable signs of
recent pressing and neat mending
and her shoes were brushed to a de-
gree of responsibility. She lived on
a simple income and devoted her life
to charity. Her schoolmates and for
mer associates had long ago forgot
ten her, and she became only a
"caller" to a select few. One of these
was Rosalie Clayton; butterfly, Cos
sipy Rosalie Clayton, frequenter of
bridge clubs and belle of the fashion
able week-ends, who was now weep
ing because she feared that Bobby
Clayton, her spouse of three months,
was dissipating his inherited wealth
at a poker club and drowning his
| losses in wine. There was shade
of sympathy in Margaret's practical
eyes as she leaned forward and i'm
| pulsiVely pressed Rosalie's trembling
| jeweled fingers.
Have you ever tried a novena?''
she asked.
Rosalie looked her embarrassment
| 1t was like Margaret to ask dis.
agreeable question in a natural man.
ner. Margaret, however, did not wait
for her to reply. She opened het
shabby leather bag, and fumbling fol
a few. seconds brought forth a little
medal of the immaculate Conception
and held it UP To- 1Rosalies uncom
/ pretending eyes. II
rThis is the Blessed Virgins medal
| You remember, Resale. we wore then
at school. Pin it on Bob's coat, and
I will make a novena for the wearer.
i Rosalie kissed her effusively. "Yot
i are a perfect dear" she exclaimed
/ apologetically; 81 could make one
too, but you know,sI am so busy
never have time toj think of sucf
/ things. Not thata1 don't believe
i Margaret, but other people won't, ant
they think you are, such a fool! /
i could only tell you some of thC
i things hear and see She drew
'ther words out with little gasp
Il She did not add, however, that sht
thought novenas mediavel, belonging
to darkened age. Her grief sincere
!. while it lasted, was already evap
Grating beneath the sunny glow o
Margaret's sympathy. and she turned
!, to her mirror in an endeavor to re
move the traces Of tears with littlt
!. dust of powder. The Claytons wer,
i Catholic in one sense of the word
They had a seat in their parish church
They went dutifully to Confession ant
4 Communion twice year, at Christ
;. mas and Eastertide. They ATTENDED
Mass on Sunday, and although the.
,l'lived only a short distance from thu
church and made great haste, the.
4 were seldom on time. Nevertheless
: they always got in before the Epistl'
! and left before the last prayers. Thi
/ constituted their whole duty, the,
}, thought, and they were quite satisfied
that they met it in the proper spirit
J But novenas-!
Rosa1ie took the little medal from
Margaret's hand, and, holding it UP
J; laughed scornfully.
IF some of Bobby's friends knew
. that he was wearing this!"
i Margaret Finn sighed and rose t
! go. Never mind, and she patted tn
plump white arm. "His friends won
] know it.
i A few minutes later she was walk
| ing briskly down the avenue to he
) headquarters, a day nursery in tn
II tenement district. When Margare
sl-was gone Rosalie fingered the littf
!. medal and turned it idly over. Some
i how it lost in interest without Mar
ii garet's enthusiastic presence. Never
u theless Rosalie started towards Bob
. wardrobe. The bell rang. With a.
ii impatient exclamation she opened tn
7fIwardrobe door, pinned the medal o.
the first coat that met her view, an
with a guilty feeling hastily closed il
/ just as the maid entered with som
cards. The hairdresser and manicul
list followed. Soon the little table nea
i her chair was converted into a minia
4 ture drug shop; powders, perfumes
q cosmetics, what not! During the mex
T hour she submitted to the deft finger
4 ing Of her masseuse and hairdressel
Il After that she forgot all about tn
u medal of grace
. sTink1e, tinkle," came the telephon.
) bell. and a refreshed Rosalie picke'
: Iup the receiver.