The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-09-25
A Miracle of Grace.

1t was summer time; and, by the
sea where the moonlight fell in a
long silver pathway, the man and the
girl walked and talked, and told the
same ''old story" Both we're young
and both thought they loved each
other. The man was clean, honest,
and sincere fervent Catholic. The
girl was sweet and pure and true.
She was feryent Methodist. 1t was
not their first walk; they had no de-
sire to be clandestine, and so when the
girls family woke up to the fact that
the friendship was growing, and they
demanded whether she really cared
for this man, she frankly acknowl-
edged the truth; then, like thunder
clap, came the command:
drop him at once. We will have
no Roman Catholic in our family"
That he was respectable, estimable,
had good position, could support her
in comfort, made no difference. The
girls tears, circumstances, defiance
even, were of no avail. The doors of
her city home whence she had return
ed, were closed on Herbert. He bitter
ly resented this treatment, knowing he
was beloved, but he tried to console
Alice, and impressed his faith on the
| girl, when he told her to pray to God
with him, that circumstances might
change, and she might still be his. 1t
went far towards revealing his char
hn0or,oiV1n dncnorofn A1inn
wrote him she would leave home to
become his wife, he refused to listen
to the idea which he considered dis
honorable, and counselled her to obey
her parents, and wait for Gods good
time" Alice was deeply moved,
knowing his affection, and being a
girl of good sense and intelligence,
could not help respecting him the
more, because he held to his convic-
tions. Her own Methodist faith
troubled her very little in the case.
But she grieved intensely over the
state of affairs, and although her par.
ents, brothers and sisters saw that she
was suffering, their bigotry was so
great that they had little pity for her
mental sorrow.
Herbert had given her little print
ed prayer which he asked her to say
often. 1t was favorite of his own,
and he told her he constantly made
use of it. Alice treasured the preyer,
and it was a sweet joy to her as she
recited it many times during the day,
to think that perhaps Herbert was
saying it at the same time. Over and
over again it came to her lips while
she thought of Herbert:
Sacred Heart of Jesus, place my
trust in Thee"
She grew to love the words, and
gradually their meaning filtered slow
| 1y into her sore heart, and gave it
/ peace.
Alice had brother James whose
business involved frequent trips into
other States. He was a handsome
young man of %, while Alice was
scarcely 20. James was very devoted
to his sister, and often reasoned with
her about her ''infatuation," and
counselled her to forget the young
Papist. There was plenty of other
good men who would jump at her!
Alice would grow angry at his counsel
and reproach him for his hard-heart
edness. She would tell him, she
would turn Papist herself some day
and then could marry the man Of her
choice AT this time James would
assume a look of horror, and tell hel
he would rather see her dead at his
feet. But this sister and brother
loved each other, and James did al
he could ito cure her of her fancy
as he phrased it; but all in vain.
Not long after a conversation of this
kind, James was obliged to take an
extended trip to Ohio, where he was
to remain for several months. He
was a fine young man, fairly well
educated in the common schools, but
having intelligence and wit; and
wherever he went always made
friends. He was very good-looking
!, and it was often remarked that il
was strange he never married. He
would smile and say the right one had
not appeared. Was it fate, or rather
Providence, that caused him to meet
Miss Bessie Wafford at a social held
at friends house? Bessie was just
"a, q brilliant, educated, witty, vel
wholly modest and unassumins
young lady. Her quiet self poise, an6
dignity attracted James Dalton, ant
after being introduced to her, AMI
listened to the charm of her converse
Ition, he found he had lost his heart.
At first he tried to shake on the feel
ing, but it had all at once grippet
him, he realized that, at last, fate
held him without hope Of release
He began to visit Miss Wafford. ant
as there was no doubt of his earnest
L ness, or his intentions, the young
/ lady announced to him one day tina
/ she was Catholic, and she would