The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-02-06
Continued from Page 81 !
THE WAY. AND THE TRUTH, AND
: THE LIFE"


arrived at her aunt's home. After she
had received the greetings of the
household her aunt. remarked, as she
was about to show Kate to her room,
perhaps she would, be too tired in the
morning to attend church. If not, her
cousins would gladly take her with
them. Innocently Kate asked, rs
there a Catholic Church 1 could at
tend?" She saw the look of horror
spread from face to face. At once
her aunt spoke and. with an accent
of ffnality:, my dear, the Catholic
Church in Il is impossible for
you. The worst class of people go
ere-farm-hands, and rough laborers.
1t. is no place for you."
Just why it was no place for her be-
cause of these things Kate did not un-
derstand, and one of her cousins, en-
deavoring to explain, puzzled her fur
Their. The priest is not any ahead of
his flock" he was saying loftily, while
some grave charge against the clergy.
man. 1--WE seen him myself, more
than once, standing ON the corner out
side the saloon" Kate waited, but
this was all. Outside the saloon?''
she repeated blankly. "Yes,'' was the
somewhat sharp response surely no
place to be idling away his time"
Probably he was waiting for some
one" Kate said serenely. Turning to
her aunt she continued, Gas you say,
likely l viii be too tired tomorrow
to attend church.
A few Sundays later her Uncle
Henry took her to the Congregational
Church in L----, the church he
generally attended. Kate was at once
attracted by the gentle; kindly old
minister; but the church itself was
to her absolutely lonely and forsaken
empty, even as her own heart, long
ing for a Presence that now, perhaps
would never come to her.
Meanwhile, carefully and constant
| ly, Hates relatives did their best tc
rid her of her Catholic notions
Every evil lie that had ever been in
| vented against Catholicism was tolG
her-every nun was an imposter, every
priest a rascal, the Church itself, al
institution for making money. Whe1
in eager loyalty she denied these
things, she was informed that they
had been kept hidden from her-hel
uncle knew. This only served tt
strengthen her desire for the Faitl
they illuminated. AT length she tolC
her uncle that she did not think sht
could be satisfied, situated as sh,
was. She had kept up correspondence
with Father Long, and it was arranged
that her uncle should meet him, il
o., as he knew Of d conven
in that city which could terms b.
agreed upon) would receive Kate.
Praying, hoping, the girl awaited he
uncle's return. At once on his arrival
he came to her. tits all off, Kate
he announced, eve couldn't come tt
terms. They asked more than W,
could afford He looked away from
her face, which was pitiful in its sui
fering. This ought to, be a lesson tt
YOU he continued, as it shows hoV
little these Catholics care for you /
they are as interested in souls vel
fare as they claim, why do they hest
tate over money? Father Long saiC
there was no reason why you shoult
not be a Catholic at home, and hav,
the priest occasionally come to yol
here. What do you think about it.?
81 think it would be impossible,
Kate answered YEARLY.
eff were you Kate, her uncle wen
on judiciously, Il wouldn't write to tina
Father Long any more. Just seve
connections with Catholics altogether
Il do not care to- do that" repliet
Kate. She was very silent that even
ing, and after supper discontentedl,
climbed the steps to her own room
1t had become her custom to with
draw from the family circle. At tina
time, as things were, she felt especial
ly her own isolation. She was sur
posed to be reading her Bible in he
room-the Protestant Bible, of whiel
she was somewhat afraid, not know
ling how much heresy it contained
It's beauty and poetry she loved, an
many of the Gospel characters, as wei
as the Divine Christ, though genel
ally she found solace and spiritua
guidance in the limitation of Christ.
Her aunt, however, had considere
it her duty to burn this as well a
her prayer-book. So tonight, in he
own room, Kate took the Protestan
Bible and laid it unopened on her laI
Then over her soul suddenly swept
4 sea of bitter anguish. All, why ha
the Light, the Truth, been granite
her, but the Way itself denied? Sh
must take the husks of Protestantisr
for her portion; not for her even
crumb from the Table of the Kint
Well, she must grow accustomed to i
Catholicity had rejected her, in tur
she would reject it. She would TO
| get it. But her heart leaped in swii
denial. No, that could never be, an
she knew that should the opportunit
ever come she would joyfully ente
the Catholic Church
i Night after night she sat alone /
her room with the closed Bible b,
fore her, brooding over the past, fea
ing the future. What must she do
She had written to Father Long, an
anxiously awaited his reply. Non
came, none ever came, even in n
Spouse to her second letter. Ye
knowing his past friendship, she b