The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-07-31


mingled with tender, respectful pity.
His son priest of the Church! His
son holy father standing within the
sanctuary and speaking the mysterious
words of conservation! His son in
the confessional hearing the hidden
sins of those of low and high degree!
His son laying penances and giving
dissolution! Antonio viewed the
prophet as one enjoys looking upon
something too priceless for him to ever
hope to possess. He sighed, and
touching the boy to bring him out of
his dream, went back to the realities
of life.
Once away from the church, the
mirth of the idea struck him and he
threw back his head and laughed
"Ha, hal" 1t was too good! He a
poor fruit-seller bringing up a son to
teach the people of this proud and rich
land!
He turned with the laugh on his lips
to the inspirer of it and suddenly grew
grave. There was no resentment on
the young face. The eyes looked back
at the father with the same clear, cool
depth. Really, thought the latter, as
he stole another look at him, this quiet
boy had already assumed the manners
of one of the Church. Pity that the
project was SO hopeless
| The bond between the two grew.
Nothing was said at their home, the
ordinary howell of the lower Italians of
our large cities. Neither was it re-
ferred to again between them. Giusep-
pc knew the hopelessness of it as we'll
as did his father. At the church he
had spoken his desire rather than his
hope. But thereafter, Antonio, when
he found the boys cart deserted in the
street mounted silent guard over it
until his sons return. But this would
have to end sometime.
The father was awaiting his sons,
return one day in front of the church
which the latter had chosen for his
devotions. AS the boy came out, he
almost ran into white-haired priest
who had emerged from the rectory in
company with man who had the air
of possessing wealth. Giuseppe was
smiled upon in an absent-minded man.
ner by the priest and continued on to
his father, who greeted him with that
fellowship he had come to know If
Giuseppe could not become priest,
these little excursions into religious
meditation could do him no harm, and
besides, Antonio was proud of having
son who had learned to know so
much about the services of the Church.
The priest and his companion
stopped on the pavement to conclude
some discussion. The white-haired
priests eyes were fixed upon the boy
as though some halfformed thought in
regard to him dwelt on the outskirts
: of his consciousness AS Giuseppe
and his father started to move off with
the push-cart, the priest suddenly
called to the boy
What were you doing in the church
at this time of day, my SON."
, Saying a few prayers" Giuseppe
, answered.
. For some dear one, perhaps?"
Giuseppe hesitated. He did not care
to tell his true reason even to priest
; on such short acquaintance. Believ
= ing his desire hopeless, he had ma
:. tive delicacy about betraying it.
But after second look into his Ques
toners eyes, he said:
4 eft is because | love the place, and
: would love to spend my life there"
q What need to pursue the theme
E longer? The story of the rich bene
4 factor has been told so frequently
;. These two had been discussing the
}. need of American-born Italians to worl
q among the American-born Italian mass
t es, little expecting to. find subject fol
s the rich mans generosity at the curb
" The burden of this was told me b!
:: Giuseppe himself, years afterwards
= when he became the rector of an Ital
v ian church in city where the tide o
g immigration of his countrymen seems
9 to be never on the ebb. had beer
s sent by my paper to give him write
J. up on his work. No better testimon.
$ to his worth was needed than the evi
r dence my eyes found. That Afternoon
O he had married six couples, to whom
s he had first shown the necessity o
s the ceremony. They we're the hurdy
it gurdy.. men, the peanut men, and thu
h banana men and their wives were thu
It 4 daughters of the same, but they hav'
2 souls to be saved, no less. And h
# had, also, poured the holy water upol
seven infant heads who, save for him
d would have gone far on life's road out
d side the pale of any church.
ell | am a Protestant myself, but thu
S picture the young priest made whel
e he entered his church that day mad
me love him-and his religion, too, ;
e little. There was baby, wee, cher
s lry eyed thing with baby's sugges
e ton of innocence, that he had jus
e baptized. 1t reposed in Giuseppe
d arms, and there was an expression o
6 infinite love in the dark face, stront
with quiet grace, when he bent Owe
# it.
ell AS a stray ray of light struggled
d first through the clouds OF the Marcl
o afternoon and then through the churcl
e window, and broke on the two beside
g the fount it seemed as though CO.
= VFgI- $50 n&F r@w