The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-02-20

my conscience kept. urging, for I
thought it might Danish all hope of
happiness from her.
Il used to put my hands over my
ears to shut out the sound of the bell
of st. Johns ringing for services. To
me those deep tones said: He that
loveth father or mother more than
me-, He that loveth father or mother
more than me- over and over again,
as the bell at the convent used to do.
zone day l happened to be passing
the church, and could not resist the
impulse to enter I went to Our
Lady's altar and wept out all my bit
terness at her feet.
Memories Of the old days came
over me, and prayed as | had not
prayed since then. recalled the move
mas made at the convent before spe-
cial feasts or for particular requests.
I'm a sudden access of fervor re-
solved to make noyena for my faith
er's return. promised that if within
a month from the day the nOvena
closed he was restored to us, or if we
heard something definite concerning
him, would make open profession Of
the faith in my heart,
!. well, the nine days prayer was
said, and in perfect confidence await.
ed the answer. s
"You know, Joseph, for you have
heard it often, the story Of my father s
return, but you don't know that that
Sunday evening of his coming home
was the last day of the month follow
ing the close of my novena. Neither
could you imagine that the wife you
think so brave could be such coward
in an hour like that.
| when / realized that it was really
father, when ] saw mother in his
arms, her dear, pale face lit up with
| joy, my first thought was one of in
tense gratitude that my prayer was
answered. Then | remembered my
PROMISE! Ali my happiness vanished
How could /. break up that home q
second time? | asked myself that
question in bitter anguish thousand
times in the days that followed.
sThen, to still my torturing con
science, | took foolish step. III
duced Angela to become an Episcopal
ian, and we were received into that
Church. 1t was the next thing to the
Catholic Church, I told myself, but it
was no use. | was more miserable
than ever.
81 went into society more than for
merly, and was very gay. People
thought was happy because of faith
er's return. oh, if they could have
known how wretched was!
| ut was about that time that Father
Stephen asked me to sing at the Vim
centian benefit concert. And then
Joseph, met you.
when l knew that you loved me
it seemed SO wonderful. told myself
that God wanted me to wait for this;
that / would not worry: that it was
according to His will that things had
so happened.
"In all my life was never SO happy
as / was in those days just before we
were married. They were COLDER
days, full of golden promise for both
Yours have all been kept, Joseph, but
mine - mine She dropped hel
head on her folded arms with tear
less sob. Her husband was at hel
side In an instant, consoling arms
Iabout her. Father Casgrain wisely
left them alone for while.
Joseph. she said brokenly,. "car
you ever care for me again, after to
night?"
my darling, how can you ask
!; Have you not been the dearest, sweet
lest wife that ever man had? You
used to puzzle me so when | frs
knew you, Mary, but since we've beer
married, since the years have drawn
us closer together, / have read more
of Your thoughts than you guessed
Mother has prayed SO hard for you
dearest. | think that she, too, under
stands some things of what has beef
troubling you. You are very dear tt
her, sweetheart"
"You have been SO good to me, boil
of you, SO beautifully good and kind"
| When She was calm again, ant
Father Casgrain had returned, sh'
told what remained of her story.
when we were married found, tt
my grief and despair, that the habi
of concealment and delay was to-
strong to break. There was the dread
too, of having my husband know VIVA
a Weakling was. Then Our Blessed
Lady once more held out a beCkOnin;
hand, and did not follow.
you remember Joseph, the time
was so i'll, and you all thought coult
not possibly live. Your mother hat
sprained her ankle, and SO could no
come to me. But she sent her Owl
scapulars, and told the nurse to pu
them on me. Mary will take care o
you,' was her message. And she did
In that hour the crisis was safel.
passed, and came back to life-ant
to my old ways.
And why did | change tonight?
don't know, except that suddenly ez
traordinary strength was given me.
"When my husband had gone to TIL
church, Father, tried to put away al
thoughts of the mission and think o
him alone. But my thoughts could no
but follow him, and they led me her
again and again. Then the bell ram
out with the old dreaded reiteratior
tried to sing to drown the sound
but it was no use.
81 felt an unutterable longing to b