The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-06-05
A CHANGE OF HEART

Your father is a rough, profane
mon Gran paused, to duly impress
the three children ranged in front of
her. 1 don't know what he'll come
to, unless he gets the fear of God in
his heart.
Loyal Margaret Ellen attempted a
defence of her father She was the
eldest, and could remember when his
big, rough hand had held her little
one very gently.
There's some that's deal worse than
him. she spoke up boldly. Tim
Dempsey is lots worse than daddy.
He ticks Mrs. Dempsey and the kids
You are a gadabollf and a gossip,
Margaret Ellen said Gran, severely,
or you wouldn't know so much about
the neighbours. And you have no call
to crow over the little Dempseys
You mark my words, every one of you
your father will be licking you all
in his drunken tan-trums, like Tim
Dempsey, unless you pray harder for
him. Prayer is the one thing that will
save him, and you, children. Get up
early and go to Holy Mass for him;
say the Stations and the Rosary for
him. You that waits on the. priest,
John Henry Newman, can slip in
many prayer at the altar
Indeed / can't, Gran John Henry
objected. I'm only just on, and have
to think SO hard what have to do
next that can't pray at ALL
Service in prayer, said Gran.
Offer up your serving and your sing
ing; offer up everything, children,
and snatch your father from the devil
He's drifting into his clutches fast.
'There'-as a door banged-'your dad
dy's gone again. Oh, but it's the bad
way he spends Sunday. Run off now
to your mother. God help her and
you, and bring John Manning to his
duty. This is the terrible country al
| together
And yet when a discerning friend
had said to her: You're pining for
home, Gran brave Christian Gran
made answer, simply Scotland or
| America does it matter when
we have the Holy Mass?
And John Manning wouldn't go to
Mass. Well, the children must go all
the oftener That was why Margaret
Ellen rose early on Monday morning
and hurried off to 6 o'clock. Grams
strict injunction had made a deep i'm
preston on the child. She was older
than Janet and John Henry, and more
was expected of her. So she not only
went to Mass, but stayed SO long after,
confiding her fears for her daddy to
the Sacred Heart that the pastor no
ticed her, and contrived to meet her
at the door. Margaret Ellen made "a
quaint curtsey-a bit of old-world
manners, that Gran had taught the
children. Father Costello smiled in
acknowledgment.
You are in Sister Geraldine's class,
and you are praying for promotion? 2
he guessed.
No, your reverence, was praying
for my father
Is your father i'll? No. Does he
drink?'
The question was commonplace in
a parish of workingmen, and it was
answered usually as frankly as it was
asked. But to Margaret Ellen it meant
laying bare the family disgrace. Tim
Dempsey was her conception Of a
drunkard, and she would not even
her father to him, not If the Bishop
himself asked her. Neither could she
lie to his reverence. Terrible things
happened to people who lied to the
priest. Gran said so, and Gran knew.
Father Costello was about to repeat
his question, when Margaret Ellen
burst out, with feverish haste: II
you please, your reverence, he lis a
rough, profane mon, and hasn't the
fear of God inshis heart
That is bad enough, child said the
pastor, gently. Keep on praying for
him. and I viii remember your inten
/ ton in my Mass.
Margaret Ellen fairly few to Gran
/ with the good news, It's 2 good be