The Irish standard., 1916-04-22

tifully worked out to the great credit
of the priest.
Gerald Griffin also sketches in "The
Collegians," the home life of the priest,
and a visit from Miles-no Capolua,
when the Sunday collection was
brought into the parlor, to secure the
purchase money for the pony. The
views given by Kickham in his knock
nagow" are true to life. His descrip-
ton of "the station" as it was known
in the time of our forefathers, is per-
feet; one almost thinks he sees the
parish priest. Father Mcmahon, and
his curate, take their place in the
farm house, and the crowd crushing
Ito get to the priest" Hickman speaks
of the curate thus: Father O'Neill
was very young man, with an air of
refinement, suggestive of drawing
ing-rooms rather than mud cabins and
farm houses. Father Hannigan, in his
every word, was the priest of the peo-
ple."
DR.. Sheehan's works are we'll known
MY New Curate," "Geoffrey Austin,
Student" Triumph of Failure" Luke
Delmege."
The first thing that strikes one about
DR.. Sheehan is his admiration for the
beauties of nature, his love of flowers
and his fondness for children. 1--WE
Irishmen," he says, ARE specially
blessed in having for our home one of
the fairest spots in Gods fair world.
But we need an interpreter. We must
look through the eyes of others before
we can see; we must wait until others
translate for us the strange, mystic
language of nations. How many of US
listened year after year, in the spring
time, to the singing of the skylark,
but never knew his music until Shell
ley interpreted it for us? How many
of us were buffeted by the west wind,
but never knew what it breathed to
us, until we read that noble ode of the
same great poet. Men stared at Mont
Blanc for years, never seeing his mai
esty until Coleridge wrote his Hymn
Before Sunrise in the Vale of Cham
onix.' And generations have listened
without articulate emotion to the fall
ing of the cataracts of the sea until
Tennyson, in that immortal lyric re-
minded us of what it meant - the
yearning for the touch of vanished
hand, and the sound of voice that is
STILL"
Luke Delmege is the hero of the
book of that name; his life commences
on leaving Maynooth after his ordina-
ton; his Homecoming, the pride and
JOY of his mother in seeing her son a
priest. his first mass, all come in quick
succession. At his first mass he is
assisted by the old curate, Father Pat.
Trembling, half from joy, half from
fear, rigid as statue, he went slowly
and reverently through the ceremonies
with what rapture and ecstacies God
only knows. Once, and once only, had
Father Pat to interfere ga proud man
this day." as he described himself)
1t was just at that sublime moment
called "The Little Elevation" when
Luke held the Sacred Host over the
chalice, and raised both to God the
Father and murmured, "Omnis honor
ct gloria" Just then tear rolled
down the cheek of the young priest,
and Father Pat had to say, Hold up,
man, tits nearly all over now" Father
Luke spent number of years in Eng
land.
Often when the dread rattle and
roar of cranks and wheels and the
everlasting roar of steam and machin-
cry tortured him, Luke Dalmege
would steal into some obscure church
in some London street, and sitting in
the rude benches he would watch for
an hour or two the red lamp swinging
before the tabernacle. He would say,
Lord, Lord! how lonely and silent,
how hidden and neglected Thou art.
OF all the millions who swarm in this
city how many, how few, are aware of
Thy awful presence!" Thus he would
ease his overburdened heart. Upon
his return to Ireland he met Father
Tracey. Now Father Tracey is the
saint of the book. He had been a
parish priest, but he resigned and ask.
ed permission to become a chaplain
to a hospital and the penitents of
Magdalen Asylum. This holy priest
was one of those who act on the prin.
ciple of the Imitation" Love to be
unknown and esteemed as nothing"
His garments were the shabbiest, his
apartments the most miserable in their
furniture and surroundings. Nothing
gave him greater pleasure than to be
called at night to attend some dying
A.