The Catholic bulletin., 1916-01-22

the soft glow made by the flickering
fire light she crossed the wide kitchen
toward the open hearth where logs
Of wood had burned all day. And
then she stood still, rooted to the
spot, too astonished by what she saw
to utter a sound.
1t was only little boy, curIed up
on the floor in front of the fire, sound
asleep, with one arm thrown around
the cat, who was also slumbering
peacefully.
A log of wood broke and fell from
the andirons. The child stirred and
spoke in his sleep.
"A mother old and gray" he said.
And then that mother was on her
knees by the child's side, and as the
log gained new life from turning over
in it's fall, and broke into bright
red flame, she scanned the little face
snuggled down on the arm of a torn
jacket. And there, line for line, with
the same curling brown hair, with the
same straight delicate brows, the same
short upper lip and firm little chin, she
traced the likeness to the little Mary
Josephine of Is years ago, whom she
had so often seen, small girl, curled
up in this self-same place near the.
hearth An agony of love and JOY
shook her from head to foot. How
poor the child's clothes were, how
small he was, had he really come there
alone, was he indeed her beloved
daughters child?
The little boy opened his eyes, eyes
as blue as his mothers, and in a
moment he was wide awake and sit
ting up.
"Oh,' he said, you're the mother
old and gray, and you are beautiful;
knew you would be when mother
told me to come here-because the
song said So
| She had him on her lap and in her
arms.
my boy, my little boy, tell me your
name?''
why, I'm Christopher, and you are
+ my grandmother. Mother sent me
here. She's very sick and wants you
to come to her. She needs you as
much as you need her." And Chris
topher, mindful of the song, fascinated
by the sweet face framed in it's gray
hair, proceeded to answer as best he
could, because his mind was in curl
Gus tumble from his novel experiences
of the past As hours, all the questions
that this new found grandmother
| asked him.
And presently she put him. down,
and went to the door and opened it.
Father" she called, Father" and in
her voice there was note of joy that
her husband, just coming from the
barn, was quick to recognize.
What happiness and yet what an
guish was in the house that night, as
the grandparents, unable to sleep, sat
| by the bed of the little boy, who now
was soundly sleeping, till nearly mid
night.
Their child was found, but she was
very ill, and she had sent this beloved
grandson to summon her mother
"She did not ask for me- said JOS
eph Carroll, my poor girl, she was
afraid of me; but will make it all
| up to her now."
\ The early morning found them all
three in the little church, and with
thankful hearts the father and mother
received the Bread of Life, without
which they would not have strength
| to go forth and meet whatever might
come At 10 o'clock they were steam
| ing toward Chicago, at quarter past
two they were in cab driving to the
County Hospital.
"She is very ill" said the doctor to
the white capped nurse who had fol-
lowed him out of the long ward, "but
it is not pneumonia, as I feared it
would be. 1t is simply severe cold
| joined to reduced vitality. 1t may
develop into pneumonia, but | think
the danger of that is nearly passed
now. In spite of her rundown state
some strong purpose seems to have
been at work in her mind, giving her
courage and strength to fight"
| Il noticed that" said the nurse, in
her delirium she talked constantly OF
a mother old and gray, and twice she
tried to sing some bars of song
about mother old and gray who
needed her now.
well, whatever it is, nurse, it has
kept up her will power, and as we
know, that's half the battle"
The physician passed on, and at
that moment a message was brought
to the nurse.
MARY Benedict, Ward X, said the
messenger Can she see any one,
nurse? Her father and mother and
little boy are here"
The nurse hesitated moment.
Let her mother come" she said, "but
no one else today. ! will go and pre-
pare her."
And so it was that "the mother old
and gray" walked down the long ward
to the bedside of her child, and taking
her in her arms with that wealth OF
divine mother love that is deathless
and eternal, all the anguish and pain
of those past ten years were blotted
out for them both.
"Oh, am strong now said Mary
Benedict, Il will soon be well, and
you'll take us home, mother, my boy
and me? He was born on Christmas
day, mother That's why / called him
Christopher Oh, how good God is"
Five days later, on the 23rd Of De-
nornho1. tho hnTnv father and 1nof1lpT.