The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-06-10
Continued from page CD
MARYANN's VOCATION.

the end of the meal, Tom succumbed |
to the spell of the genial conversation |
to which even Aunt Sarah's solemn |
ity had given way-and ventured a |
few, half-sullen remarks of his own.
At it's close, meeting Maryann's eyes,
"Gee!" exclaimed Tom, admiringly, |
"This is something like"-a somewhat
ambiguous remark that pleased Mary
ann more than any other compliment
that her dinner or herself received
that evening.
1t was Henry who uttered the final
word in the matter of Maryann's de-
Gliding to remain for short visit.
Swathed in great kitchen apron, he
assisted i'm wiping and setting away
dishes, and under cover of his occu-
patton, managed to whisper a frenzied
plea.
For the love of mercy, Maryann,
stay as long as you can stand it. I'm
afraid that Aunt Sarah is settled for
"a year or so at the least-she's sure
that we need her, she says-and be-
tween her and the children, I'm almost
beside myself
Maryann sensed the truth in his
half-joking words. Truly, Aunt Sarahs
help was of a nature to make mat
tiers worse instead of better.
why, yes" she said, "I'll stay to-
night, and / might even be prevailed
upon to come down once in a while,
while Aunt Sarah stays, and help you
bear it, if you asked me"
And so, gently, naturally, almost
without her realizing it, came Mary
AIMS vacation.
The Westbrooks were very willing
to submit to the kindly dictatorship
that she established. Like all young
people, she children were born hero
worshippers. Maryann's pretty clothes
and general popularity in the little
town caused both Mary and Josephine
to regard her with some awe and a
great deal of admiration. AS to the
boys, Maryann was too good company
and too much of good fellow gener-
ally not to become a favorite with
them as well; Henry especially, as
Maryann realized, not without secret
satisfaction, seeming to regard her
visits as special blessings. Aunt
Sarah, having made no effort to better
material conditions in the home of her
nephews and nieces, offered no oppo,
sition to Maryann's efforts to do so,
but withdrew more and more within
the privacy of her own room and be-
came the more absorbed in her devo-
lions, thus becoming entirely a mega
tive factor in her problem.
On Sundays, Miss Donnelly went to
church with the Westbrooks where
the presence of Tom, who had long
been stranger to the family pew, and
Mary, who had shown an alarming
tendency to drift off to church any
where or nowhere, as the caprice of
''the crowd" dictated, filled her heart
with especial thankfulness, and caused
Miss Sarah, whose own efforts to eff
feet the desired result had failed, no
little surprise. sae o4
1t was Maryann, ably seconded by
Henry, who persuaded Jack to make
his first Communion and Tom and
Mary to be confirmed; Maryann who
went with Josephine to select the
younger girls graduation gown;
Maryann who nursed little Jack
through the tedious hours of severe
attack of measles. 1t was to Maryann
that Jack came with his childish sor-
rows, and Maryann whom Mary con-
suited in social crises that involved
knowledge of etiquette greater than
her own. 1t was Maryann to whom
even Henry brought, one Sunday
evening, problem whose solution, he
said, had been troubling him for
months.
Something more than a year had
passed since that memorable occasion
on which she had walked home with
Jack, tattered and muddy after his
fistic encounter on the street. The
ground was white with snow and the
early dusk of winter evening had
descended. Henry was walking back
with her after her customary week
end visit at his home. These Sunday
evening walks had come to be regu-
lar part of the weeks routine. They
were almost their only opportunity
for undisturbed conversation, and they
were as such, looked forward to by
both the young people with no little
anticipation. Both guarded the Sunday
evening walk jealousy against pos
sible interruption from any of the rest
OF the family. 1t was season con-
lsecrated to their friendship friend
ship that had grown marvelously dur
ing the year of common interests and
common trials.
Aunt Sarah" said Henry, is going
back to her brothers next month. She
seems to think she has done all she
can for us heathens. In fact, she in
timated this morning that she thought
you were quite capable of taking care
Iof our salvation"
I'm glad she thinks so well of me, "
said Maryann, smiling I'm sure /
Icouldn't quite take her place.
NO. said Henry, nobody could
But see here, Maryann, all joking
aside, want to ask your advice about
Isomething. 1t isn't Aunt Sarah that l
want to talk about"
MOP" Maryann was politely sur
lprised.
mo. It's this. Do you think, know
ing us all as well as you do, that I