The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-01-15

lty IN John Stone, Thought his Prot
estant listener, that now it was
brought forward, in this solemn mo-
ment. and in connection with his only
child.
i am leaving the boy much, Allan
he went on: "a devoted, loving moth
er, a good name, wealth and position;
but the best part of his Inheritance
is his faith. Had / lived this would
have been safeguarded, for Alice
would never have tried to withdraw
from her promise. Nor do think she
ever will consciously, but who shall
| say what the future may have in store
for another-especially such a woman
as she is? Or, can / be absolutely
certain a Protestant mother, with no
other motive than the fulfillment of
1 promise, will watch the fire of faith
and keep it brightly burning in the
soul OF her Catholic son, when have
seen the sons of Catholic mothers
| grow up Indifferent or without faith
at all? And SO, Allan, sent for you,
to take my place by the boy, in this
respect"
|
II" exclaimed Allan Gray. drop
ping his cigar in his establishment. Il
who am even stauncher Protestant
than Alice! You ought to see, John,
am not the one for that"
| Eyes, you are the one" said John
Stone, with the smile that had made
all men love him glowing upon his
wasted face. "If you promise me
that you will see that the Faith of his
fathers suffers no loss of strength and
purity in the soul of my son shall go
to the grave with the one fear that
fortunes me removed. But do not
ask you to make this promise until
you have considered it; and love you
too well to force it from you, for the
hour may come when it's fulfllment
might be hard''
What foolish talk, John!" he cried.
Am the man who ever needed time
for consideration when friend was
to be served? Or. looked ahead to
consequences
The others thin hand sought his.
Forgive a sick mani" he said.
9Th try to take your place in this
respect, John, il the need arises. which
do not forsee; but what will Alice
|, say, or think?"
ALLAN, in this matter, must con
slider what God will do" he replied
solemnly. Il alone am accountable
All, if we only realized our RESPONSE
: bilities earlier!"
His eyes again sought the prospect
the opened window showed, and the
other did not break in ON his self
communion. He was absorbed in his
own thoughts and they, too, were
leading backward
All their youth he and this mans
wife had been friends; and as thai
youth had reached out toward man
hood and womanhood they had beer
!, drawn together by a dearer tie: ther
his friend and classmate had come Il
visit him, and what he might have
, foreseen had resulted, for few womeI
but would have preferred John Stone
above all other men. He had loved
them both well enough to step out OF
their lives, and to rejoice sincerely
over the happiness which their mutua
love had brought. But now, in thi:
!, silence, he asked if the husband hat
proven the truer lover; he felt thai
, he should not have mistrusted Alice
in this final hour.
Il do not think Alice would mis-
understand even if she did know,
John Stone began. "a woman sucl
as she is learns how supreme thing
Faith is to Catholic, when she ha:
, been his wife for ten years. But sht
, need never know unless the occasion
arises"
= And then what am to do?"
. DO what / should do"
; But she may resent my action?"
In spite of that you will holt
Alice to her promise" he said, looking
his friend steadily in the eyes. "Tha
is why said it may be hard-harde
, than either of us now deems-but th'
! boys soul is worth even that! Allan,
he cried, "a friendship such as our
can not end with time! 1t is part o
my belief that | shall know, that
: shall not forget in the life to come
! II this be true, and if we are allowed
!. to help those we love on earth, il
that hour, my friend, when you stant
in need of help and no man is by t.
4 give it, | shall be there"
J Then Allan Gray bowed his head Of
the arm of the invalid chair and wept
Time wore on, and as Alice Ston'
showed no sign of falling in any wa.
in the fulfllment of her prenuptia
agreement the heavy thoughts tina
had lain upon the mind of Allan Ora.
e had worn away. The boy was now |
g manly youth with all the endearinl
q qualities of his father, and wearing
s in the sterner masculine caste, thu
/, beauty Of his mother. Full of thu
f spontaneity OF life at it's source, AM
/ with all the means of wealth and posi-
4 ton at his command, the world open
ed its arms to him; and there were
S many who predicted the too common
n career for youth left entirely to thu
V direction of a fond mother. But thu
b companions who knew him best wOulC
r have laughed away such fears. Bacl
0 of all young John Stones Joyous
/ acceptance of life there was always il
q evidence the fine restraint that thu
q development of the soul along relig
= ious lines gives. They could alsC
t have that on many occasions his pres