The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-06-24

anxiety about the boat. His face
flushed, his eyes dilated, all his move
ments were hurried and disturbed.
He ran here and there in an incoher-
ent manner, and appeared for some
moments to lose all self-possession.
At last, catching at small coil of
rope, he tide a stone to one end of
it, and gave me the other end to hold;
then throwing the stone with all his
strength, it fell into the boat. Eagerly
taking the rope from my hand, he
drew. it on until the slack was in.
Now came the moment of suspense.
The boat was moving steadily with
the current; should the stone not
obtain a firm anchorage inside, but
release itself and be drawn over the
gunwale,, the little vessel would float
beyond our present means of rescue.
But the expedient proved successful.
The stone held with sufficient tenacity
to overcome the pressure of the cur
rent, and soon the pleasure-boat came
floating to our out-stretched hands.
"Safe!" exclaimed my friend, as he
grasped the side of his pet with eager
.fondness. "How careless / vast" he
added, as he stepped over the side,
and commenced adjusting the SAIL
you could easily have recovered
her again. said I, "even if she had
drifted away a mile or SO before a
rowing-boat could be procured to go
after her"
ooh, yes" he replied; "but / didn't
think of that. | was only conscious
that my beauty was drifting beyond
my reach. Don't laugh at me; but
| have real affection for this boat"
Soon we were moving away over
the ripping water, under the pressure
of a gentle breeze, my friend every
now and then recurring to the little
incident | have mentioned.
lyon don't know" he said, as we
floated into a sheltering cove where
the wind no longer laid it's soft cheek
against our snowy sail, that hung
loosely against our reed-like mast,
"how that little peril of my boat dis
turbed me-" again abiding to the cir
cumstance.
looked at him without answering.
You look grave" he remarked.
what thoughts are shadowing your
mind?"
Thoughts that concern you. Shall
| let them come into speech?" l said,
after a moment of silence.
by all means, my friend. Don't
hesitate
He leaned forward, and looked at
me anxiously.
Il was thinking" said /, "of far
more precious thing that is drifting
from you-steadily drifting, and get
ting more distant every day, and yet
you heed it not"
Il don't understand you He look
| ed bewildered.
Bertha" | merely uttered the
name. He grew pale instantly.
Bertha is drifting from you," said
| /, land unless you stretch forth hand
to save her, right speedily, she will
pass out of your reach"
He let the rudder, which he had
been holding, slip from his grasp, and
leaned, with frightened look, towards
| me.
"Why do you say this?" he asked
| in breathless manner.
Because it SO appears to my eyes
Bertha has failed sadly since saw
her last. All her color has departed
and all the fine roundness of face has
wasted away. She eats comparative
/ ly nothing, yet is taxed with duties
that would wear out strong man,
You, with your vigorous health could
not endure Them
but what can | do?'' asked my
/ friend, with pale alarm in his face
My few sentences had startled him
from pleasant life-dream. She
will bury herself, as you see. What
can | do?" he repeated.
You can stretch out your hand and
save her before the current, that is
now floating her away, bears her
beyond your reach said l confident
Ily; and l take the privilege of a
friend to warn you in time. Not once
since have been here has she shared
our recreating drives or refreshing
hours on the river She does not sill
with us in the library, joining our
pleasant conversation, and making
thought more beautiful, as in other
| days; and when we meet her at meal
times, looking SO pale and spiritual
it is plain to be seen that mind and
body are feeble from excessive weari
ness. Can this go on long, and hel
delicate organism not give way? BE
| assured not, for the strain is toe
great"
| "But what can I do?" asked my
friend again, looking still more alarm
ed. She is welded to these house
hold cares, and enslaved to her chill
dren."
81 have not SEEM" said | ANY at
tempt on your part to win her away
from them. There has been nc
remonstrance against her self-sacri
ficing course; no manifested concern;
no urgent invitations to join us in our
rides and rabbles-I speak plainly
for there is life at stake-but a. dull
kind of acquiescence. Now, if you
wish to keep her long, all this must
be changed. You must, at any cost
of effort, see that she no longer
violates the plainest laws of health
you have awakened me from a
dream" said my friend, as he grasped
| the rudder again, and headed the boat