The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-08-25
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A MARTYR-MOTHER.

shadow fell between these two. John
was altered when he came home. She
noticed it at once, but the fear that
had sprung into being at the sight of
MS anxious face, kept her silent. She
longed to know the cause of his trou-
bic, yet dared not question for dread
OF the answer. Had the vocation fail.
ed, in which they had been SO secure ?
She could not ask. And so the shadow
deepened between them, till one day
she found him almost in tears and she
forgot herself in her wish to bring
him comfort
What is it, avick?" and she held
him when he would have turned away.
Don't l know well there's somethine
bothering you? In Gods name, what
ever it is, don't let it come between
us, that never had but the thought,
one for the other
Mother, tbs because I am afraid of
the way you'll take it, faltered the
lad, and his very hesitation confirmed
the widows fears.
SOll, BIC odlu, dlt0I q vi
silence, and it seemed by her voice as
though something had died within
her, sure if it's not Gods will to have
you on His altar, mustn't we set up
with what He sends us?"
Mother! what's that you are say
ing?" The blood dyed the boys face
scarlet. rs it that you're thinking
my holy vocation has failed on me?
Is that what you've thought I had on
my mind? No, no, Mother ashore,
never that, thanks be to Cod
What is it, then, avick?" she whis-
pered, scarcely daring to hope that
her fears had been vain.
Taking her hand in both of his, the
boy quickly began his story. 1t was
so simple, after all. He knew the
long, lonely days she spent without
him and how they were frightened by
the thought of when he would be a
curate, in a neighboring parish, may
be, but anyhow within call if needed,
within reach for visit when circum-
stances allowed. For the honor and
glory of God, in the first place, and
then for this, she had given him up,
had toiled and striven that. his college
days should want for nothing. And
now he had to face. her with the It'd
ings of distant call that his. ears had
heard. 1t was not, to the pleasant,
and, SO to speak, easy life of the home
missions that God was calling him,
but away over the seas, where heath
en- who had never heard the name of
Christ were waiting, willing to be
saved.
For some time the words did not
force. their meaning on her, but when
they did, they met just what he had
foreseen and feared. Never that! If
God had not willed to take him for
His own, she would have bowed her
Lhead, submissive to His will, but this
was different. There were souls at
home to be tended and saved, and no
son of hers should ever go, with her
consent, away toSthe black heather
who maybe had no souls at all. 1t
was vain for him to argue or to plead,
and at college they had told him he
could not, under the circumstances, be
accepted for the foreign missions
against his mothers will. She had
sacrificed much for him and now
| in his turn he must be sacrificed fol-
her.
| So vacation ended and the term
dragged on. When he came home
again, the shadow lay, silent now
but always there, between them. The
cloudless happiness Of earlier holidays
twas gone, and even when the tins
came round and the day of ordination
was at hand, this failed to quite chez
them.