The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-05-26
CONTINUED from page 3.)
MARIA ANGELlTA, OR THE LIFE
STORY OF A TRUE CHILD
--z.~--e--z. OF MARY,

=----z--z=.-:-z.sz. OF MARY.
then She began to beg and entreat
him, to give up this horrible idea be-
cause 1t was a sin and because he
might die on the spot and lose his
soul and make his little sister and
their mother and father and all their
dear ones unhappy for ever. Alfonso
was moved. He tried to console her
as one consoles a child and promised
everything she suggested. And now
again she laughed in her tears, kissed
him and called him by all the pet
names she had given him when both
were children. She thought she had
won the victory but still a certain I'M
comfortable fear remained in her
heart and when he left she admon-
ished him once more in the most urg-
ent tones to settle the matter at once.
Alfonso left resolved to go to his
adversary and negotiate a reconcilia-
ton; but the farther he got away from
the presence of his sister the lower
became the voice of the good angel
that spoke to his soul and the spirit
Of his wounded pride spoke ever loud
er coward, coward until at last the
word seemed to fall on his ears with
the vehemence of a thousand voices
and he turned his steps and in the
nearest store boughtSa revolver.
He was not a good marksman, that
he knew, but he had three days yet
and could practice during that time.
And this he did all~day long in the
park where he shot at small targets
that he had fastened to the trees. All
noticed his strange acting but no one
questioned him. ,.a
The third day and the hour for the
duel arrived. A little pine grove, hard
ly half an hours ride from the city,
was the place they had agreed upon.
No one of his dear ones had any sus-
picion only Maria in unspeakable
anxiety lay PROSTATE before the pic
ture of the Madonna and prayed for
the life of her beloved brother.
At last she could not bear the anxi-
ETY. any longer; she ordered a car
riage and drove to the place which AL
fonso had told her about. She arrived
just in the moment when the COM
mand ''Fire! was given. She pushed
through the shrubbery and saw Alton
so pale and bloodstained sink to the
ground. Before any one of the wit
nesses had noticed her presence she
had knelt down by his side and bedded
the curly head on her lap. The ply
stefan who was present bound up the
wound at the right temple Of the I'M
scious man. He could not say wheth-
er the wound was fatal or not. In
Maria's carriage the wounded brother
was taken to the hospital and she her
self undertook to nurse him. Care
fully and slowly she also Informed her
parents and the other members of
her family of what had happened.
When on the following morning the
patient for the first time opened his
eyes his gaze fell on the anxious face
of his sister and he said in a hardly
audible whisper: 90 Maria,' then fell
into another swoon. Maria continued
to pray and her prayers were heard.
Alfonso, although slowly, recovered.
When after weeks of care they sat
together on a bench in the hospital
garden, Alfonso leaned his bandaged
head on Maria's shoulder and said
softly: Il am going to rechristen you,
little sister, from now on | shall call
you Angelica for you have been the
little angel that has saved me by
your prayers and by your love-
The little angel only smiled and
with her soft hands closed the lips OF
her beloved brother now doubly dear
to her. Three years later on the same
day the young Duke of T'serclaes eel
ebrated his first holy Mass as a priest
of God and entered upon a career of
unusual usefulness.
Although Maria had always been a
devoted client of her heavenly mother,
her affection increased since that
beautiful day in May when she became
q member of the Sodality. The priest
who conducted the reception spoke SO
touchingly of the happiness OF being
child of Mary that Maria Angelica
could not restrain her tears. With
love and reverence she kissed the
medal and with pride and joy she
wore the blue ribbon the token OF her
membership in the Sodality and when
she wore that she did not use any
JeWelry or ornament of any kind.
The last year of her education, &C.
cording to the will, Of her parents,
Maria was to spend in Germany. She
went to a convent of the. same order
IN Bavaria, the we'll known Institute
OF sisters at Nymphenburg, near Nun
lch. Very soon after her arrival she
made the acquaintance of Princess
Donna Infanta Maria de la PaZ, wife