The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-04-14


reveal his identity without fail.
When grandmother asked him to
play piece on the piano Gabriel
thought it about time to go home. He
could sing well-indeed, musicians
had told his parents that he had
most remarkable voice and might
make name for himself some day.
But it was Josephine who could play
the piano well. So when grandmother
requested him to play a tune he
begged to be excused on the plea that
it was getting late and the folks at
home would be expecting him back.
Il do hate to see you go home by
yourself" protested grandmother as
Gabriel started toward the door. IF
my rheumatism wasn't bothering me
I'd go with you
But Gabriel assured her that he'd
skip home in no time and he wouldn't
be afraid of anything. But the old
lady stood long time at the door
and watched the retreating figure.
Had she known that her visitor wasn't
Josephine but Gabriel she would have
felt no uneasiness.
Gabriel when out of sight of the
house laughed to himself at thought
of how he had fooled dear old grand
ma. Then he began to sing in his
full, clear tones a song he had learned
at school. A man passing by turned
and looked at him and then stood to
listen as Gabriel quite oblivious to
everything about sang out loud and
strong.
THAT little gal is some singer,
sure" calculated the pedestrian as he
resumed his way. Marbles away
like she didn't care whether school
keeps or not. Wonder, though, that
her ma would let her out alone at
night. Different from the way ma
brought up us youngsters, by gum!"
Still 'warbling" merrily, Gabriel
traVersed his homeward way He de-
cided to cross the street and shorten
his journey, but as he went to step
up to the sidewalk after crossing over
he stepped into space all of a sudden
and down he fell striking a hard
cement floor beneath.
This portion of the street was very
dimly lighted and the boy had been
unable to see the open storm drain
several feet in depth into which he
had fallen.
In vain he tried to raise himself
and climb out. One foot was limp and
useless, and paining him so terribly
that he knew it must be badly
sprained. The more he endeavored
to- regain his feet the more intense
became the agony and finally he lost
consciousness.
Occasionally pedestrian passed by
or man on wheel, but none
dreamed that poor lad lay helpless
in the bottom of the storm drain but
a few PAGES away.
At home Gabriers people began to
wonder what was keeping him out sc
late. Then Mrs. Miller telephoned to
the house where she thought he was
visiting, but she learned that her son
had not been there that evening
Mr. Miller thought they had better
phone to grandmother's and see il
Gabriel had gone there, and in answer
to his call he was amazed to hear the
old lady say that Josephine had been
to see her but had left hours before
She hadn't seen Gabriel, she said.
What does this mean, anyhow"
Mr.. Miller exclaimed, after he re
lated what grandma had told him
Josephine was looking bewildered tc
hear that she had been visiting all I'm
known to herself.
"Gabriels been up to some mis-
chief-why, he must have dressed VI
to look like Josephine, that's all
can make out of it," said Mrs. Miller
But if he left mothers house hours
ago where can he have been all this
time. You'd better go and hunt hin
up" And Mr.. Miller went at once il
search of the missing one.
He hardly knew where to go il
quest of his son, but it was possible
he had met with an accident on hi
| Gabriel would in all probability have
taken. No trace of his was found 81
he took the short cut that the boy hat
| followed and barely averted fallins
into the very place that had entrappet
Gabriel
Then as he saw the opening it flash
ed upon him that the boy might have
slipped into the dangerous place
STOPPING and peering in he coul'
| family discern a form lying at thu
bottom and he knew he had surmiset
correctly.
An instant later he was lifting Ga
briel out of his temporary prison
Poor lad!" he murmured, "and lool
at the rig of him."
Mrs. Miller and Josephine were
greatly troubled when Mr.. Miller ap
peared carrying the senseless form o
the hapless Gabriel And they wer,
rather startled, too, to behold hin
dressed as a girl, but Josephine wal
| too frightened to laugh.
! Gabriel regained consciousness be
| fore the doctor came and laughed a.
he told his parents and Josephine o
the joke he had played on grand
mother, and how he could hardly keel
from laughing when she said he wa
| getting to look an lawful sight" lik