The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-05-12
and her faceagrew grave. fKou know

and her faceagrew grave. HKou know
for what" asdH.s a,fss ~ H. s1a
cit will be6iVery sweet of<you,'s he
'said, as he sat. down to hear further
details of the scheme which-had DART
ed into Agnes girlish brain as she
sat waiting for him.
A few days later the tired stenog-
raphers of Delaney C Co. were. sur
prised and delighted at the2beautiful
rose-tinted invitations which came in
Agnes handwriting. Agnes had de-
cided on party on Easter Monday,
and her father had promised to give
the entire establishment holiday,
although only the girls of the Office
were invited to his house to Agnes
unique party. Mr.. Delaney became
interested and invited the male clerks
also. Then he felt sorry and ordered
a luncheon to be served in the factory
rooms to all the employees on Monday
afternoon. Little Agnes was wild
with excitement.
She coaXed Maurice to stay home
in the. afternoon and help decorate
the parlors with flowers and electric
lights. The entire Delaney family
was pressed into service to entertain
the office force, and flowers were sent
to decorate the long tables which
had been placed between the ma
chimes For once on, Monday morn
ing the iron and steel monsters would
be silent and neglected.
ct would be nice if you would stay
in all the evening, Maurice, and sing
for my girls after the supper"
Maurice twisted his handsome face
into a rueful expression.
Il promised the boys I'd be down
at the club at half-past seven," he
said slowly. 'You and mother and
the other girls have always got some
charity scheme on hand. 1t makes one
tired of religion"
Really! What has religion got to
do with this? There won't be a single
vocal prayer uttered, unless you ask
a blessing before supper, as l expect
L y
secretary, both being at the factory
entertainment. On the contrary, we're
going to play euchre. Look at all
those pretty prizes. And the supper
| table would suit an epicure rather
than a devotee. You might please me
this once"
| See here! Won't there be anything
but girls at this party? Do you eX,
| pect me to play beau to dozen office
| girls, or do you expect me to stand
behind that japanese screen and wash
| dishes?"S
| Il expect you to please me for once
There will be five Office gentlemen and
six young ladies. You may have youl
choice of one girl to escort home"
Asking Maurice to stay at home ant
help entertain the guests had been al
afterthought. She had heard indirect
ly that he was to receive that nigh
at the club a very pressing invitation
to join the Masonic order. If she
could only stave that off!
| Maurice finally agreed to stay anC
ing himself watching the girls play
and in singing duets with Agnes TO
their entertainment. He and Agne!
waited on the supper table and thu
whole affair was a great success.
you're a funny little girl he sait
to Agnes when he returned home lat,
that night after speeding one of tn,
guests home in the Delaney automo
bile. who ever had such a quee
party before? Wasn't that little cir
who fell to my lot beauty?"
'That was Margaret O'Neill. She
and her family is very poor. believ
she has three little sisters and he
mother is an invalid. I am going t
see if papa cannot give her father
better position thantthe one he has a
Ford's. Margaret is different from
most of the factory and shop girl
who spend all their wages on chea
finery."
'.That reminds me-" said Maurice
Where's that new blue silk him
ed at the other day?'
Il did not buy any new gown re
turned Agnes lightly. 81 did not Sc
anything I liked"
81 you must be getting fastidious."
Agnes laughed and ran gaily up tn
/ stairs with a more hopeful heart.
had been such happy evening an
t Maurice had been kept away from tn
| Masons for the time being.
II The days sped by and Agnes grey
| still more hopeful, for Maurice ofte
stayed at home with her in the ever
ing or took her to the theatre. Some
times he asked her to go down to tn
Office to eat lunch with her father
I The request always delighted Agnes
She was gradually drawing her broth
er away from his former companion
and her prayer was being answered
; But before long Agnes was forced t
4 acknowledge, which she did with he
j usual sweetness, that prayers ar
oftenest answered where two Q
4 three are gathered together" and tina
she must share the merit of her brotf
er's conversion with another. Ma
garet O'Neil was quite as uneomprt
missing Catholic as her more fol
. tunate friend Agnes: and Maurice