The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-01-06

Rockets Court, which was devoid of
lamps, he could not find the number
he sought, and had to inquire Of man
who was leaning against a door-post
smoking his pipe.
"Oh! this is No. A. replied he to the
question
Then it was to this house I was
sent for" said Father Browne. Can
you tell me who are Catholics here?"
Catholics" echoed the man, there
baint no Catholics here; leastways l
don't know of none, nor if it come to
that not of any other religion neither.
Where can such as we find the dress
to go to church,. When Sunday come
round, we're only too glad for little
bit o rest
The man said this at intervals with
his pipe between his lips, putting away
as he spoke, and in a sullen, rather
rude manner.
But l was sent for, so I suppose
there is someone i'll in the house,"
said the priest.
II don't know nothing about your
being sent for, SIR replied the man;
and as to sickness, there's always
some one sad, sick, or sorry here; but
there's an old woman up top that's
mortal bad, | believe-the child Nellie
was crying about her this morning.
This was enough for Father Browne,
who, after ascertaining which was the
poor Woman's room, climbed the stairs
to find it.
knock at the door brought our lit
tie friend Nellie, and the priest walked
to the bedside of the sick woman, who,
to his question if she had not sent for
him, replied feebly that she had not.
But you are Catholic, suppose?"
said rather Browne.
No, sir, | am not; belong to no
religion in particular and there's so
many churches one cannot tell which
is the best; but I ask God every day
of my life, oh so earnestly, to lead
me His, will; want to do it, sir
The Womans long speech had some
what exhausted her, and the priest
waited few minutes before again
addressing her. He then quietly
spoke of religion in a general way, of
Gods love for His creatures, ETC., and
| not only this, but he inquired into
her position, for, from what he saw
of her surroundings he feared that she
| must be suffering from the direst pow
erty, and that probably she was need
ing even food.
1t was too late then to buy any
| thing, but he told Nellie to come to
| the Presbytery early in the morning,
when his housekeeper should have a
| her grandmother. He then left, after
| promising at the sick woman's earnest
request to come again next day.
! His visits after that were frequent
| for he here saw a soul longing to be
| saved, and Notwithstanding his first
| hope that the food and comforts he
was now supplying her might event
| ually restore her to health, he soon
| saw that her end was not far distant
| Her spiritual condition was, however
a great consolation to him. She took
| in with avidity and childlike conf
| dence all that he taught her; her sim
pie faith was most touching, and wher
at last, after instructing in all that
was necessary, he baptized her anG
| brought her into the true fold, her eX
/ pressions of gratitude for her new
found happiness were cause of great
thankfulness to the priest, who haG
been Gods instrument.
From time to time he had learned
all her circumstances. She had beer
the wife of clever, well-to-do work
man, but one who had met with evi
companions and lost all through drink
so that when he died he left hel
penniless, and she had to support her
self as a charwoman, until from age
and sickness she lost most of hel
work, and was at length so reduced
as to be compelled to rent that poor
| little room in the cheapest and worst
neigl1borhood of the town. A neigh
Dor in an adjoining room had been
very kind to her and helped her much
although nearly as poor as herself
When this good neighbor died and left
her little girl quite destitute and with
out kith or kin to take her, she haC
adopted her, though the little one was
then only five years old, and needing
food, which often she could scarcely
give her.
This latter part of her history the
poor woman scarcely dwelt on, anG
evidently shrank from mentioning
anything that might rebound to hel
credit; but when she came to Nellie's
care of her, then, indeed, she was elo
quent For didn't Nellie" as she
said, provide for her now?"-hel
Grannie as she had taught her to cal
her-going out every morning into
the fields, when the flowers were in
bloom, and making up pretty little
, nosegays and selling them. And
then when there were no flowers to be
had, she would go to the small houses
on the outskirts and find employment
cleaning doorsteps, running errands
etc. There never was such another
little maiden, by the old woman's
account, and she loved her as though
she were a child of her own. Now
that she knew herself to be dying
the little girl became her one anxiety
What would become of herr
| Good Father Browne soon aased he,