The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-01-26


the fine prayerbook you gave her, and
Mrs. Demers told Lizzie Duggan that |
Katie told her aunt, who told it back |
to me, that you tipped your hat to
her, but didn't to Mary MacIntyre; |
and Mrs. Casey told me that if / only
knew what talker Katie G.. is, that |
I'd tell you and not have you making
a fool of yourself"
Woman, silence!" interrupted Fa-
Their Algernon, pale with anger. 1T
is you who are the gossip. And to
presume to criticise the action of
your employer-yes, of your pas
tor"
Some heated words followed this
righteous indignation, and Mary dis
charged herself
Father Algernon was Ballerini
in his knowledge of theology, but
Simple Simon in the ways of women.
Poor man! Thinking that restitution
was due Katie G. for the slanderous
remarks of his late housekeeper, he
engaged her to succeed Mary. Speed
lily there developed two factions in the
parish, the "Marys" and the "Katies. 2.
Katie always peeked out the parochial
windows until she saw Mary coming
to Mass on Sunday Then she ran as
far as the door, thence timed her
gait to encounter Mary at the en-
| trance of the church, where each
Sunday an exchange Of sweet sarcasm
4 111o hot
| This Wordy interchange before
Mass was nothing to the gossip after.
| The "Katies' got together, criticised
the 'Marys" and praised the pastor;
the 'Marys" criticized the 'Katies''
and abused the pastor. Unhappy
man! If he could not, and would not,
hear this small talk, all would be
well. But Katie had the gift of tears
and Father Algernon that of sym
lpathy. When he found her sobbing
as she took care he often did, his
heart went out in pity to her; and or
these occasions Katie managed to lei
glide into Father Algernon's unsus
pecting ears all the sayings of the
''Marys. Again he made the unfor
tunate mistake of noticing in his re
marks from the altar this tempest il
the parish teapot. Result, all the
children of MARY" faction were with
drawn from the intended entertain
r ment on st. Patrick's Day. Thu
, Katie" faction were long on talk
but short on children, so the next par
ish was asked to send it's choir to Civ,
| a concert and save the day. Now, i
!. there is one thing worse than another
) it is to insult home talent by the i'm
portation of foreign genius. The re
ceipts showed this. But Katies hou
? was approaching fast and furious.
. One evening, after waiting over a.
hour for delayed train, Father A
!, gernon postponed visit and returne
j to his house. 1t was brilliantly i
Illuminated. He slipped in quietly, an
saw the parlor and his study file
with Katie's friends playing forty
five" AS he entered the room b
\ found Miss Quinn vainly trying tn
a door of the safe in search of the bal
| tismal records to find out if Mar
t Murphy was not over twenty-five, an
to satisfy Mrs. Murray's curiosity a
a Ito the date of James Whites father
t uncle's marriage. After a few MI
e ments OF gasping suspense, Katie r,
Z, covered her pose and invited Fathe
e Algernon to have a hand
y is there any one I can trust?" al
;, grily exclaimed Father Algernon. 81
r this the respect shown your pastor
L to make a club room of his house!
o Father Algernon's voice failed hin
He opened wide the door and M
e toned them to be gone. There was n
, delay to see if hats were on straigh
Ell The next Perpetua, by name Ma
81 garet, came from distance, whic
L fact, however, did not prevent
a speedy acquiring of all parish know
4 edge. She was of middle age, hi
a cooking was superlative, as were ais
e the grocer's bills; her reticence ws
n pleasing to the pastor; her prudent
o was evident in her ministrations
E. answer to the door-bell, which no
rang less frequently than before. F
Their Algernon attributed this to IL
chilly feeling occasioned by the di
ference between the "sMarys" an
: the "Katies,' but grew wiser one da
:. when he overheard this conversatic
: at the door:
= rs the priest in?" asked a man.
" Maybe he is and maybe he isn't
answered Margaret
I'D like to see him.
u What do you want with him."
" Il don't think that's any Of yol
d. business
le 1T is. I'm the housekeeper. al
20 it's my business to know what W
a want before I'll trouble the pastor
IS Suppose l want to ask him abo
r marriage?'
Who's going to be married?"
81 TIL not tell you But you'll !
sorry if any one dies without Il
It priest"
who's sick?''
I'll tell the PASTOR
Tell me first"
/. "All right 1t was not a marriag
a. nor it wasn't sick call, but it W;
Is about a matter of $500 that my au
le was going to leave Father Algernt
% in her will. and she sent me tn q,