The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-09-21

the passengers went up from dinner |
that evening they found on the bull |
letin board modest typewriter
notice:
Catholic services will be held to-
morrow at a. m. in the parlor sa-
loon, second deck"
Though naturally retiring, Father
Higgins had already made the ac-
quaintance of many on board and had
begun to exercise a quiet ministry
among them. His sign on the bull
letin board gave him wider recogni-
ton. Perhaps the best of his new
found friends was Reginald Beyins, a
precocious youngster of twelve, uni
| versally popular, eternally lively and
| real companion. He was the priests
| rival at Switchboard and Quoits. He
served his Mass each morning, and
on this particular evening undertook
the duties of ''press agent" by invit-
ing everybody to be present at the
Mass on the morrow.
By some mysterious influence, per
| haps merely by his CHEEKY frankness,
| Reginald broke through the barrier
| which the invalid Irving Newcomb had
| thrown up against the world aboard,
and had awakened the mans interest
| in his twelve years of life, and all he
was going to do when he became a
man. He had, then, as he thought,
a half right to tip-toe up behind the
| two reserved" deck chairs in the re-
| tired corner, and with a loud wow"
scare their occupants into nervous
| tremors. The convalescent retaliated
with broken-breathed TRADE against
youthful thoughtlessness; Mrs. New
| comb sank back in her chair trem
| bling and speeches.. When the
youngster saw what he had done all
he could do was to confound the con-
fusion with tears and protestations
that he didn't mean it,"
Ana the couple forgot their panic
to soothe the child.
ooh, come now, my boy, don't cry"
urged Irving Newcomb; I'VE know
you didn't mean it,
| "Yes-yes; stop now his wife
added, recovering herself somewhat.
II only wanted to-to tell you
something" sobbed the boy, hiding his
tears in the big blue tie of his sailor
blouse.
"Wen now, dear, what is it," Mrs.
Newcomb enQuired.
Il just wanted to tell you that
Father Higgins is going to say Mass
tomorrow in the parlor if you'd like
to come, and" he added hopefully,
I'm going to serve
Late Sunday afternoon Father Hig-
gins strobe the upper-aft deck finish
ing a few remaining verses of his
Office. The weather was dull and grey,
| with a slight mist settling, which
made indoors preferable to deck for
the majority of the passengers. Only
here and there rug stretched in low
lounging chair betokened the presence
of some salt air iend." NeWcomb
was one of these; he had sent his
wife below, while he spent that weary
Sunday afternoon communing with
himself and looking out upon the
whipping and whirling of the Pacific.
Seeing the priest walking to and fro,
he saluted him with unusual affability.
Its a very dark afternoon, Father
he said, rising to sitting position.
"Yes-very," answered the mission
airy, drawing in from the railing.
Perhaps we're in for storm
81 hope not said Newcomb, I'D
like good weather at least to Homo
lulu"
"You port there?" asked Father
Higgins.
Yes, for a month";" he responded
"and then we go to Tokio-and your
i've booked straight through to
Japan myself-Tokio is my destina
tion, replied the priest, with orders
to be there as soon as possible
Newcomb was silent There was
something he wished, but hesitated to
say The priest waited.
MY wife and | attended your serv-
ice this morning" he began. st was
quite impressive-but, of course, I'm,
Ineligible to us
ooh, then you're not Catholics:
queried the missionary.
mo, we're nothing-nothing at all
=" his companion answered with a
: manner of self-disgust. However
I've been thinking all day, Father; we
ought to be something, oughtn't we?''
Eyes, we ought to be something,
the priest repeated. Isn't it peculiar
how all pagan nations, Chinese, Japa.
nese, Turks, and Indians-are all
something when it comes to religion
and so many of us Americans are just
nothing"
! Its strange agreed Newcomb
) land deplorable.' Then changing the
subject-"You're bound for Japan, you
say?"
, eyes," returned Father Higgins, not
to be waived from his vantage ground
Pm going to teach in Toxic and to
| try, with Gods help, to make some.
: thing else besides Buddhists of the
) little Japanese. OF course, the world
; will be hard the difficulties are in
Vulnerable. Then, too, | learn the
material resources are decidedly
: scant. But the Church has had these
: handicaps for nineteen hundred years
. and has ALWAYS S1Irmounted them Sc