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

of listening, well and good But to-
shut the door so that / could not
hear what you were saying was just
as bad as to say to John McKenna
that woman is gossip.
Father Algernon's establishment
was mistaken for weakness by Mar
garet, who waxed holder, and sug-
gested that she should be treated as
zone of the family
Father Algernon sprang up from
his chair and, with suppressed anger,
exclaimed, But you are not one of
the family! You are a servant"
I'm not a servant" Indignantly
exclaimed Margaret.
And what are you, pray?"
I'm the housekeeper!" And Mar
garet's regal chin pointed heaven
wards. A housekeeper," she con-,
tinued, lis no servant She is as good
as any one in the parish, and just as
well brought up. She'll go behind
none of them, she's the equal of any
of them, even of John McKenna
and she'll not be pushed aside by
priest or people,"
Next day Margaret packed her be-
longings and departed.
Father Algernon pondered long and
earnestly. Was it all his fault, this
| ever-recurring trouble with house
keepers? Were his time and thoughts
to be taken up with these petty house
hold affairs and he, because of worry
about them, to be unable to devote
himself to his proper work in the par
i ish? He needed a friends advice He
would talk it over with Father
Smith-an old priest who had sur
yived many a mission and many a
housekeeper.
Come right in, Father Algernon
The house is yours . joyfully ex,
claimed good old Father Smith
You're all tired out after your long
journey. Take cigar. No? You're
worried a bit over something. Out
4 with it! Wasn't the coal collection a
good one? Worse than that? House
keeper! Well, my boy, they are part
of the hierarchy, and we must have
them. Now tell me about it,
Father Smith listened kindly to the
long story in all its details.
"Cheer up, my boy" said he, eve
got just the girl for you. Prudent al
, a dove, wise as a serpent, cooks like {
French chef and well brought up b,
a good mother. She has fair educa
} ton, plays and sings; she's an orphan
now for three years"
can orphan!' exclaimed Father Al
: gernon. How old is she?'
: "Twenty-four."
r "Twenty-four!" Father Algernol
had some misgivings But the Coun
1 Gil of Trent and the Council of Balti
: more say that a housekeeper shout
/ be of an advanced age"
: Look here, man." said Fathe
/ Smith, those DEGREES do not, for the
] cannot, apply to our parishes, wher
: we have to take with thankful heart
e what the Lord permits to float about
e and when we get a real good dis
: pensation of Providence, why, let u
' use it! Just put your Diocesan d.
d crees' on the parlor table where tn
S Bishop will be sure tosseey it at hi
S visitation, and be sure to dust it Of
J. the day before he comes"
! So Father Smith sent for Nellie
r She was very pretty, and looked eve
younger than twenty-four.
i Nellie said Father Smith, tai
s ing the decision on himself, run an
: pack your trunk and take the frs
. train for Christian Hollow and fatte
!. UP Father Algernon. You're to be hi
J. housekeeper, and if he looks as thi
O and scraWny after three months a
T. he does now, I'll never speak to yo
r again. Run along, now, and don't b
h asking questions"
a But, Father Smith," said Fathe
J. Algernon as soon as he could recove
r what will the parish say?"
% Give them something to tai
$ about, man." answered Father Smitl
q They haven't had anything We
n Every good and well-regulated paris
W must have something to talk abou
4. 1t does them good and keeps thel
e from being lonesome, as David Harul
f. said about the feas on the dog"
d But she'll have all the young me
v in town wanting to marry her, int
n rupted Father Algernon.
so much the better, and chars
the lucky man that gets her $40 fl
. the wedding ceremony. She's wort
every cent of it,
Nellie was duly installed as I'll
fourth housekeeper in six months. ST
r. was rare jew9l. Callers were nev.
turned away with an unkind wcr
ID Their messages were taken wit
II out curious inquiries. She, was alwa!
y the servant, never the pastor of Il
If parish. Home was now a comfol
Father Algernons every wish was a
ticipated He could go away, kno'
70 ing that if he was needed an intel
10 gent message would reach him. TT
altar and it's linens were never befo
SO well cared for. Her sweet dispo.
ton even disarmed the "Katies' al
'Marys," who forgot the past and no
o worked together for the church.
e seemed strange to Father Algernt
# that the young men, though treat,
N kindly, were discouraged in their a
X vances. She had no favorite amor