The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-08-10

touch an instrument for year. | am
afraid that we can do nothing"
ooh, doctor, there must be some
way. We cannot see little Bobbys
chance slip away. Can you think of
any way we might reach him for this
urgent case? Money!"
Mentally she was figuring how they
| could raise the money. They must
get it somehow if needed
But Dr. Sullivan smiled gravely.
Money means nothing to him. The
| child of the richest man and the blind
| orphan from st. Anthony's would re-
ceive the same treatment from him."
"A personal appeal" she ventured
timidly
The doctor shook his head You
could not reach him; those who have
better to lose few cases, by death
even, than that the doctor be sacri-
feed and the world lose the benefit of
his wonderful skill"
She sat thoughtful for a while, then
asked quietly: 'At the end of year..
when the doctor is able to once more
handle cases, would Bobby's chance
be just as good?"
DR.. Sullivan shook his head cat
the end of year there will be very
little chance for Bobby recovering his
| sight. 1t is almost too late even now"
Mother Angela arose. Then, doc
tor she said resolutely, I'VE shall
|
this good doctor comes to help our
Bobby. st. Anthony, our protector,
will surely aid us. Tomorrow we'll
start novena for him.
| DR.. Sullivan looked at her in aston
ishment. Reverend Mother, do you
really think you can do what the rich
est man in this country was unable to
do-get DR.. McIvor to perform an op-
eration?"
"Of myself | can do nothing. God
willing, anything can be done So we
shall beseech our powerful patron,
st. Anthony, to bear our petition to
Him.
But, Reverend Mother, it is impos-
sible! 1t is madness to think you can
get the doctor to come. It. would be a
| miracle"
Even. So" she answered softly,
there are miracles happening about
| us always. But if we pray and our
prayers are not answered then we
shall be resigned to the will of God,
for then we know the favor we asked
were better not granted"
A few days later as DR.. Sullivan
was leaving the home a sudden fancy
seized him to enter the little chapel
Solemnly and sweetly he heard pray
ers for special intention, the gentle
voice Of the Superior explaining the
Importance of it and urging every one
to pray that it be granted.
There was something so pathetic in
the sweet, fresh voices of these blind
children that it stirred him deeply.
All day he had tried to drive the
thought of blind Bobby from his mind.
He was going away in a few days on
long vacation and did not wish to
| be troubled about anything, but some
thing persistently called this case to
his mind. He was Injured to suffering
| OF all kinds, in way hardened to
| it, but the thought had never come
home to him as it did today, what
terrible affliction it was to be blind.
These little ones, unconsciously pray
| ing, could not even realize the great
| ness of their terrible losses. Here and
| there among their charges he saw the
| gNln ir1x
fresh, young faces, others grown old
and wrinkled in service. He compre-
hended as never before the consecra-
ton of their work.
| Unable to stand more, he passed out
into the street and lighted a cigar for
| comfort, striving to shake off the blue
| feeling which had come over him, but
the sorrowfully sweet prayers still
rang in his ears and with them a
steady refrain which chanted, Blind
Blind"
In the quiet hours of the night he
lay unable to sleep. Again and again
he seemed to hear the voices Of the
children and their faithful guardians,
and again and again the sorrowful
monotone, Blind! Blind" and in the
quiet hours of the night he faced some
thing that had been in his thoughts
/ since Bobbys case came up; some,
thing which he had refused to recog-
nize as being there; something which
he now dragged forth and faced, which
he had not before admitted was a
temptation.
/ Mother Angela had asked if there
was anything which could move the
great doctor. DR.. Sullivan had been a
student under Dr. McIyor in his hos
pital days; he knew there was some.
thing which could move the great man
as nothing else could, and that was
gratitude. For value received" the
doctor was always more than willing
to pay. And he, DR.. Sullivan, held a
4 promissory note which the doctor
would redeem if it were ever pre-
scented.
&. DIR. Sullivan faced it now. The
/ temptation was here. On one side
Bobby's eyesight restored, on the 9TH
er a great personal sacrifice on his
part, to say nothing of DR.. McIvor.
Was he himself willing? 1t was hard
FL dooido