The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-05-04

him dead. But it was a bad break,
and hard to set, the operation leaving
the lad spent and pallid and pain
stricken. But in the midst of it all
he looked up at Father Durkin and
asked family:
What will they do with him, Fa-
ther?-the Philosopher, l mean"
Never mind him, my boy" the
priest said, suffering himself in the
boys intense suffering.
Il don't want them to do anything
to him." Benedict moaned, the tears
slipping down his cheeks.
What got into him, l wonder?" the
surgeon said.
HE and his old pal had a setto this
morning in the bucket-shop," one of
the guards explained. "He threatened
Guernsey for passing him up, and they
went at it hot and heavy. Couple of
the guards pulled them apart. They
said he threatened to get you, Father,
for causing the trouble"
Benedict was still weeping dismally,
and Father Durkin, who had listened
intently to the guards story, took a
sudden resolution.
Don't cry any more, Benedict" he
said. "I'll go and see your friend, the
Philosopher, and see if can't
straighten this thing out. Oh" as sur
geon and guards and even Benedict
cried out at this, he'll treat me all
right now. He's probably feeling
pretty blue
And so it proved. 1t was haggard
face and dark, despairing eyes that
confronted the priest as he was admit
ted to the solitary" room where the
prisoner had been sent.
is he dead?" he asked hoarsely.
'Ts-he dead?"
"Only broken arm" Father Durkin
assured him. ''Now, tell me: Why
did you try to assault me?"
Then by degrees it all came out
haltingIy at first, painfully, slowly
then under the priests gentle, under
| standing questions, in full rushing
| tide; all the bitterness of a harsh, un
broken spirit at war with the world
and with himself. An unjust decision
in a lawsuit had been the first factor
in his career of crime. And one thing
had led to another, as it always does
81 always hated it-s'help me, Fa,
ther,' he groaned at last. 81 was
plannin' to get out of it-me and
| Guerns, and start straight, when we
was caught. An then l got sore when
he went over to you without sayin
nothin' to meme, that had been his
best friend, an plannin for him-an
everything. 1t ct into me all right
like the kid said it would. An it kept
maxim me madder'n madden to see
him goin' around lookin' so satisfied
and happy and me down in the depths
Of"
ct was your own fault" Father
Durkin interrupted sternly; "a nasty
little bit of foolish pride. And don't
you see how the mercy of God was
following you? But for the boy you
might now be a murderer"
The convict covered his face with
his hands. ooh, the poor kid" he
moaned abjectly. ITO think / hurt
the poor little shaver! Is his arm bad
lis it hurt very bad?" anxiously
shrinkingly.
Very bad, indeed" the priest re
piled CURLY. "But Benedict won't
mind that so much if you are really
sorry and intend to do better"
Sorry" the Philosopher murmur
ed. "Sorry?" Then he raised his
i head slowly. How about it, Father
was his query, a new timidity in thu
eyes from which the last tragic hour
had drained all the malevolence anC
bitterness. 'How about it? Would
He, do you think"-a significant jerl
of the head upward--''would He b.
likely to give ornery cuss like mt
another chanst?''
Two tears slipped unheeded dowI
Father Durkin's cheeks as he made hi
way back to the hospital.
1.-The heavens show forth the glor.
of God, and the armament declaretl
the work of His hands," he murmur
| ed softly. But there is nothing, {
God, in all the world SO glorious a
| the beauty of a repentant human
| heart"
| --Reien MofGyfr. IN The Ros0rD M00azfne.