The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-02-09

and usual appearance. The tramp
passed his fingers over it to assure
himself that he was not dreaming,
and he was quite satisfied that it just
felt like any other slab of stone, but
with this difference: it was very, very
smooth-indeed to the touch it was
like velvet.
He began to argue the matter to
himself. What was it? A mere opti-
cal delusion produced by an over
wrought nervous system? He knew
that he was not only physically over
come with pain and disease, but that
he was also carrying a mental burden
which was making him very depressed,
but try as he might he could not quite
make out what his troubles were. He
felt the conviction, however, that he
had failed to do something which he
ought to have DONE
where are you going?" inquired
kindly voice, the sound of which arous-
ed him from his semi-stupor.
The tramp turned round with eager
ness and beheld standing close to him
IIlo Il3ul VI IiI CSCu uldll DIdIIlN
clad in long flowing robes; he wore
short grizzled beard, and his white
hair was curly and crispy, whilst his
eyes sparkled with vigour and earnest
ness. The face was beautiful even for
an old man, for there was not a wrin-
kle or ridge of time or nature mark
ing his features.
The tramp was not put out in the
least by the appearance of the strange
visitor; he welcomed him with a smile.
Il want to see Valhalla at the end
of this long and weary road, and was
just resting here for little while" he
said. Il have been tramping many
days. This is the right way, isn't it,"
he went on, slowly rising to his feet.
you are Non the right road, but you
want someone to support you, so as
to save you from faltering on the way.
Where is your home?"
Il have no home-I had one, but
my heirs turned me out because
sought to practice literally the pre-
cepts of Christ and gave what be-
lOnged to me to the poor. They said
had gone mad and summoned me to
the courts, where their plea won the
sympathy of the judges and mine car
ried no weight. | built church NY
heirs applied for commission of 1un-
acy and l was put into Bedlam-and
all for obeying the precepts of Christ,
whose religion is a part and parcel
OF the law of the land and whose dis
| ciples the nation processes to be. |
escaped-and here I ana tramp!"
| There are sermons in stones-and
stone is used in the building of
churches"
"Yes-this stone here preached a
sermon to me only moment ago. On
it was chased a figure of the Face of
the Christ, and the sermon the Face
preached to me was that of Faith -
You mean want Faith, for did not
the Face fade away when you wanted
to touch it?"
yes it did. It faded away as you
say. You see, | was beginning to
doubt-to doubt"
stunning Scylla, you were falling
into Charybdis-a common. form of
treason against God,'' replied the Wis
itor throwing a fold of his mantle over
his shoulder. do you think you did
well?"
Every flower in it's turn droops,''
sighed the tramp. Il was dropping
in my turn, and so I thought that if |
built a church it would straighten mat
tiers out"
The old man smiled and shook his
head dOubtfully, which was not quite
the form of compliment the tramp ex-
pected.
Il suppose you don't know me?"
| 4 know you well, and | know that
your error lies in the pride of con-
SCIENCE the other went on, taking no
notice of the tramp's start of surprise
at hearing that he was no stranger to
this utter stranger.
But I gave to the poor all l had
and look at mel"
THE concern of mankind is char
ity-do you understand me?"
But l am convicted as a mailman
I1O1 Cudl4Ly lily COlCSIu, anu
find myself disowned and disnonored
How do you explain that?"
Because Christine Divine Christ,
is forgotten by the many who have
lost grip of the fundamental truths.
1t is for Him you suffer. Whose life
is in the right cannot be wrong. Give
to Him, for in doing so you give to the
poor-give to him whose Infancy /
watched and tended
Are you going? Your name, please?
Joseph"
Lord Hydethorpe opened his eyes
from sleep and gazed about him for a
moment or so, dazed. He picked up
the book that had fallen out of his
hands and letter slipped out from
between the pages. 1t ran:
Dear Lord Hydethorpe;
1t is the wish of my Bishop to open
a mission here, and to build a church,
which will be dedicated to st. Joseph
The task of founding the new mission
has been entrusted to me. am writ
ing to ask if your lordship would be
good enough to receive me for few
moments. :"
1t was Father Clements first letter
and was written the day the good
| ~ 1,aV,iyr al {l,os