The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-03-15
The Man From County Cork

| The clock was striking seven as
! tired, but smiling, Sister Evangelista
went to the doorway of the old mems
ward and stood there quietly, waiting
! for Sister Imelda, whose turn it was
to be on duty for the night.
1t was five or six minutes before
Sister Imelda came almost running
down the corridor. Somehow, the
dear Lord doesn't give me the grace
! to be on time,' she painted laughing
| ly. Then she added in apology: II
am very sorry to have kept you wait
| ing. After we finished washing the
| dishes I went to play with the kit
tens, and forgot to watch the clock -
| Like everyone else in the house,
| Sister Evangelista loved merry
| hearted Sister Irlelda quite as much
| for her childish lapses as for her
very real virtues. She smiled with
no trace Of annoyance as she an
swered teasingly: Sister, if you
ever come as the clock strikes seven,
I-I-but why talk Of impossibili-
| ties"
| With hardly a pause, she added
more seriously: 1--WE have a new
charge-an old, old man from County
Cork. Tim is the only name he
| seems to have. | gave him the third
bed on the window side. Such help
less old man he is-thin, and tired,
and sad and penniless, and pathetic
ally ashamed of having broken down
He does not talk much, but two or
three times the poor dear said that
he deserves all his misfortunes and
has no right to complaint
God help us all if we were to get
what we deserved" Sister Imelda
chimed in. Silence was the least of
her virtues
Il do not think he means his pow
erty-but l must go or l shall be late
for Office Tom Shea is to have his
medicine at ten and at two, if he is
awake"
Half an hour later when Sister
Imelda passed down the ward she
looked curiously at the newcomer, a
| fraiI old man with thin gray hair and
beard. Seeing that he was not asleep
! she spoke gently to him, asking if
| he started violently. Instead of re-
| plying he stared at her, beWildered,
! for a few moments; then, with lit
! tie moan, he turned his face and
closed his eyes.
With a feeling of compassion for
! the queer little ways of advanced age,
Sister Imelda passed on. By the
| time she made her second round he
had fallen asleep. She stopped at
his bedside to look, not into his
worn, lined face, but at the rudely
chained old beads which were twined
about his right hand, such heads as
she had not seen since she was girl
in Ireland. They wildly recalled a
cabin of winters evening, with her
stalwart father giving out the, sor-
/ rowful mysteFies-fit was always
those that he had said, whatever the
day of the week, her frail mother
/ kneeling beside him, but a little near
er to the fire and grouped irregularly
around them her four brothers and
| her restless, sleepy little self. Obey
ing a sudden impulse she stopped
and kissed the old beads and two
| tears fell on the coverlet. God bless
them ALL" she murmured and the ole
man stirred in his sleep.
AS the days wore on Tim failed
fast. He never complained and was
pathetically grateful for the least
| kindness, but he was silent and sac
and evidently did not feel at home
He made friends of none of the
other old men and seemed not tc
know one Sister from another. One
day, however, when Sister Margaret
fully at her, saying: My wife's
name was Margaret, only it was Mag
| gle we called her." and he appeared
to be glad when on Wednesday anC
Saturday nights it was Sister Incl
da's turn to be on duty. She would
almost every hour; and once, very
timidly, he asked if she would sit be
side him awhile Il feel weak an(
strange tonight, and your bright face
II like to see it, he said "Yol
see, it's lonely here-and Ireland 81
far away
Its Gods own country" Sister
Imelda exclaimed understandingly
and added: I'll sit beside you i
you close your eyes and try to go tt
sleep. We don't want Sister Evan
gelista to scold us both tomorrow
morning"
He agreed, but instead of shutting
his eyes, lay looking contentedly a
her until she shook her finger ant
went away.
The next day, when he thanked
Sister Evangelista for some little
service, he added, "You are so kline
that I'm almost happy here
Knowing well that it eases a sore
heart to pour it's secrets into sym
pathetic ears, Sister Evangelist;
asked few tactful questions. Be
fore Tim realized it he was tellins
his history, seen from this side o
! heaven. Il had four boys, Sister, big
I stalWart fellows; but they died, one
after another. And Maggie, my wife
Ishe's been dead more than thirt,
Eyears-God rest her soul. I wa
good to them all, Sister, and worked