The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-08-30
THE CHILDREN'S HOUR.
BROTHER FRANCIS, sAcRIsTAN.

After two little boys had lighted the
candles and laid the neatly-folded
Benediction veil where it could easily
be reached, Brother Francis placed
the ostensorium on the altar, made
genuf1ection and stepped back to ad-
mire the effect of a new rug, some
new brass candlesticks, and two vases
filled with the first lilacs ever gath
cred from his own bushes For ten
years he had been sacristan, and with
the passing of each year his love for
the pretty gothic altar, the sanctuary,
the sacristy, even for the vestments
and vases and the incense, had taken
deeper and deeper root in his heart.
The chapel was his world, and he had
forgotten the existence of any other.
He slept in a tiny room adjoining the
sacrisy, and was always the first to
enter it in the morning and last of all
| the community to bid Our Lord good
night Occasionally he was late or for
got little arrangements which should
| have been made; oftentimes he busted
carelessly, or painstakingly overlooked
little daubs of candle-grease, and small
rips in abs and surplices, for, as he
had once explained to an irate prior
he was not slavishly neat; but many a
night he lay awake to plan the
decorations for an approaching feast
and tired though he might be, would
work until long after midnight to make
them as beautiful as possible.
So it was that having placed the
ostensorium on the altar Brother
Francis looked complacently about
him, thinking, as he very often did
how sweet it was to live in the shadow
of the tabernacle and to work for our
Eucharistic King and for Him alone
Murmuring a little prayer of thanks
giving, he genufected second time
cast last glance at the flowers, and
stepped into the sacristy.
A restless, inquisitive, little altar
boy had climbed on chair to reach
gilt vase which stood on one of the
| highest shelves of the cupboard. He
had it in his hand when he heard
Brother Francis at the door, and start
ing guiltily, he dropped it to the floor
where it broke into a hundred pieces
Brother Francis priced that vase
above all the Others 1t was gay in
color and rather fantastic in shape
both merits in his eyes, besides, his
own old mother had bought it and she
had little money to spare. For these
reasons, and because the boys were
forbidden to touch anything in the cup
boards, when he heard the crash anG
| saw the fragments of glass on the
| floor he lost his temper suddenly anG
completely, roughly boxed the culprit's
ears, slammed shut the door of tht
vestment-case and noisily pushed {
chair out of his way.
AS he stopped to pick up the bits
of glass he was beginning to be sorr.
and to think that a gift of cookies ant
candy would quickly heal the boys
wounded feelings and make him forge
his tingling ears; but unfortunatel!
for Brother Francis the prior had en-
tered the saeristy just in time to wit
ness the stormy scene. Brother Fran
els had gathered up half the pieces be
4 fore he saw him standing, stern-faced
in the doorway.
Without saying word the prio
vested for Benediction. 1t was onl.
when all was over and the last altar
boy had scurried away that he said
without preface, and very quietly:
After tonight your work will be a
the front door and in the kitchen
:. Brother Peter Celestine will replac,
/ you here. In the morning you ma.
j help him to move his clothing int