The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-07-05

than in remembrance of me-"
Halls heart was heavy as he turned
to leave, and the little white rosary
found it's way to his lips; not that
he believed in 1.-The silly little beads"
but because they were all that was
left to remind him of her.
After six months of hard training
Hal received his commission as first
and started for the front.
Reaching his point of embarkation he
was rushed aboard his ship and sent
speeding for somewhere in France
Many duties occupied the time and
attention of Lieutenant Kane; but
often by day and by night, he would
draw from the pocket of his khaki
shirt or from beneath the pillow of
his cot those little white beads and
press them to his lips. Somehow
they did not seem the silly things he
had so often thought them to be,
that it was anything but his love for
though he was not yet ready to admit
Dorothy that made him fondle them so
reverently.
The days slipped by one by one and
at last his ship was within a few miles
of it's landing place, when suddenly
there was heard a sound like the hiss
ing of a serpent, followed by a roar
as the torpedo found it's mark The
ship began to settle-the captain
shouted his orders-all was confusion
Hal clutched his rosary, not so much
through fear of death as with the
thought that he might never see her
again.
AS the passengers lined up for the
lifeboats, Hal murmured fervently:
Jesus protect u.s." Then reverently
fondling his precious keepsake, he
tried to recall how Dorothy had said
the Hail Mary Hail Mary full of
grace" he began, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope,
pray for us now and at the hour of
our DEATH 1t did not seem exactly
something like her prayer, and Hal re-
peated it over and over again.
The sea was rough but after ten
hours struggle against wind and wave
all were safely landed.
Day by day Hal and his regiment
drew closer to the fighting line. At
last on one beautiful spring day, day
that seemed too beautiful for one of
slaughter, Hal was ordered with his
men to the front line trenches The
young lieutenant's eyes searched the
face of every Red Cross nurse he met,
his hopes rising anew as each of these
angels of mercy came into view; but
the face he so eagerly sought failed
to appear.
The regimental chaplain was Cath
Ollie priest, and through association
with this brave, good soldier of Christ
and of his country, Hal gradually
learned to regard the silly practice
of the Catholic faith" as he had been
wont to call it, first with respect, then
with reverence, and finally with deep
and sincere love; and now, on the day
on which he was ordered to the
trenches, he had the happiness of be-
ing admitted to Holy Baptism, the lit
tie white rosary clasped tightly in his
hand.
A Drawer, truer leader was nowhere
to be found, and success crowned his
every effort. At times the very ter
rors of hell seemed loosed against
him, but his regiment always came
forth victorious.
But, let us return to the night of
Halls departure from the home of the
Everests upon Dorothy's refusal to be
married by any but her pastor. Upon
her lovers departure from the house,
Dorothy fastened to her room and
throwing herself upon her knees be-
fore a statue of Our Blessed Lady,
wept bitterly, then slowly she began
to tell her beads for the conversion of
the one she so dearly loved. The
Ayes she repeated as the little white
rosary travelled between her fingers on
that night were the most fervent she
had ever uttered.
Dorothy had longed before starting
for France, to bid farewell to Hal; but
upon the advice of Father Morris, she
had cOntented herself with leaving for
him her message of love and the lit
tie white beads she had used on. the
night of their parting.
Two months after that saddest night
in her young life, we find Dorothy be-
side the cots of the wounded in a
French field hospital, her sweet, sad
,;cfr 10,
bringing her the admiration, love and
gratitude of all.
The news of the torpedoed ship
with list of the names of the officers
aboard, reached Dorothy; and as she
read the list and beLeld the name OF
her beloved Hal her hand trembled
and hot ears fell upon the page
From that day forward the new pa
tients held an increased interest fol
her, and as each new contingent ar
rived, she glided swiftly from one to
another scanning each face with an
expression of mingled longing and
fear.
At last the looked-for soldier ar
rived, and though the face was disfig
ured and covered with blood, she i'm
mediately recognized her loved one
His pistol was still tightly clasped in
his hand, and fastened to his belt was
the little white rosary.
Many weeks of careful nursing were
required before Hal regained sufficient
strength to enable him to leave his
cot; but one beautiful summer morn