The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-07-05
THE CHILDREN'S HOUR.
FOCH AT PRAYER.

1ohnnies feet carried him often
into the old village church. There
was only one. 1t was Catholic,
smelled of perfumes, and had images.
Up in Holton Center there was no
Catholic church. He had always mad
a vague idea that you ought not to go
into a Catholic church. That must be
wrong.
Week DAYS, when he wanted to rest
and think things out-about Terence,
he nurse, Foch and the war-he had
he habit of pushing apart the mgh
swinging doors of some kind of cloth,
and sitting down in an alcoVe on one
of the chairs People came in once IN
a while and prayed.
He particularly liked the way the
sun streamed in many colors through
a big glass window, representing some
nerson out of the Bible. The colors
fell at a certain time of the day upon
the altar, where there was a llght al
WAYS burning, and there was such
neace here! No booming of guns, no
surge of killing and death, but just
simply peace! Here Johnnie found
that he began to see pictures OF Hoi-
ION Center, and then he would go out
from the church and write home to
Annie, or to his mother.
Then. one afternoon, when he had
gone into the church to watch the col
cred sunbeams creep upon the affair."
his Great Hour came to him. AS ne
sat in the secluded chair in the alcoVe,
a gray man came quietly in. Johnnie
could see that he wore the eagles OF
general upon his shabby uniform An
orderly accompanied the quiet gray
man. No glittering staff of officers, no
gold lace. Just a general and his or
derry.
At first Johnnie paid little attention
to the gray man, who had moved 1of-
ward alone to near the altar, and was
now kneeling. The orderly remained
in the rear of the church, and had
knplt before the back of chair. John-
ME we'll knew that it was part OF
religion to come and pray, briefly, at
stated times.
But the general did not arise after
brief devotions. Johnnie fell to think
ing that this general couldn't have
such a very important job if he could
take so long a time in the church. The
sun crept around and bathed the gen.
eral in it's many-colored light, yet he
knelt there motionless. Finally. John.
ME glanced at his wrist watch; the
general had been in the church more
than forty minutes. The orderly had
long since risen and was standing by
the door.
Finally the gray man also rose from
his knees AS he passed Johnnie, the
lad rose instinctively to his feet, and
saluted with his uninjured right arm
and hand.
The general paused for an instant.
Johnnie saw the traces of tears in his
ewes Come here, my boy" The Of
ficer spoke in good English, hardly an
accent at all.
Johnnie approached the general.
Where did you become wounded?"
AT st. Mihiel sir. I'll soon be
back, Sir, IN Jn6-DlS SHOW
A flicker of a smile crossed the face
# the general. He gazed straight and
fixedly at the lad, and Johnnie had the
feeling that the Frenchman was see
ing things far behind the back of his
head.
You American-at st. Mlhlel!
Yes!" The general nodded.
Johnnie thought what broad mus
tache and what a warm smile he had.
Good luck! A safe return home
some time!" The general extended
his right hand.
Johnnie felt the close, strong pres
sure of the Frenchman's hand. A gen
eral has shaken hands with him-with
him, No. 2,362,479 of the A. E. F.!
Johnnie could understand why; the
general was thinking of what, the
Americans had done at st. Mihiel.
Discreetly Johnnie followed the gen
eral and his orderly. He would like
to get the name of that general. And
there, as they passed up the street,
he saw everyone making way for the
general. There was great excitement
among the French soldiers. Women
and children stopped in their tracks
with awe-struck faces.
After the general had passed the sol
diers burst into cheering. Johnnie
finally distinguished what they were
shouting: "Foch!"
Marshal Foch! He had shaken
hands with Johnnie! The man who
had moved millions at his WILL The
man the world depended upon.
And he had passed three-quarters
of an hour at the feet of God. Foch
had found time to Dray. s 49,