The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-04-05
Continued from page -
DOROTHEA.

Dttu rainier. nave DeeH 50 weak
and helpless-sO--so- in"
Dorothea drew long breath as of
one choking for air-'T could do moth
ing for myself, nothing for anyone"
How about the sewing-and the
teaching and the singing in the
church," asked Father Fabian smil-
ing. How about helping mother with
the little ones-and the altar linen,
and the altar lace those busy little
fingers fashion so deity. How about
your first Communion class, Doro-
thea?'
'Oh Father, you are so good to
count little things like these--but
am weak, helpless, worthless, as you
know would have been burden all
my life; burden to father, mother
Harold, everyone. Now-now | will
be free, free and strong to go where
please, to work for a place in life
all my own. Poor crippled thing I am
now-even the nuns wouldn't take me
in the convent, as you know, Father"
Perhaps not" said Father Fabian
gently, "and yet, yet-our Lord has
His cloister for such little broken
winged birds, DorCthea. He teaches
them to fly in way all His own. And
[ have thought" the old priest
looked at the flushed, eager young face
for moment, and left his thought
unspOken. but since He has sent
you this great blessing, dear child. we
must accept it with grateful heart.
Let us go into the church and make a
thanksgiving And, rising, Father
Fabian led the way through the little
sacristy into the church where they
kpelt together before the altar that
had been this little broken-winged
birds sweetest care. With the young
err sisters help she had kept the vases
filled, the candles trimmed, and the
snowy linen spotless. Every morning
had found her kneeling there with a
radiance on the pale, pure face tina,
was not of earth. But today-today
it was a flushed, eager, restless Doro
thea that bent for a while in distract
ed prayer, and then rose, hurriedly tt
go. All! the gates of Life and Love
were swinging open for the child
thought Father Fabian with a little
sigh for the past, but wise shepherd
of souls that he was, he gave no voice
to his faint regret at the coming
change Dorothea had seemed to his
dim old eyes so lifted from earth or
those broken wings-sO fitted fol
heavenly flight.
But after ALL" he thought, sinking
back in his armchair-"after all, the
good God knows best"
Still flushed and eager and breath
less, her young heart in fiutter sucl
as it's sweet peace had never known
| Dorothea sped on her homeward way
In her haste she took the snort Gu
| that led through a bit of pin woods
in whose Doggy depths purled the lit
tie stream that had been the scene o
her accident more than a dozen year
ago. Harold, five years her senior
had leaped it in his boyish strengtl
| and then called her to follow him
She had fallen-a piteous, broken lii
tie thing in the attempt. The brooI
was bridged safely now and she coul
cross, even-broken winged. But it
low murmurous plant always brOugh
back memories of that far-off da
when Harold had caught her up, hur
and helpless, in his strong youn
arms. ooh, it was my fault, it wa
my fault" he had cried remorsefull
-"but, oh Dolly, don't tell-don't tel
-" And in all the years of pain tina
followed-she never did.
Dear Harold-despite that littl
strain that even loyal Dorothea kne1
was not altogether brave and fearles
there was no one like Harold in a.
the wide world. How glad he woul
be to hear of this wonderful good fol
tune And now-now, perhaps in
/ little while, she would be able to 6
with him into the wide, great worl
of which he told and wrote her; t
share his pleasures, his joys, hi
struggles, perhaps-(for the old mes
was overcrowded with the new brood
to make for him and for herself
home all their own-a home wher
the cares would not be so dull, SO col
slant, for it must be confessed, tn
second Mrs. Foster, good woman tina
she was, had under the pressure {
the years grown humdrum and eXac
ing.
But a home with HAROLD hant
some, joyous, loving Harold-the yer
thought made Dorothea's futtarin
heart give a glad leap, quickened he
homeward flight She was crossin
the bridge-lightly as the winge
thing Father Fabian had called her
when she caught sound in the pin
thicket beside her-"Dorothea"
someone was calling her, calling in
strange whisper-"Dorothea, wait
wait-I must speak to you!"
Harold" she gasped-for it we
her brother who stood there half hi
:, den in the shadows-"Harold oh dea
dear Harold"-she paused, suddenl
, in her glad greeting silenced by
strange alright. For this pale, will
, eyed, white-lipped man covering
the shadows was not the Harold ST
had known. Hush he said hoars
ly, fiinging his arm about her ar
drawing her back from the roa
For Gods sake, hush Dorothea. \
one mist Gee memo one muSt knO