The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-12-06
battles him as nice as you please. and

makes me lie down for q couple of
hours while she stGaightens up things
and leaves bit of dinner ready for
us before she's off. And I've known
her many a time to go down on her
knees and wash poor old Granny Gro
gans feet making nothin but Joke
of it; and the other day she was at
Polack's way down the road where
nobody else goes. The poor mother
and didn't that good little creature
slip off her old warm wooden skirt
savin' your presence, and put it right
onto Mrs. Zamfoxy, or whatever you
call her"
Sometimes the priest found a poor
sick room made beautiful with the
flowers Mrs. Thornton had carried
thither. Often he came upon her per-
fectly at home in some wretched
howell, while she mended the tattered
clothing of the children and made
them presentable for school She had
not much to give. She had to man
age. her little income we'll to keep up
appearances, but she gave of her time
and labor without stint, and forgot
the charities Of the day in the girlish
pranks of Irritation of the evening.
After ALL unused Father O'Connor,
"she has never an ill word of anyone,
and if she only had the vocation she
would make a grand Sister of Char
ity' But he smiled in spite of him
self at the thought of Mrs. Thornton
in convent; the while he prayed for
something to soften the daily increas-
| ing bitterness of Miss Tallon's heart
| toward the woman who stood between
1t had been a trying day for Miss
| Talon Mrs. Thornton's absence from
the meeting of the Society of ST. Mar
tina had not been a relief; for on all
sides there were regrets for her.
She is so handy about making
things over. so ready to show one
how said even Rosa Deering, erst-
while Miss Tallon's shy and silent
worshiper.
! For once Miss Talon did not call
on Father O'Connor after the meeting
She fastened back to the stately soil.
tude of her own home, where she
might be free of bitter thoughts OF
! the woman who was supplanting her
and whose mischievous qualities
seemed hidden from all eyes save her
own. She would have denied herself
even to Mr.. Hamilton, who still Wis
tied her now and then, but that she
ir, bn hoj hc.
fore the maid could announce him.
Almost on his heels came Father
O'Connor
Il haven't seen Mrs. Thornton for
more than a week. What has become
of her." asked the former. His hos
times that afternoon. This was the
last straw. A bitter word that could
never have been recalled sprang to
her lips, but the priests heavier voice
drowned it unheard!
oh. Mrs. Thornton! Why the chill
dren of those poor Zamofsky's, down
the road from the hollow, all have
malignant diphtheria; the mother is
in bad way herself; and could get
no help, SO Mrs Thornton went over
last week, and shut herself up with
them, for better or worse as she
says I found it out only this after
noon. DR.. Stone thinks the children
will come through all right-she's a
great little nurse-but he fears for
her, for all that she makes so light
of it,
shes a brick" cried John Hamil-
ton, "but she must be relieved. Did
you ever hear of anything finer, Miss
Tallon?"
The priest held his breath; but the
demon was exercised
THE woman is a saint" said Miss
Talon, and l am not worthy to loose
the shoes from her feet"
"Oh. Miss Talon; you would have
done as much if you knew There
was no nistaking the sincerity of the
mans voice and eyes.
NO matter about me. The question
is of relieving her." said Miss Talon,
hurrying to the telephone, as she
spoke She was woman who al
ways nau Her Wis dDOut Acl III Oil
emergency.
But the relief came too late. The
Zamofsky children would recover, but
their brave little nurse was poisoned
through and through with the malig-
nant disease.
81 suspected it," Mrs. Thornton said
calmly, when Father O'Connor told
her, and babe her prepare for her last
hour. She was in Miss Tallon's best
chamber, with an experienced nurse
in attendance Realizing her change
of abode, she smiled family.
well, Father, in this case it will be
as blessed to receive as to give. She
is a good woman, with a Puritan
streak in her; and | have been her
torment. | meant no harm.
I never cared a pin for John
Hamilton. nor he for me.
|. but was full of. . levity,
you call it. and her serious
ness drew out all my mischief. -. =.
You never knew; but there's insanity
in our family. and l was fear
ing it, fighting it all the time. =.
my own happy hours were when I was
in church or with the poor. :.
Then | forgot. Inc rest OF
the time l just had to keep fooling.
|. Tell her, and tell her, too, I'm
glad to die her debtor. God
,x..n ~ rood RI oivo mo that chance