The sun., 1919-09-14
SISTER MARY IGNATIUS
O'KAVANACH.

4 peals to the American people.
This is natural Their idealism
draws them instinctively to what
is great, strong and fearless. Does
the history of the world present many
finer embodiments of these qualities
than are to be seen in this glorious
old man who, during fifty-two long
months of captivity and persecution,
sustained the morale of his people? A
true Flemish Lion" he fought for
their rights.
The first thunder of the German
guns found Cardinal MERCER so ut
terly fearless in the struggle for his
people that most strange rumor got
credence in the slums of Malines. The
people had never known in him but
the Kind friend accessible to all. ready
to help his children in every difficulty
The gentle old man whose tall, fragile
figure was so often seen in the slums
chatting with the poor, they could not
carve into the hero unmatched in mod
ern times. They had never discovered
In chin the fighter-should l not say,
rather, the lioness whose young had
been attacked? How could they, in
happy, peaceful little Belgium, that
had not an enemy on earth? All
through the Cardinals battle against
the heartrending deportation of his
people there was in his attitude an alb
solute fearlessness that seemed I'M
canny.
Protected by His Courage.
The protection this very fearless
ness afforded him enhanced his mag
ical infiuence-proved a psychological
effect to deter the Huns from doing
him personal violence. These were
facts that his people did not at first
understand. So rumor maliciously
whispered: The Cardinal is in secret
connivance with the Germans! II
not, would he still be alive? Thou
sands have been court-martialed and
shot for things a hundred times less
offensive to the enemy than what he
says and does every day. Could any
less of personal danger? For him no
menace seems to exist. Had he not
some secret understanding with the
Huns they would surely have taken
his life the first day he began fighting
them with his back to the WALL
This charge could not have sprung
from ingratitude. The people were
puzzled by his almost superhuman
strength and unselfishness Nerve
racked, half starved, beside them
selves with grief at seeing their loved
ones dragged into slavery, their poor
distraught minds were ready for a
while to give credence to even so in
sane a report as this, Was it secretly
spread by the Germans themselves to
bring their dauntless opponent into
disrepute among his own, thus les
sening his hold upon them? Would
not such intrigue be quite in keeping
with German mentality-German
methods as they have been revealed
to the world during the war? For
tunately, the cloud soon vanished.
The peoples old love for their faith
full shepherd and their entire trust
In him promptly returned. But while
the suspicion lasted, how sorely was
wrung the loving and singularly sensi-
tive heart of the great Cardinal
great charm Of his Eminence is
his keen sense of humor. Most hear
thy he enjoys good joke A remark
ably rapid thinker he Is noted for
the wit and promptitude of his repair
tee. One who knows him well has re-
marked: HE has a special gift for
silencing his opponents without ever
wounding their feelings-he simply
takes their breath away. But the wit
that leaves them without a word to
answer pleases, Is keenly relished.
This rare gift, that only brilliant
intellect combined with a warm heart
can possess, won him the admiration
even Of the Antl-Clerical Socialists.
Long tefore the war they had ceased
attacking him"
Not 50, ho weVef, in his dealings with
the Huns! Little he cared TO temper
for them the hot blast of his wit!
His words of fire swept over them,
seathing, scorching. Their souls must
have covered beneath his gaze and
the majesty of a wrath that evoked
visions OF the Prophets of old. But
oftener still 1t was a cleverly yelled
sarcasm that made them vince. A
mere gesture OF mis- was sometimes
enough TO petrify the enemy into sub
mission. This incident will illustrate:
One day several people came run