The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-09-11

ignation. She did not pray that his
love might be hers, but she prayed
that he might be happy; that his
might be a splendid, noble life. AS
she thought of him thus, apart from
her, few tears found their way ST.
lently down her cheeks, but she
brushed them away determinedly.
AS Sister Margaret said Good
night to her, she said:
You will come soon again, Jerry ?
Don't stay away so long. And come
sometimes and make little visit in
the Chapel"
And Jerry promised.
The weeks slipped away. They
were lonely and bitter. Occasionally
she saw Laurie, but the times when
she saw him hurt more than the
times when she didn't. A strange con-
straint had sprung up between them.
They could not be the happy friends
they had been, neither of them knew
how to meet the situation, and grad
ually she saw less and less of him.
And added to missing him, there was
the new hurt that he was probably
making new friends; that he, who
had been hers entirely for so long,
was probably devoting himself to
some other girl.
At times like this, it required all
keep from summoning him to her
she knew she had but to call and
he would come back. This it was
that made it so hard-that by her
own free-will she must keep away
from this happiness that might have
been hers.
Gradually she formed the habit of
going to Mass in the mornings. In
earlier times, she had never missed
Mass in the morning, but as her life
had grown gayer and fuller, she had
dropped the habit; she had needed
more rest and there seemed to be so
little time for things. But now she
went back to the ways of her girlhOOd
days.
Strangely enough, she had lost the
desire to plunge back into the giddy
Whirl of amusements that she had
known before Laurie had come to fill
the world with joy. These things no
longer attracted her. She did not
want new friends. There was nothing
she did want, she decided. So she
lived quietly, and slowly the rebellion
died and resignation took its place.
And Sister Margaret was glad to
see the weary, strained look fade from
the white, young face. The quiet life,
the rest and peace brought back a
touch of color, and she looked better
than she had looked for long time.
The summer came and went, and
autumn slipped await was nearly
Christmas. Jerry, on her way from
the Office one evening, pushed open
the side door of the Cathedral and
went softly in. tt was almost dark
there, except for the tiny light that
glimmered far up the aisle. She
knelt down in the shadow of pillar
and rested her face in her hands.
The day had been long and hard
and she was weary. The evening that
stretched ahead was dull and lone
some. Would she never forget and
be really happy again? she wonder
ed. After little, she raised her head
and over her stole the quiet calm Of
the church, and her lips moved softly
in prayer.
Gradually she became conscious OF
man who knelt little ahead Of her
Something vaguely familiar about his
shoulders stirred her Her breath
| came and went quickly and her face
grew hot Surely she could not make
| a mistake-it could not be-yes, il
was: she knew it was Laurie. Bu
questions, surmises followed each
other swiftly across her mind. Wha
| was he doing here? She waited il
| wondering amaze that was fear, be
| cause she was afraid to hope. In {
| few moments he rose and came VI
the aisle. He stopped to wait fo
her-he did not seem at all surprised
to see her-almost as if he had ex
| pected her.
! Without a word, they came out to
gether, Jerry watching with aston
ished eyes, while Laurie blessed him
self reverently with Holy Water.
| Outside in the frosty night, he tool
her arm as of old, and gently turned
her up the hill
| "Well?" he smiled, his tall form
| bending a little towards her in tn,
| old, familiar way.
Laurie, tell me, what-what doe
it mean?"
Her voice was tremulous, her eye
starry in the darkness.
What do you suppose?'
But how can I suppose anything
I'm-oh, please tell me" she pleaded
turning up an eager, excited face.
"Well, you see, it was like this,
he began, teasingly-and then hi
voice grew husky with emotion AM
his hand frightened on her arm till i
hurt, Jerry, dear, I couldn't live with