The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-01-03

Avondale. At ,once excited men gath
cred in the streets, a score of them;
then more, and yet more, until it
seemed as if every one in the place
had left his work. A noisy fellow,
shouting and gesticulating, started
toward Father Huntington's house;
others followed, and in a thrice it
was besieged by an angry mob, bent
on seeing that the sanctity of Avon
dale was not profaned by Popish rites.
In the meantime Father Huntington
had spoken to Bridget his house
keeper, and stamped and addressed
an envelope, before he went to the
room which served as a chapel, and
after kneeling for few moments in
prayer, slipped the Blessed Sacra-
ndent into his bosom. The crowd
had begun to congregate about his
door, but he was preoccupied, and,
though in a vague way he was con-
sciOus of the din, it did not occur to
him that in any way it concerned his
premises or himself. 1t was only after
he had closed the door behind him and
found himself surrounded by surg
ing sea of angry faces that he knew
what was afoot. He stood very still,
wondering what he had best to do.
Mr.. Kinney was dying and must have
the Sacramento, but the Blessed Sac
rament! He could not risk it's profan-
alton. ->
Before he had reached a decision as
| to the wisest course a carriage came
| down the street. Its one occupant
had been leaning among the cushions,
taking no note Of the familiar sur
roundings, until he heard the shouts
OF the crowd. Instantly he became all
intense attention. From amid the
general uproar he disentangled some
of the jibes and threats, and by the
time his carriage reached Father
| Huntington's house he understood
what the trouble was. Not greatly
concerned. he looked toward the door
against which Father Huntington's
form was outlined, and over the heads
OF the people Father Huntington saw
him. For one instant they were face
to face, the frail, old priest, half smil-
/ ing even now; and the other, in the
prime of life, handsome, of kindly
bearing, with face unutterably sad;
and in that instant the mans uncon-
Germ faltered and. gave way, and a
new light shone from his somber
world-Weary eyes
~;,Stop!' he said to his driver; and
he, too, was smiling, as, swiftly but
quietly, he stepped from his car
riage. He would have forced his way
through the crowd had it been neces-
sary, but it parted to allow him to
pass, and the hubbub gave place to an
1 eXpectant hush. al He walked directly
to Father Huntington.
Come, Father'' lie said. mo one
shall modest YOU
Side by side the two men passed
through the throng. When they
reached his carriage he spoke again.
| Where do you wish to go?" he
asked. =.
Father Huntington gave Mr.. Kin
ney's address; he repeated it to the
driver, and himself opened the car
rage door for the priest For one
second then he hesitated Behind
him the crowd had begun to whisper,
and was surging little nearer them.
Things looked ominous, but even at
that critical moment Father Hunting
ton could not but see how great was
the effort the man made to ask his
next question, and it's simplicity sur
l,prised him when it came He said
only:
you are carrying the Blessed Sac.
rament?'
| When Father Huntington bent his
! head in reverent acquiescence he told
his man to drive slowly, and uncov.
ering his head, he walked beside the
carriage. AS the little cortege moved
away there was a hiss from some one
in the mob, drowned almost instantly
by loud cheers, ''Hurrah for the gen
ieral.' the crowd shouted Justify. All
the world loves a brave man; besides
Avondale was proud of General John
ston, of his fame and Of his wealth
land, though awed by his silent re-
lserve, loved him for his boundless
goodness to the poor. And, chatterine
lpeaceab1y, if boisterously, the crowd
melted away, unconscious of Budgets
blazing eyes and clenched fist that
threatened them from the attic win
dow - .'''' :.
| Later in the afternoon of the fol
lowing day General Johnston called
on Father Huntington. The slatternly
old housekeeper ushered him into a
isparely furnished room, where the
tpriest joined him almost immediately
Il came, Father" the general
began, nervously, and stopped short;
then went on, in more conventional
tone. 81 feared you might be the
worse for the excitement of yester
day." He seemed ill at ease and al
most shy, this man of the world who
i had felt at home in the courts OF
kings:
i, Father Huntington noted his EN-
barrassment and thought he under
i stood it. He fastened to try to put
\ him at his ease by taking the burden
of the conversation upon himself and
bearing it into commonplace chan
/ nels. Pointing out the only chairs Oh
4 which the room could boast, he sug
i gested that they should place them
nearer the window, through which the