The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-09-10
THE RING THAT WANDERED.

slid 1t down on Annie Peck-ach-itch' s
finger, telling all present and all others
who might inquire that this lady was
now Mrs. Jack Flynn, there came a
great cello sob with much of the bass
viol from the mother-in-law. It was
joy.
They went out into the star-strung
night; and next day went out from
the coal regions to distant farm par
ish, at the request of the bishop. The
war was well-nigh ended before I
found my way back to the city of Jack
and Annie. She knew I was there,
and came to see me.
Two years had made her a very
lovely woman, with her superb figure
and her yellow hair; but she was all
in black, and rather tired-looking, I
thought. She kissed my hand, with
that touching reverence the Slovac and
the Pole have for a priest.
II bet you I so much glad to see
you," she said, lingering her wedding
ring. ooh, so much! You see," with
smile. 81 now have the three baby"
Three, Annie!"
''Yes, but once they are the twins,
the boy and the girl. They are so
big!" And Annie lifted her little red
hand in the air.
"And Jack, Annie?"
She looked at me as so many other
women looked at their priests during
the war. Her face was rigid, her eyes
dilated, and her hands held down her
rising bosom.
"He go to France, Fader."
An involuntary frown came to my
brow. Why should the young rascal
leave his wife and babies and mother?
Uncle Sam didn't need and didn't
want him. recalled another miner
husband who went to the board OF
exemption on a Tuesday, and asked
to stay at home, as he had four chill
dren. He returned before the same
board Wednesday, and said his off
spring numbered six. BE careful
CAREFUL" cautioned the president.
Yesterday you said four" "But, sir,
last night my wife had twins" Such
| husbands and fathers were doing bet.
ter by the army when they stayed out
of it.
"Fader, I tell Jack to join. You see
all the boys from the mines they go to
fight. I know my Jack is blue be-
cause he lost his friends, and often
each time he take the twins on each
knee, and he look at them and at me
| and at mother, and he shut his eyes
| and see the breaths catch his lips.
| know he Is like to go, because, Fader
| de Irishman must fight. l say, Join
Jack! Your mother and me we do the
extra washes, the Uncle Sam he give
something, and you fight for de twins
in Belgian. Jack kiss us all over ant
over, and den he go. He write me dc
letters, but I no can read them, sc
Mother Flynn she read, but she CRY
so much. And then I make her reaC
them again: Then one day de Jack is
in de shell hole, and de shell come
and" her voice rose in a wall, "mJ
Jack go!"
That told the tragedy, that one lit
tie word.
ooh, we not SO poor after ALL" she
said, with proud little toss of hel
head, my Jack always look after us
We get de big insurance, and wher
the Mass is sung for Jack, Mother
Flynn wear de black silk, for she say
her boy can see her, and she must be
grand lady for him. She walk very
proud all up de church to de front pew
and sit straight like soldier man him
self. I am foolishness. I can't stol
from cry, and l 'fraid Mother Flynn
will not like, but she don't look at me
only see her fingernails tear tn,
leaves in her prayer-book.
ooh, Fader, miss de Jack so much
When de boys come from the mines, a
de evening, wait for him. After d,
supper, go up me on de hill, and den
birds what screech in de trees, I lister
to dem, and think of Jack. De moor
sails big in de cloud, and I sit by d.
old tree, and think maybe Jack will
come, and whistle like de birds to me
But Jack no come now any NOR,
again."
/ She slipped on her black gloves, ant
came over to bid me goodbye. Sh'
was struggling to hide her emotion
feeling she shouldn't give it too fire.
vent, she the wife of dead hero, tn
imother Of his valiant children.
THAT girl, Lily, whose ring you Civ
to me, every night pray for her. Oh
am not have such a bad life," witt
high courage in her air and tone. "Yo,
see / have always de twin, and the1
de new baby boy which come sine
Jack CO."
There was another twist of anguisl
to the lovely little face at the though
Iof the wee one that soldier fathe
never saw.
" "But when I can't stand the ach
because Jack is go, grab de twin
and put them on my each knee, an
look into their face. The one twin h
} is girl, the other she is boy. The cir
he have mouth just like Jack. De bo,
J she have de eyes, oh, blue like viole
;. flowers, just de very same eyes o
Jack. So I look at de mouth of d.
girl and de eyes Of de boy, and Their
: is my Jack, always with me, Away
smile de same love at me, always lool
de same love at me, too"
i She kissed my hand again, and wen
to the door, and there paused prettily
: looking archly back.
"And I never forgot you and Lily