The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-03-26

mirers. He was the only one in the
house of whom Nora stood in awe, SO
she kept out of his way as much as
possible. Her only real grief was the
total absence of religion in the fam
lily. She herself was privileged with
an early. daily Mass and Holy Com.
munion, and Betty began to question
her about what going to church"
| meant. One day she summoned up
courage enough to ask Mrs. Ainsley:
May | speak to Betty about Jesus
i know you would not want me to
make her Catholic, but yon surely
believe in Jesus. and would love to
tell BETTY about Him"
Mrs. Ainsley looked very confused
and Nora thought her annoyed, but
she answered.: s48
yes. you may talk I'd her about
| Him, but be careful. I would rather
| Mr. Ainsley did not know it,
Shortly, after this, Retty's birthday
| arrived, and was spent with great re-
| joicing. Among the many gifts she
received was curiously carved gold
necklace sent by favorite uncle and
admired by every one Even Mr. Aims
ley was struck by it's beauty, and was
examining it closely near his desk in
| the library where all the presents
were displayed.
| The next morning Nora went to
| early Mass as usual, and on her re.
turn found great excitement in the
house. Mrs. Ainsley was collecting
the presents to put them where they
belonged, and noticed that the neck
| lace was missing.
| Mora was the only one around here
this morning" said Mr. Ainsley. "She
l is probably the culprit'
You don't mean to say she stole
it?' exclaimed his wife.
why not?" he answered. Didn't
warn you against herr"
| On being questioned, Nora confess.
ed her ignorance of the necklace and
! joined i'm the general search. They
looked everywhere that it could pos.
4 sibly or impossibly be, and the day
| passed rather miserably, for from Mr.
l Ainsley's unguarded remarks suspi.
i cion was settling on Nora.
The poor young girl went to her
1 room as soon as she could be alone,
. and with all the faith she could mus.
i ter, she begged ST. Anthony to find
the missing necklace. From box of
| treasures she dearly loved she took a
picture of st. Anthony and before it
] lit her First Communion candle, then
went downstairs with a brave heart
Mr. and Mrs. Ainsley were talking ex.
I citedly in the library, but; Nora ven.
tured in and said respectfully:
| 1--WE been thinking, ma am, that
perhaps You never heard how ST. An
thony finds things for people if they
pray to him and promise to give some
bread to the poor in thanksgiving.
! 'I'll have none of this nonsense in
my house." angrily retorted Mr.. Aims
ley you've probably taken the neck
lace and want to use this trickery in
restoring it, now that you are fright
ened."
/ Nora looked UP panied and sur
prised, but answered meekly:
''You may punish me after il you
wish, sir, but surely it is worth try
ing. T, will say the prayers if yoll
promise the bread"
! Mr. Ainsley agreed, the promise
was made, and the search began again,
but seemingly without any better re.
suit.
You have not searched your desk,
sir" said Nora timidly.
How could it get in my desk?" he
said. But let us look anyway
There was no sign of it there, and
Mr.. Ainsley was about to close it
when Nora asked still more timidly:
4 'sTs there no secret drawer, sir?'
1 With q strange look of suspicion
1 Mr.. Ainsley opened a, secret drawer
and there was the, necklace. Nora
dropped. on her knees at once to thank
i st. Anthony, but Mr.. Ainsley looked
at her angrily and said:
$50 you even know the secret draw
er of my. desk! Nothing can be. safe
} with such thief in the house, III
telephone for the. police at once.
4 Nora looked at him with calm ex
) preston on her sweet, innocent face
: and quickly said:
"But you'll keep your promise abou
giving the bread to the poor, will yo,
not?'
She walked meekly away to he,
room, and did not notice Mrs. Aims
/ ley following her, nor hear Mr.. Aims
: ley say gruffly to his wife:
r about"
II Nora rushed into her room, not wait
ing to close the door after her, ant
Mrs. Ainsley saw to her surprise tn
candle burning and picture tina
made her heart beat. She entered a
: Nora knelt in thanksgiving, and, yer,
: excited, took up the picture hastily
looked at the back and read with teal
:, full eyes: 'eTo dear Helen from he
: friend, Honora Elwood. /, Souvenir O
retreat at ST. Anthony s academy
i. where did you get this picture?
she asked. E5..
|. Poor Nora wondered if she was t
e be accused OF stealing it, but simpl
0 said:
e my mother gave it to me and toll
me to keep it always. 1t was give
9 to her by friend of hers she dearl
/ loved, and after whom l was named
2 only the nuns shortened my name t
Nora ss.
. Mrc AincIov ,,ffnrod an a p0nizin