The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1921-04-23

followed passed so rapidly that the
month of the Poor Souls was almost
at hand, but still the prayers OF the
Sheas remained unanswered. Mrs.
Shea had sold her fine home to salts
fly her husbands creditors, and the
family had moved into the less pre-
tentious residence which had been
formerly occupied by Uncle Phil
Halloween was week off when Paul,
who was as indiscriminate about his
reading as a goat about his diet,
brought home 'The Surprise House"
from the library. It proved to be an
interesting tale about queer old
lady who had distributed her fortune
in the most unheard of places around
her home, and it told of the exciting.
time which her heir had hunting for.
it,
Panl's imagination was fired and
he ran to his mother with his idea.
Mother! Mother" he shouted in.
great excitement, do you s'pose that
Uncle Phil hid his money somewhere
about the house? You know he was a
queer old duck, and somewhat of a
miser. they say"
THE house has been searched
twice, but if you care to look"
Paul did not wait for his mother
to finish, but flinging back hasty
Thank you," he set about his self
appointed task without delay. He
started with the cellar and went me-
thodically through the house to the
attic.
Mary passed him as he was exam
lining the hall on his hands and knees.
Paul Shea!" she exclaimed, ARE
you crazy?"
NO." he returned in tones indica-
tive of deep disgust. I'm looking for
Uncle Phil's fortune. Come and help
me hunt
Cant. I'm going to Forty Hours
to make visit. You'd better come
along. You ought to pray for papa
and for Johns intention"
"Wel1, I am-tonight," said her
brother impatiently Don't bother me
now, | have important business to
tend to-
He succeeded in turning the house
upside down and setting his mothers
nerves on end, but beyond this the
produced nothing beyond a heavy
handled old-fashioned umbrellas which
was concealed in the deep recesses of
a bedroom closet
Uncle Pills umbrella" declared
Do Il IN. tri-
umph to her. ri wondered what hap
pened to it. He carried it wherever
he went, and he would sooner go off
without his hat than it. But that's
not his money" and she sighed.
The old umbrella stood once more
lin it's rightful place in the rack in
the hall, untouched until the evening
Of All Saints Day. 1t had been rain
ing all afternoon, but towards evening
there was a lull in the steady down
pour, so when John came home from
work, he credulously left his umbrella
at the shop, and as it always happens
in such cases it was raining again
when the Sheas were ready for YES
pers.
| "No umbrella, John?" queried his
mother. Il do believe you'd forget
your head if it wasn't fastened on.
Here, take Uncle. Phifs." And thus
finally equipped, the little. party set
out.
John let the others precede him into
the pew, and having the end seat, he
dropped his umbrella on the kneeling
bench Vespers had just commenced
and he was too engrossed in his de-
votions to notice that he had left the
handle protruding far into the aisle,
but his carelessness was suddenly
brought to his attention by the snap
of breaking wood. An usher hurry
ing to find a seat for some late-comer
had stepped on the handle and con-
tinued on his way unconscious of the
damage he had caused.
AS the next morning was the Feast
of All Saints and as their duty to
their dead demanded that the Sheas
attend Mass on that occasion, they
retired early, John, after some persu-
aston having agreed to let the matter
of the broken umbrella lie over until
the next day. The morning OF All
Souls brought so many demands for
time and attention that the affair OF
the previous day would have slipped
Johns memory had not his hand come
in contact with the sharp edge of the
splintered handle when he plunged
them into his pockets for his gloves.
He was late for his work but he
stopped and walked over to the Win
dow that he might have better light
to study the fracture. AS he held
the piece up to the light, he discov-
cred something which caused him to-
give vent to long-drawn whistle Of
establishment that drew the other
members of the household to his side
Look he cried, his eyes shining
with excitement, ''the handle is hol-
low and there is a key and some kind
of paper in it."
Lets see!" demanded Paul and
Mary, dancing up and down to get
better view of the wonderful dis
covery.
do be still, children" commanded
their mother, who was hardly less
curious than they. There's lots of
u I.s