The Catholic bulletin., 1922-09-02
THE '.|||l.!E :.
CHILDREN'S HOUR
THE CRIMSON CROSS.

Sister Superior smiled as the girls
at the Orphans Home drew their
chairs closer together and anxiously
anticipated bedtime story. She
glanced towards the clock on the wall,
warning, Girls, 1 can only tell you a
short story tonight; it is about four
year-old Italian boy that was brought
to the Orphans Home in Rome, while
l was there.
Father Mercier brought him to me
and as took the child from his arms,
he screamed and fought, calling pit
eously in his native tongue for his
mother.
Il stroked my fingers through his
short black curls and tried to quiet
him but he struggled from my arms,
continued crying until his eyes caught
sight Of my Rosary. Instantly he
ceased crying, rubbed his fists into his
eyes and between sobs repeated a
short prayer. Father Mercier nodded
approvingly as he left the room. 1t
was late in the evening and hastened
to battle the child before the evening
meal.
'sHe remained quiet, never taking
his eyes from the Rosary and to my
surprise, when his clothing was re-
moved l discovered a small crimson
cross and four Italian letters tattoed
under his right side. The cross was
two inches in length and the letters
were tattoed directly beneath. They
had evidently been placed there in
infancy and the growth of the flesh
disconnected the letters until 1 could
only cipher out an Italian M
Il called several of the Sisters to
see it and Father Mercier later took a
photograph Of the childs back, believ-
ing the mark was of much Importance
He also tried to find out something
concerning the child's parents, but
did not learn much about him, as the
city authorities had given him the
child, furnishing only it's name and
the fact that he had been found by
his mothers side when she received a
fatal blow from an anchor chain at
the steamship docks in Trieste. The
mother never regained consciousness
and died soon after being removed to
the morgue City authorities only
learned her name and that she had
sold souvenirs to tourists as they were
embarking for different countries.
"We called the child 'Dusky .Joe;'
he was lovable and a devout worship
er of the Holy Cross. There was no
doubt but what his baby lips had been
taught prayers from the cradle
eve never tried to get home for
him but kept him with us at the Or.
phans' Home. He remained with us
until he was thirteen years of age.
Father Mercier went to America
and Father Bucha took his place. He
entered the front hall about a month
after taking up his new work and
inquired Have you a child in this in
stitution with a crimson cross tat
tooed upon his back?'
Il eagerly told him Dusky Joe's his
tory and he handed me letter which
read:
New York City
To the Eista Orphans Home:
"'I am searching for an Italian boy
who has tattooed upon his right shoul-
der, beneath the scapula, a crimson
cross and the letters, ROME. A du-
plicate of this letter is being sent to
all Catholic institutions in Italy and
to the main watering places of Amer
lea.
GA reward of five thousand dollars
will be given for information leading
to the recovery of the child
Address, Mondiceo Art Studio. 6
East Siphon Avenue, New York
81 looked at Father Bucha in amaze
ment and handed him back the letter.
He then gave me another one to read.
from Father Mercier in America
which contained a newspaper clipping
advertising for Dusky Joe whose real
name was Josie Lovejetta.
Father Bucha again handed me
the New York letter, asking that I
take an accurate copy of it. l made
several copies and that is why it was
so well impressed upon my memory.
enabling me to rec1te it verbally to
you.
Father Mercier and Father Bucha
corresponded with each other and at
last the mystery of the Crimson Cross
vas solved.
"Dusky Joe's mother was beautiful
maiden of Southern Italy, and young
American student studying art in
Trieste, fell in love with her. He
spent the entire summer in Trieste.
became a Catholic and married her.
As soon as the ceremony was over he
declared he had only been a Catholic
to win the girl. When Dusky Joe was
born, the father forbade the christen-
ing of the child, and his mother in her
simple Italian ways, dedicated the in
fant to the Catholic faith by tattooing
the cross upon his shoulder and plac-
ing the word Rome beneath, declar.
ing that some day he should be in the
Vatican. The father became angered.
left his wife and child and returned to
America.
"The wife's parents refused to sup
Continued on page 81