The Catholic bulletin., 1922-03-11
THE VICTORY.


Uncle Dick asked Marjorie. look
ing up from the book she was read
ing, what is a coincidence?"
LET me see," replied Uncle Dick,
trying to think how to make simple
definition. when two things happen
at the same time that have nothing to
do with each other, but seem to have
great deal to do with each other, we
call it coincidence"
Seeing that Marjorie still looked
puzzled, he started to explain further,
when a telephone message called him
away. AS he took down his hat in
the hall, however, he paused long
enough to say, ''Tll look out for a first
coincidence to show you, Marjorie, and
then you'll understand better"
The next morning when Marjorie
woke up, she looked out of her win
dow and saw that it had been showing
steadily and the drifts were piled up
almost as high as the house. At
| breakfast, Uncle Dick remarked to
Mariorie's mother that he would not
attempt to drive to the city and that
Marjorie would have to stay home from
school. The tears brimmed up in Mar
iorie's eyes as she thought of the two
shining gold pieces in her savings box
that meant two whole years without
an absence, and of the third that was
to have Joined them so soon; for Aunt
| Mary, who lived in the big house on
the hill, had told Marjorie the very
first day she went to school that she
should have twenty-dollar gold piece
at the end of each year that she was
neither absent nor tardy.
| But the gold piece was as nothing
compared with the broken record, and
Marjorie sobbed aloud for few min
utes; then, like the brave little girl
that she was, she dried her tears, got
out her paint-box, and began coloring
some pictures.
| When she went to school on Mon
day morning, everybody was talking
about fire that had occurred the day
before, and, to her relief, nobody said
anything to her about her absence.
Two weeks later, the monthly re
port cards we're given out. Marjorie
received hers with a sad heart, as she
thought of the broken record. She die
not even open the envelope until q
school companion, Gertrude O'Riordan
had turned off on her own street anC
she was alone.
But as she glanced over the card
something within her gave a grea
leap. Could she believe her own eyes
There were no marks in the absence
column! The new teacher must have
: made a mistake.
Then came great temptation tt
Marjorie. If she should say nothing
about the mistake, the record woult
remain as it was, and Aunt Mary neet
never know.
All the next week, Marjorie strug
gled with the temptation. She seem
ed unlike herself.
Friday came, the last day of tn
semester. Marjorie could stand it NJ
longer. Summoning all her courage
she came back into the schoolroom a
recess, after the others were all out
; and sobbed out her story to the goo'
Sister who had charge of the repor
cards.
$50 you thought I made mistake
did you?" asked the nun. I'm so gla
you told me, because can assure yo
that you are the one who ha
: made the mistake. That day was
very cold one, you remember, an
something broke in the furnace TO
heating the pipes early in the morr
!, ing, so we couldn't have school tina
day. The room was so filled wit
= workmen and so upset with their tool:
= We sent word to all the pupils whoI
= We could reach easily, and dismisse
the others as soon as they came. You
telephone was out of order so W
could not notify you. I'm sorry thi
has troubled you so much. You shoul
- have told your mother or me sooner.
? Marjorie ran around to Aunt Mar
after school with her report card, an
then fairly flew home to tell her stor
to Mama and Uncle Dick.
o That's what call the happies
a kind of a coincidence" said Uncl
n Dick. "Now you know the meanin
o of the word
o Il call it a great victory" sal
Mama, thinking of something quite di
il ferent. But Marjorie understood botl