Year: 1867

1t was in one of the most wretched
quarters of Paris that priest went
to visit a rag-woman who was danger
ously i'll. She was lying on straw so
damp that it was fit only for the dung
hill. The visitor had reached the
landing place, and was rejecting how
he might best minister TO the woman's
wants, when he heard the cry of an
other female from the end of dark
corridor exclaiming: "Help, murder p
He ran toward the spot, and pushing
open the door saw two children cry.
ing. Extended ON the floor lay the
unfortunate woman, while tall man
with sinister countenance, and clad
only in pair of pantaloons and
ragged shirt, stood over her, kicking
her. Her face was already black and
blue from his violence. The priest
sprang towards the man and. said:


"Wretch, what are you about Will
you not desist ?''


He did desist but it was only to
attack the speaker. He seized him
suddenly by the breast, thrust two
fingers under his cassock, and then,
without uttering a word, lifted him as
II he had been an infant and carried
him to an open window. There he
angrily told him that he would not
have priests intermeddling with his
affairs, and disturbing the peace of
his household, and that he intended to
pitch him out forthwith. In fact he
was preparing to put the threat into
execution, but as if wishing to gloat
over his victim, he continued to glare
upon him with the eyes of the tiger,
holding him all the while as with an
arm of steel.


The priest was alarmed but God
enabled him not to betray it. He re-
garded his antagonist calmly, and
said, almost with smile:


"Gently, my friend, you are much
too hasty. Do you really intend to
throw me out of the window? Is
that the most pressing business on
hand? You who are always. talking
about fraternity and charity; do you
know what was taking place while you
were beating your wife? Another
woman was dying on a dung-hill in
your house. Now let US both see
what we can both do in her behalf !;
for you are by no means so bad a fel-
low as you wish to appear. [ will
pay for some clean straw if you will
go fetch it."


Terror, combined with desire to
win over his assailant, made the priest
eloquent, and he had hardly ended
his appeal before the lion was tanned.
The mans countenance rapid Y
changed, and he relaxed his hold at
once; then taking off his shabby cap
and placing it under his arm, he as
sumed respectful attitude, like that
of soldier in the presence of a supe-
rior officer, and replied:


"Ifyou talk in that style, sir, the case
is different. | have always been hui
name, and will readily help you to as
sist the poor woman. | will in fact,
do anything you please; for it won't t
do to let a fellow-creature die in that
| plight"


Thereupon the priest gave him the
money, and he went out to purchase
two bundles of clean straw. In the
meantime the women of the neighbor.
hood attracted by the alteration, had
rushed TO the spot, and on seeing the
priest, expoStulated with him in these
terms:


"What are you about? Do you
know where you are? You are in
the clutches of the worst man in the
quarter. He is so outrageous that
even cut-throats are afraid of him, and
he has often said that nothing would
give him more pleasure than to break
a mans neck, especially if that man
were priest"


These remonstrances were by nc
means encouraging, but those who
urged them little knew the power of
charity. The sturdy fellow soon re
turned with the bundles on his shoul
der. He was calm and his counte.
nance had become almost honest. On
entering the room where the poor
woman lay he took half a bundle of
straw and spread it on the floor. The
most touching part of the scene fol
lowed. He lifted the sufferer in his
arms with the tenderness Of a mother
placed her on the clean straw, ther
made her bed, and finally laid her up
on it, just as a mother would her child
A female wished to assist him, but he
pushed her aside, remarking that he
was well able to do a humane act un
assisted. The man was in tears anc
the priest perceiving that he wished
to address him retired towards the
window; but his new acquaintance
could not utter a word; emotion
choked him.


The priest gave him his hand, ant
the stalwarth workman squeezed it a;
in vice, in token of his affection.
"Well done, my friend" said tht
Ipriest, swell done; quite understand
you. | knew full well that you were
not so bad as you wanted to make MT
believe. knew you were capable OF
doing good action"


"You have done it ALL" was the re
ply; "four men could not master me
and yet you have mastered me IN a.