LINES FOR LITTLE FOLK.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 24, 13 October 1893, Page 25

LINES FOR LITTLE FOLK.

Joseph F , «ged 10, was a very pious, good boy, one of tbe cleveiest of bis class at the College of St Aloysias, near a principal city of Spain. He had a great love for reading lives of saints, and was : particulary devoted to St Alexis. Conscientious in learning his lesson 0 , be was greatly liked by his masters, aod his amiability and gentle- ' ness endeared him to his companions. Accordingly, there was much ' astonishment in the college when one day tbe rumour spread that little Joseph bad run away. The prefect of the tbird division reported to the rector that he wm oat with tbe boyß in the country for their usual walk when ' Joseph asked leave to absent himself for a while. Seeing nothing ■trangt in the request, the prefect gave the desired permission, and •hortly after waseurprised to see his young friend take to his heels and ran until well out of sight. Being alone, the piefect did not | tbink it advisable to leave bis 99 lambs in the desert and go after | the one that had strayed, but returned home with his division and ' gave information as quickly as possible to the superiors. I Joseph ran until be was out of brea'h, and then, not seeing any prefect or division in the rear, h« Bettled down to a wa'k. At last he was free— free to follow the life to which he felt called by divine inspiration. Coming near a farm he threw away hie cap. It was not rt quired (or this sort of life, and some poor person might pick it np and find it useful. A little further on a thought occurred to him : All the saints had got rii of their respec ive cotts in favour of some beggar. Seeing a little shepherdess io a field with her flock of sheep, he crossed over to her and said, " Wouldn't you like to have a pretty jacket like mine?" "Ob, yes 1" said the little ■hepberdess. " Here you are then," said Joseph, " take it, it is yours." Behold him then journeying joyooßly in bis shirt sleeves. A little more, and his necktie seemed to him to tavoui too much of the world, bo off it went, and his vest as well. ThrowiDg over a cargo lightens a vessel considerably ; aud Joseph's litue heart felt proportionately lighter now that he had got rid of these extras. " Tis heaven is tbe prize — the prise my soul shall strive to gain." But what is this on the horizon ? A village, and it will be necessary to pass through it. He will meet people there. But to be poor for the love of Jesus Christ and lo have pretty shoes — this is tco bad 1 The shoes and the stockings are left on the side of the road. Walking barefoot on hard atoms is do jokp, and Joseph's prettly little Aragone6e feet are tender. Bat no matter, one must suffer something for our Lord. Entering the village, be asked a man who was occupied in cutting grass which was the way to the parish priest's house. The man pointed out the sexton, who happened to be passing, and who now conducted Joseph to the priest's residence. Joseph kept up with some difficulty, as the stones bad developed a limp iv him. ' Father, here is a little boy wLo wants \o see you." " What do you want, my child 7' "Father, 1 want to go to Confession in pieparatioii for Cjmm union to-morrow ■"

" Communion f Have you made yonr first Communion 7" " Oh, yea, Father 1 a long time ago. Igo to Communion erery Sunday." " Bat who are yon?" "lama poor little beggar who happens to be passing by here." " And where do you come from 7" " From Castle . . ." mentioning tbe place where be lived. " And what do you do ?" " I go about from village to village to sanctify tnyielf, becauae God wishes me to do it." " But you are not poor, my child ; yon hava a good shirt, well ironed." " Ob I that was given to me in the city." " They made you a nioe present, my son. But have you a father and mother ?" I Yes !" " Are they rich 1" " My father has some vines." " Then you have run away from your father ? " "No!" " Well, then, you must havt run away from some college." The poor little fellow thought that when one acted in obedience to a divine inspiration it could not be called running away. " What do you want to do, my child ?" ''I want to imitate the saints. God inspires me with a vocation to live poor." " But, my eon, you can sanctify yourself in every position — in riches as well as poverty." " Yes, but my vocation is to live as a beggar so as to conquer nature more." " Your inspiration does not come from God, because you are violating the fourth Commandment in disobeying your parents." II But St Alexis and tbe other saints lived like that." " No, no ; You are obeying a suggestion of the evil spirit." " What is a suggestion of the evil spirit, father ?" What more wa9 said Ido not know, The good old housekeeper, whose heart was melted by the innocent face, scanty clothes, and bruised feet of the little fellow, got him some sapper, and put him to b«d. He fell sound asleep in a few minutes. Meanwhile, there was great commotion at the college. Messengers were sent in bot haste after Joseph, and they arrived at the priest's house during the night. The priest was very glad to see them, and bis little charge was awakened. But Joseph was too sleepy to realise the turn events had taken. He could not keep hie eyes open and bad to be carried to the conveyance kept in waiting at tbe door. His return to the college was effected very quetly, and next morning he found himself installed in the infirmary near the altar of tbe Blessed Virgin, and this gave him great pleasure. Bat, alas 1 great troubles are in store for Joseph. The informations have been drawn up against him, and tbe Rector, on account of being his uncle, i* determined to make an example of his nephew so aa to prevent tbe other boys from aspiring to imitate bis example. During the morning he was sent for by the Rector, who put questions to him very sternly. Joseph answered them all with great simplicity, but felt very much hurt, and answered firmly, •' No," when the Sector said it was to get a good supper and sleep iv a fine bed that he went to the priest's house. Then came the ultimatum — he was to b« expelled from tbe college as being guilty of a grave breach of discipline, and the Rector had written so to his parents. Here poor Joseph broke down completely. He had never looked at the matter in this light. He spent a miserable night, and, as he told one of the Fathers afterwards, he cried so much when he thought of the disgrace of being expelled that he fell out of bed and lay on the floor orying and praying to our Lord. Fortunately, the next day the Father Provincial called at tba college, and, on bearing the circumstance?, interceded for Joseph, as be felt sure none of the other boys would imitate his conduct. Tha sentence of expulsion was rescinded, and Joseph regained his usual cheerful demeanour. The other boys, with great thoughtfulness, said

nothing to him about his escapade. As one hears and reads bo much of boys running away to set, to be buebrangerr, etc., a story of real life like the above comes as a refreshing cootrast. — H.E.C, io the Australian Messenger.

What do you think I saw to-day, When the rain was falling swift and gray ? A poor little butterfly, yellow as gold, Fluttering by in the wet and cold. His wings were heavy, bis little legs Hung straighter and stiffer than wooden pegi ; He wavered and wandered, weak and alow, And the raindrops gave him many a blow ; The great red roses showered down a bath, The tall white lilies shook in his path, The green vines reached with a hundred arm*, Tbe hollyhocks flaunted all their charms ; But he never stopped for • moment's rest, — Not a single petal his tired feet pressed. I watched him struggling on and on, Until clouds had vanished and raio was gone. Who would have thought so small a thing Oould monnt and mount on a fainting wing ? Who would have thought a butterfly Had strength and courage to do or die ? When tasks seem heavy and effort vain, Just think of that butterfly ont in the rain. — Aye Maria. Sara Tkaineb Smith.

Prefenor Johnson was lecturing one day before tbe students on mineralogy. He had before him a nnmber of specimens of various sorts to illustrate tbe subject, when for sport a roguish student slyly ■lipped a piece of brick amoogst the stones. The professor, taking these one after another, named them.

" This," he said, "is a piece of granite ; this is a piece of felspar," etc- Presently he came to the brickbat. Without showing any cur prise or even changing the tone of his voice, ha said : '* Tbif," holding up tbe brick, " is a piece of impudence."