MASS IN A MAIL CAR.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 17, 3 September 1897, Page 3

MASS IN A MAIL CAR.

A TOUCHING INCIDENT.

Tut /"'"'"'• '■";"■'; ismd^d for the following ay cunt to a priest of the Cleveland dioe^e. to whom a member of tue mail crew so singularly favoured fiist related it, and who kindly wrote the tacts as here given. F>r obvious re,w.nq the names of the poisons who n.id a, p u-fc in thj i:Ujr<j,t,in<,' 1 cpi-o lo aiv nob given. It was, on a List mul train, bjund tor Cllic^o'. Chrisfnas morn had once more demented on the lind. Duyli.r} lt was i^t beginning to bivik through a pile of snow clouds that him* in the pastern sky. Field and forest. hou«e and hamlet, were passed in rapid succession. In one of the cars, with the aid of a number of lights that were turned low, you could distinguish tons upon tons ot mail matter, piled up between the stall posts. The crew of worn-out and drowsy postal clerks were gathered around their chiei, giving, one after another, a detailed account of their Ion" tedious night s work. A look down the ai Je of the mail-laden car could not fail to impress you with its order. The numerous sharp corners which protruded from the canvas sacks told the experienced mail tosser that Christinas gifts constituted the main bulk of today s delivery And so the '• flyer " sped onward in its rapid course towards the Western metropolis, bearing the many tokens of friendship and affection which would gladden the hearts of thousands on this ever joyful Christmas morning. The staff of the mail car was composed of five staunch Catholic lads, who had resolved the ni«ht before to hear Mass, go to their Christmas duty at the earliest possible moment after " re»isterii)"-m " at the end of the run. But. alas, away back at the Prairie Lod"e the chief had received the menage the contents of which all were dread ins. It ran thus—" Take your crew back to No. 2.", at (i p.m. Report for duty at car at 2 p.m. sharp." These orders brought consternation to our mail clerks '• Well," said one bright yoini-r fellow, the • baby ' ot 'the crow, what are wo going to do about it I You know chief, it will never do to miss Ma&s on a Christmas morning. 1 never did it in all mv life." J

"No upc, boys," replied the chief, quietly hut firmly. " I order each and every one of yuu to go to bed at ouco at tor we unload.

There is'nt a priest in the United States who would tell you that you had to hear Mass in a case like this, and I positively forbid it." But, all the same, the chief issued these orders with a heavy heart and a perceptible tugging at his throat. " I'm going back to the buffet," he continued, " and get some breakfast now to save time. There is no use fasting longer, if we are to be beaten out of our Communion." And two more of the crew followed him, evidently of the same mind. Charley, the porter, was already up. and busy blacking shoes. " Guess I better wake up dat young pries'," said he ; " for he Bay to be shuah and call him eahly." " What's that, Charley ; a priest aboard ?" "Yes, chief," answered the conductor, just coming up. ''It's Father X , of C ; he is just returning from a mission." " Where's his berth ?" " Over there in No. 4." " Come on, boys," called the chief, " this is our chance. No doubt he has his chalice, vestments and all the necessary outfit with him, and, if bo, we'll have a Christmas Mass that will be an event in the history of this crew." " What are you going to do now, chief ?" inquired the conductor. But the chief was already pulling aside the berth curtains to call the half-wakened priest. " Come on, Father ; get up. You must say Mass in a queer chapel this morning. The chance is too good to let it go by. I'll be bound " "Wha — what?" inquired the priest, with surprise. But the boys had already laid hands tenderly on his valises, and were eagerly waiting to take up the march forward to the postal car. In a few moments the priest had donned his cassock and followed in amazement. As we reached our own car a clear ringing voice struck up the beautiful Christmas processional, "Adeste Fideles," and involuntarily all of us, including the priest, who by thia time had been enlightened as to our situation, joined in the chorus. In the farther end of the car we found a pile of mail bags, some of them registered, whose aggregate value of contents amounted to thousands of dollars, if not more. And on this strange improvised altar the priest prepared to offer the Holy Sacrifice ! It was, perhaps, the first and only one of the kind ever erected. No need to go back to the awful days of the Irish persecution, nor to the days of the Roman catacombs for a Church romance. Imagine for a moment if you can the scene in the mail car on that memorable Christmas morning. The faintest light from without, the lanterns of the conductor and brakeman, added to the lamps within, and the three candles borrowed from Charley, the porter, partially and barely enough illuminated this strange miniature chapel, where the sacrifice of Calvary was renewed in a bloodless manner during that early Christmas hour. Five grimy, hungry and sleepy postal clerks in their overalls and the conductor and brakeman were the only worshippers, kneeling apart, one by one. and making their confessions to the young priest, who was so suddenly and strangely cilled to exercise his prie-tly p >wers ! And th.it Mass ! It is indeed doubtful if ever a priest at the altar was served by a man wearing, instead of altar garments, a suit of overalls ana one of " Uucle Sam's mail slinger" uniforms ; a choir composed of three more in the same regulation garb — young fellows whi i had s 1 en "volunteer service" in more thin one choir during th.-ir younger days — their clear, sonorous voices contending with, and rising above, the rumble and roar of the Avheels as these clicked off fitty mik's or so an hour. And the conductor and brakeman, kuet-ling on either side of our little altar, holding it up to keep it from toppling over with the sway of the train. Nay. at times we would id rly have to steady the priest to keep him on hie feet. Oh, what a thrill went through us as the boys reptated the angels' hymn. • Gloria in Excelsis Deo ! " No time to stop for a sermon, aud, iudeed. it was doubtful if our priest could have composed himself to deliver one. It was a race against time. And a.s 'the solemn chant, '■ Sanctus. Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth " resounded through the car and the sacred moments of consecration arrived, our hearts swelled with joy that in spite of our life amidst the din and tumult of an uproarious railway, we could this blessed Christmas morning unite with the priest in offering up our prayers of thanksgiving for the gracious birth of the Prince of Peace, the Redeemer of His people. We still recall with pleasure the look of triumph that lighted up our good priest's countenance as he turned towards us at last to distribute Holy Communion to the crew. After Mass, with brimming eyes, he gave to each his blessing, and as all the boys slyly pressed their Christmas offering into his unwilling hand, he could no longer restrain his feelings. Throwing his arms about us he gave each the kiss of peace. Such was the Christmas Mass arranged by a brave railroad crew, and, as our informant well remarked, " probably it was the only one ever said in a post-office on wheels.