The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 28, 10 July 1902, Page 23

The Storyteller

SEXTON MAGINNIS.

Sister Margaret's rosy face looked moro rosy as the fresh, fnosty air •truck her checks. The convent habit — supposed by the romanceis to represent a pensive soul dead to all human interests — had no manuei of .special detachment in her c.ise , it fitted very well with the an of hurtle that pei \ ailed the city landscape Every negio for miles around v.is shoveling snow from the pavements, and Sister Margaret, who was of an enengetic turn, clasped her hands in despair within her spotless sieves as she viewed the movements of two black ' boys ' of 40 and <>0 on the pavement of the convent I'ompey and Caesar tinned their spades with the graceflul languor of waves of fansin the summer. ' It's me — it's I,' she said, correcting herself, for, nit hough Sister Margaret was not a teaching Sister, she was a grammatical purist — ' it s 1 that would like to tuck up my habit and get down amongst 1 hem Sure one Kerry man would do more m half an hour with his hands than all of them with their wooden spades ' There had been a ling at the convent door-boll, and Sister Maigaiet had, in the temporary absence of the portress, opened it , but no one was in sight. Sister Margaret, fi om hei position on the high stops, looked about sharply. A young girl with dancing blue eyes, a sprightly step, and high bows in her hat as blue as her eves, went by smiling and nodding at the good Sister 'Mary Ann Magee,' she said to herself, 'and it's Mary Ann Magee hero and Mary Ann Magee there with her blue bows and hei ga\ ways, and the foolish \ ouug men paying her attention, and her old mother wot king away at the washtub 'Tis thewav with li ish luothei s — they're foolish and tender with their children Mrs Mngee is a Tipperary woman, and 'lippeiaiv imi t Kerry And w hat do you want '' Sister Mutgaret was accustomed to tramps The convent was b\ no means rich, and the prioress Moth* i Juliet, had some economic notions about the treatment of t he poor who could work , but, ne\ ci t heless, and in spite of Sistei Mattraiet s cool and deliberate ga/e, which pierced through the excuses of men, the weary if not always worthy wanderer found the convent alms plain but bounteous The man who had suddenly bobbed up from undti the non sti ps h»;d a gray kitten m his hand Ills ied uncut hair had made its w.iv umli i tho battei ed crown of lus hat 11 is Tipper gaiment, buttoried (lose to the chin was a, coat of Ihe kind called Prince Albert glossy vv oi n and it had evidently been made for a much shorter person and this iedhairod man was \erv tall His shoes were tied with rope, and his pink, frost-bitten wrists shone below tin 1 frayed sleeves of the glossy coat ' Another drinking man, 1 < -uppose,' thought Sister Margaiet discontentedly One look at the clear complexion marred by several week's giowth of sandy-colored hair, undeceived her She knew her world well, and t tamps were as much of her woild as the innocent little boys who besei died hei, for molasses and i>i«\id between school hours There was an honest look m the helpless hi own iv es <v the man that to her expei iei,( ed gaze showed that he was not o) the mlious class- ' It's some woman to manage him — poor creature ' — he needs It st he wav with half the men — their motheis don't live long enough, and the wi\es most of 1 hem get are without gumption at nil Well, what is it my good man '> ' she asked m hei professional tone

' I'm sotiy to keep' \ou vvaitm' Sister,' said the man, with a men brogue, ' but 1 just jumped down to pick up this poor omadliaun of a little cat, that got itself almost fu., en ' Ihe Si- Lei examined th ri stilt ball ol ■,!,';, ii ■ I 11 take it Sure, if Sister Kiisaliu can't In ing it to life by the kitchen (ire it must be dead entirely • Is there any work for me, Sisther •> ' That brogue — the brogue of her place in Kerr\ — went to Sister Margaret's heart She knew th.it Mother .Juliet's economic theories would not bo softened b\ the fact that a ti.unp had a Kerry brogue, for the poor prioress, with all her learning, scarcely knew the biogue when she heard it ' .She was well aware. too thai t lie helplessness of any man would never appeal suihcientlv to Mother Juliet to cause her to make work for him when the lesoiuu s of the convent were taxed to pay the retamers absolutely needed for the care of the heating apparatus and other details which Sister Margaret's capable hands could not touch Something to eat and perhaps a note of appeal for him to some kind priest were all Sisier, Maigaiet s.iw. in her mind's e\e foi the pathetic Kerry man Still Mother Juliet had tme weakness, and this was for souls 1 She would go far for a stra,\ed sheep and if this mans soul weie in dangei, he might be taken on to sitt 1 lie a she 1 and to help with the boilti until his spintual health should be restored V. ith fear ami I i < mblmg and the sound of the old homclv inflection in her eai s Sistei Matgaiet asked the question — • Do you go umilailv to Mass, mv good man ° '1 he man hung bis h< ad and even Ihe wisp of haii 1 licit struggled beneath his hal s, , mi d to mow i edder- Sis-ter M.uaaiel -> lace was illuminated vv ith a beautiful and hopeful smile 'lell the ttuth now. as you le an honest man ' she mid To till Ihe tiut h as a n horn si man ' i ephed the a ppl it ant with lead on bis voice ' I ye In en neglectful 1 v c been t o Mas-, oil and on the v cir but not teu la i .\ihl have you none to v out Jul les » ' continued Sister Ma'.gaiet knowing will th.it In i hopes foi hi r ( <>mp it i lot depi ml, il hit uel\ on his h.i yum not done in ii 1\ e\ ii \ t lung he oimht to ha\e <]oii. The man blushed and hesitated Sistei Margaiet tued to assume a professional manner as poi ( iv^s ' l'\e not been leg lai lie said 'If 1 weie near Ihe hol\ Sisteis dial woikm' for them ma\ be (!od would give me the grate ' Have you been av\ i\ from vomi dni ies foi mot c tha n a v eai -) asheil Sister Maigaiet with appi ehension 'Oh, its me Iha 1 s ashamed 1 o confess it ' ' mid Ihe man ' 111 1 's me ih.it s ashamed SMher. to say thiee \i\us and uiom, come I"astlu r ' 'Thanks be to (.'oil ' said S.stcr Maiuaiel iuv oluni at 1 1\ ' You le ill moi t ,il sin m.i n ' ( .'<> hark to the kit i hen gate and 111 till niothei J uliet Mothei Juliet had mst come into ihe obl-t.ish ioiii ,1 p.itlin thi'Minh ihe <j i i , 1 1 mahoii.iiiv dooi s of lltin \ ('la \ s I line w hen S,si , i Ma i g.u el tnteled She held Slieet FlollOlllHs for Young Minds ' ,i,nl the chaptu on ' Motiev was maikeil I>\ a la(ieilged pirluie of St Stephen with a lai ge arrow in his side Met, most important class was ovei, and as she had put hi i whole heait hi it

she was tired and absent-minded. Sister Margaret loved and revered her , but as she was a convert and not from Ketry, Sister Margaret often felt that she needed unusual management ' ' A\ell, my dear Sister "> ' asked tho prioress, looking, m her white robe, like a very Ined and well-bred. St M t! It* 'It s a soul, reverend mother, that's waiting nourishment and work at t lit" back gate,' said Sister Martraret — ' a soul ' 'Vw, yes ' said the pi lot ess. 'Well, Sister, you know what to do. There are tickets lor the C hai itable Association on the mantel-piece m the kitchen Although, of course, I agree with what tho Holy Father says in Ins \eiv latest ency clical us to almsgiving. \et i cannot help thinking that the sanest way in which to treat our fellow-creatures must be basod cm scientific principles. The IFolv Vat her ' 'All, since I heard Father Dudley s sermon on ' The Husks of Science,' it's little I care for it reverend mother There's a poor soul at the gate mother, that hasn't been to his duty for three years, and the number of times he has missed Mass I can't ' ' Dear, r lea<- ' You don't tell me so, Sister Margaret ' ' ' And it's little good the tickets of the Charitable Association will do a poor man m a state of sin ' ' (live him a good cup of coffee, and send him w ith a note to Father Dudley He will touch the poor man's heart and lead him to confession Sister Margaret I notice that the window panes in the laundry aro not so clear ' 'Its little ,you know of the heart of man, reverend mother,' said Sister Margaret , ' little you know ! It s not the higher education that will help you theie If you were broi.ght up with the farming-folk in 1 lit' old country, things would be different The heart of man — ' A smile hovered about the edges of the prioress' lips She understood the heart of woman well enough to si c dimly into Sister Margaret's plan ' Well,' she said, with the impatience of these details caused by absoiption of her thoughts of her own teaching — ' well,' do what you can , but remember, we are poorer than even our \ow of poverty requires, Sister Margaret You, in \our great kindness, forget that our lesonrcos are not what they once were (Jive him something for doin'j the ]<> hhliv windows ' I can't, forget, teverend mother,' said Sister Margaret ' that there's .i soul to be say ed ' Set him to work, then,' answered the pnoiess, gj owing graver at onee v and I will go,' she added rather timidly ' and read something spiritual to him There are some beautiful passages m St Fnancis de Sales, and lie may be an intelligent man ' ' I. it tie she knows, Clod help her ! ' thought Sister Margaret ' Sure a good talk of old Kerry days will be bettor for the hoy than all the spiritual reading m the world ' 'I ho pi loress was relieved by tho look of hesitancy on Sister Margai ct 's< face ' You know better, Sister, how to deal with the case but get the poor man off to V,-t4-her Dudley at onte pist as soon as you see him soil eriuig a little' ' It s stiatme," thought the priorc s with ,i gentle perception of thet situation ' that all Sister Margaiet's diM i essed souls are Irish ' In a few minutes Lewis Maginnis was at work on a ladder m tho l,u,ndi\ battling with that small amount of matter that seldom gets out of place m a convent His story was plain lie had drifted from a ICerrv farm to New York It was e\ i dent that he was simple, goodnatured rather soft in temperament, nml at tho beck of circumstances. He had worked when ho could lind

work for his unskilled hands ; when the winter came on he had drifted again — southward this time. In tho course of a long and busy life Sister Margaret had never enjoyed herself so much as on the afternoon of her meeting with Lewis Maginnis. Here was material made for her moulding hand, clay ready for the potter ; heive was an opportunity of furthering the progress, spiritual and material, of a soul from her part of Ireland, and of having her own way in a good cause Sister Rosalie, who ruled the kitchen, was urged to unusual efforts in the way of coffee and wailles by a graphic description of Lewis Maginnis' aptitude for fetching and carrying, for this serving Sister had reason to regard the colored masculine aids as trifling. Maginnis himself was delightfully docile and sufficiently respectful. In the twenty-five years of his life he had never done anything but what circumstances compelled him to do. It was cordial indeed to find circumstances impersonated by such a kindly and motherly force as Sister Margaret. When he had finished tho laundry windows, refreshed himself with un limited war*":? and coffee, and sifted tho ashes, Sister Margaret sent him over to the Widow Magee' s to enter there as a lodger until her inventive mind could discover some new means of employment for him. ' He has tho making of a decent man in him,' Sister Margaret thought, as she watched him cross the wido street. ' Heaven knows how he's to pay for his lodging at the end of the week ; but God is good. It wouldn't be safe to send him over there with Mary Ann about if I knew she wouldn't try to make a fool of him — at least, till he has a new suit of clothes — the creature ' ' Still, Sister Margaret had her doubts. Sho respected the Widow Magee's virtues, and she helped her in many wajs, but she felt that, once out of her sight, the widow was the abject slave of her frivolous daughter with the aggiessive blue bows. Lewis Maginnis was provided with a warm room for the present, and .Sister Margaret, at the sound of one of the many bells which nro as tho voice of God, dismissed him from her mind. He appeared on the next morning early, \ery much improved by a bath and a razor, and with a hat a little too large, winch had once belonged to the lato lamented Magee. Mother Juliet, absorbed as she was, could not help observing that Maginnis seemed to be gradually replacing all the other intermittent ' help.' Tho colored ' boys ' disappeared, Ponipey — whose soul had been saved several times, and who had spiritual relapses whenever ho wanted unusual attention — going last. ' Maginnis seems to be a hard worker,' Mother .Juliet said one day as she examined the crystalclear laundry windows 'Ho is that, reverend mother,' answered Sister Margaret, with a just prido ; ' and Father Dudley has him to serve his Mass nearly every day, and sometimes he blows the organ when there s a funeral m the chapel.' ' I trust ho will not neglect our work,' said the prioress, m alarm ' You can depend on that. reverend mother,' answered Sister Margaret. ' Such a conscientious 'worker with the ashes T never saw ' Mother Juliet looked pleased To havo a man at peace with his Oiio.ttor and capable of looking after the boiler and the ashes was an unusual thing. Sister Margaret's plans for the advancment of Lewis Maginnis wero more and more successful , and Mrs. Magee, who now received a modest stipend from her lodger, seconded them warmly. Maginnis of April 30 waa no longer Maginnis of Feb-

ruary 3. A transformation had taken place. He was erect, respectably clad, alert, well shaven on Wednesdays and Sundays, and still tho very symbol of docility. If Sister Margaret had been devoid of antistic feeling, she would have left the result of her work alone ; but one of the retainers of the church retired from active service, and Sister Margaret at once suggested her protege to Father Dudley. One of the colored ' boys' — Pompey — was recalled to make up the lapses in convent attendance. Mother Juliet was alarmed ; there was a noticeable difference in the laundry windows. ' It's for the good of his soul that he should be as near Father Dudley as possible, reverend mother,' spoke Sister Margaret. Mother Juliet had nothing to say to this, but she could not help hoping that Sister Margaret's next trea-> sure would have a less sensitive soul., Maginnis rose more and more in favor with the Fathers at the church. This Sister Margaret noticed with pleasure. The artist was strong within her, and already she had forgotten the interests of the convent in the vision of Lewis Maginnis a& sexton of the big church ' A Kerry boy, too,' she said to herself ; ' and he'll soon be with a button-hold bouquet in his coat, showing the Sisters to their pew of a Sunday ' Ponipey was at work fon good — or for bad — and Caesar had returned ; Maginnis came only with messages from the church, or to gi\e counsel when something went wrong with the boiler. Mother Juliet missed him, but she was silent ; she had become rather tired of his soul. On Easter Sunday Sister Margaret's dream was realised Beaming with pride, his red hair shining above his black coat, which held a largo red rosebud, stood Lewis Maginnis beside the church door, waiting for the Sisters to arrive. They came, and, as Maginnis led tho way to their pew, Sister Margaret felt all tho justifiable pride of a sculptor whose statue has been bought by a really appreciative patron In tho afternoon Maginnis came to the convent — by the front doon, as ho had at first come. He asked for Sister Margaret, and laid his glossy silk hat on tho big volume of Butler's ' Lives of the Saints ' that graced tho table ' Well, Lewis! Maginnis,' said Sister Margaret, entering with Sister Rosalie, ' 'Tis a happy man you ought to be.' ' And I am, Sisther — thanks he to Cod and you ' ' It is I had little to do with it, Maginnis I ,' said Sister Margaret, with much humility. Maginnis blushed. ' Jf it wasn't for you Sisther, I'd never have met her.' Thero was a pause A light flashed upon Sister Margaret. ' And so you're going to settle clown — and it's well,' said Sister Margaret, nodding as one who knows tho heart of man. ' There's no better woman living than Mrs Magee. And I hope you'll both keep that Mary Ann in order.' 'It was Mrs. Magee I thought of first,' said Maginnis, with simplicity, but she thought I'd better take Mary Ann, as it would steady her ; and Magee in his grave only ten months would set the neighbors talking.' Sister Margaret did not speak. A vision of tho high blue hows obscured the ruddy smilo of Lewis Maginnis. When she spoke it was as if to a far-distant man. She had assisted him successfully m his evolution Spiritually, he was m a state of grace , physically ho was as the dragon-fly to the tadpole; artistically, he was what she had conceived he ought to bo. He looked as he stood in the parlor, with a rosebud in his lapel, tho ideal sexton. And yet ' Sacred Heart Review/