ONLY AN INCIDENT

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 6, 6 February 1908, Page 5

ONLY AN INCIDENT

It was only a small thing, apparently, but the sum v small things mai.es a woild. Experience shows us this ; and many a trifling incident acts and reacts till ulXuateiy its influence aftects the. largest and highest interests. So when Harry Watson raised his hat in reverence as he passed the church door, he little dreamed what would hang from the chain whose first link he forced that day. A knot of young men stood at a street corner for a final word before setting out homeward after their o ay's. labor. Their discussions were neither deep -nor serious, and they soon parted. Three of them, with whom we are most concerned, passed up the street, and their chatter ebbed -and flowed on sport and amusement, wow and then they saluted friends ■ and acquaintances, also homeward bound, and many a half curious glance was directed at the stranger, for Harry "Watson ;had only arrived a few days before on relieving duty at the aivk, whilst his companions were almost universally known. . • J There was a lull in the chatter when Harry raised ms hat. Mechanically his companions raised theirs Hullo, Watson/ said one of them-Phil Norris— • who is -your lady friend? I thought you were' a stranger to an npre, and did not rejoice in any Tatty's acquaint- ' Which lady?' asked Harry, surprised. That's what I want to know,' rejoined Norris- .#£&. T M!&J did not salute * ™*-' ifcM?" 7 Wa ? silent> Ther o+hers looked curiously < ->+ c h i JJo™™™.J o™™™.o™™™.0 ™™™. and Norris laughingly ralSS him 7 «We o^,^*-" out oi our . mouths -kn^%"Us "■K7 / m '" c . d - you wmU ■"■>* understand ■ you tarn aw reason don't lot out chaß. w °rrv vou'- ' ■ Ha r -nnrs/Lr^ va ?^^..

Naturally, I raised -my hat. That was all.'

.Norris looked hard at, him • Didn't know, you were a Catholic, Watson ; and, besides, -you have only been here three days, and how— — ' He stopped. , 1 Gb, thWe is nothing strange in it,' said Harry. You can generally tell a Catholic church, and, besides, 1 inxjuired when I came here.' . ' But, anyway, even if you did pass, your ohurch, why did you lift your ihat ?' queried Richardson, inquisitively. I know I pass the Chiurch of England every day as I go to the office and never dream of lifting my hat. And I've never seen any one else do it.'

1 Watson,' said Norris, with miock solemnity, ' you have been found- guilty of ~ deliberately inflaming our curiosity ; and the sentence of the court is that you explain forthwith— and without the option.' • I hardly think you will understand,' repeated Harry, slightly embarrassed ; ' but as you wish it, I will give you the reasion. It is very simple, at least to a Catholic. In our churches we reserve the Blessed Sacrament or Holy Eucharist; tbat is to say, the Body and Blood, Soul and" Divinity of Jesus Christ is there present under the form of bread. The Blessed Sacrament is toept in a little tabernacle on our altars ; and as is only fitting, when a Catholic passes the church- he raises his hat in. reverence of the God made 'man present thtouerh love on the altar.' He stopped and excl.iimed : ' But I seem to be preaching as though I were all I should be.'

Norris seemed thoughtful, and Harry spoke a few more words on the Blessed Sacrament, in response to a remark of Richardson's. Then there was a lull and conversation flagged, all being more or less ' occupied with tWeir own thourhts. Soon they separated, goinc; their various ways. A few days after Harry Watson, in lesponse to a telegram, returned .to his own office and scon almost forgot his brief stay in thta Northern town. Time speeds on yvhm there is work + .o do and it is done honestly and conscientiously ; and the t^ree years that elapsed since Harry Watson- paid his brief relieving visit North, left him more matured indeed, but little cnam^d. He had lately married and rented a "pretty residence in the suburbs with- easy access to tbe cityby the cable tram. Joist now he was very busy at the annual balancing and could snatch but a brief half-hour lor lunch m town. As he was rather late, the crush was over, and there was but one other at the little table where he sat. He glanced carelessly at him, but the fxce was unfamiliar, so he busied himself with the luncheon. His table companion— no other than Phil: N r- ob^t h s\?encf entlJrfOralittle time andat last asWd 1 heg 7OUr pardon '. but is y° ur name Watson ?' he S VMHirty/Trini a lo O^ of polite surprise. bank af f SL ? ould h^ly^remember me. I was in the chat^ed'hTm^Tf' and after a Vl ' as&^ reminiscent £$fr^^£& to su p er/ the Kta? ff BtoS 8 toS tram fl t1 tlMl '' S + ai « d Harry - ' Meet me at ""*.' And with I t en t. P ? st fi " e and ni Pilot you tne tram swilVu^d from aShs)na S hs)n ? S Parted - As TVs the two vo.m° Si m 5 2? strePt P ast s *- Ma-■mvs-lf, an eduSn^ , A. Til 6 ' ta a Ponr rustic llk e tIW and tot *sS *\ iS P at^ d . ral es^e'fiallyisbeauf;ic in stone? wktLi SS* .^ous poem. It is an though to me so fnm?i, CC r r ° rd } all r as + Sf>nt^. < Yes, and b*n4 T owe. mv ra.tTmi£ fsf+if .s>i*ls to y° ur h«sCatholic fola m s^lt°o i ; e f ; r ?i o % ** kSUJ" 6 ' 1 .? faCulaf ed his host. rtent of thr^e years' J?,J Jf r xS a "? d th^ little Jt,Mhomage o?V c ?cf Jr them town - <T^

some days later on Wje passed the ohurch as usual on oar way home, Richardson spoke of you, and I found he, too, had beem thinning of it. 1 suggested we should go in, more for curiosity than anything else, -and lor ihd first time we entered a Catholic church. The little lamp" burning there, solitary in the stillness, seemed to suggest permanent and continuous homage to the Presence—just as your act was - a passing though the building itself and fittings seemed mean and poor compared ,to our own, it seemed to have something ours lacked. Well, we came away, but the impression remained deep-sea/ted in us. To make it more than, an impression or to poit it aside altogether,' I determined to go into the Catholic question seriously ; and— to be brief— after some little trials and difliculties, God was very good to me and gave me the grace of faith. I was received into the Church ; and, as I said, I look gratefully on you as the one who first turned my steps into the right path:' There was a pause. Mrs. Watson— good little soulwas beaming, her eye a -little misty, „but glowing with joy. On Watson's face ttefe was a -graver look- "than usual. . . \ ' What of .Richardson ?' '~" '. - ; '* 'He is not a Catholic yet, I' regret to say, - but • day n « *ends more and more, and as he is engaged to be married to a good Catholic girl, I am convinced it is only a matter of a very short time now.' Then they chatted about other things till Norris had ' to leave. Watson went down to the tram -with him Weli, Norris,' he said, ' you have outstripped* Richardson in one thing ; take a leaf out of his book in another. Marry a good Catholic girl, and when you are on your wedding trip, don't forget .to come and see us. _ - j i__u clr^? not ln , te^ d to marry, Ec answered.' './ •• r ( Not marry.' Nonsense, man. Why not ?' . We11, .-I am only waiting to arrange matters, and GTod-byf^ 6 t0 Study f6r lhe P riesth ood. Whan Norris's plans were told her Mrs. Watson fairly, beamed with joy on her husband. ' Oh, Harry isn't At snl-adid. And to think he owes the beginning to' you" Didn t I* always say you were so good-the best man in the world ?' she cried enthusiastically. - 'I am afraid I am. very far from it,' said Harry • tM^X?£ u t ,t7 asl * rtasman ™- *»■*•£* ' Anyway,' he went on earnestly, ' even if my kc.tions should not be a stimulant to vood for others I ho^e at least that never an act or duty omitted on mv rart may prove a stumbling block or hindrance in an-o!h-r man's way to truth or a better life ' Is there a 1 neede r di lesson here ?— Excniange.