IT BEGAN AT THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

New Zealand Tablet, 5 August 1909, Page 1205

IT BEGAN AT THE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

' What shall I do with the fellow ?' Thus I questioned myself as I returned to the parish house. I had been in the school, wher.e I had laid down the law to a certain Jack West, once before on the verge of expulsion for his mischievous tricks, but begged off by a tender-hearted nun, who had a thousand excuses for him. The mischief was not done in school hours; ft was set forth in a series of complaints laid by neighbors— in substance, that their front door bell was rung loudly at night, their dogs tied to telegraph poles and discarded store signs nailed to their porches. All had teen traced to Jack, and he had not denied it. " Jack was a non-Catholic, and, is I said to him, had no business in our parochial school whereat he" hung his head and said he would do better, a promise I knew he would forget the next time the imp of mischief took hold of him. I hated to expel him, for there was good in the lad, and the fact of his coming to our school, in spite of his Protestant home and connections, showed at least an unusual leaning to Catholic society. He had never expressed any desire to be instructed or baptised, and after being in the church once, at some devotions, asked permission to go home on similar occasions. He had no small amount of twitting and slurs to stand on account of his leaning to Catholics, but he paid no attention until on one occasion he promptly knocked down his tormentor and punished him severely. After that he was respectfully left to do as he pleased.

His easy-going parents never bothered about him. In fact, they were glad he persevered at any school, for he had lived on the streets until he took a fancy to the Sisters' school. His name had been a terror in the neighborhood for aggravating tricks, and the trouble was no threats nor punishment availed for any length of time. He came to our school until he was fourteen, and then he disappeared. I inquired for Jack at the Sisters' request, but learned that the Wests had moved away, and he was soon forgotten. That was ten years ago, and many changes had taken place. One day I was seated in my study, when a card was brought to me. I read the name, ' John B. West.' I had no special meaning for me, nor did I recognise in the handsome young man of 24 or 25 any former acquaintance. He smiled as I gave him a seat and asked his business. ' It is evident, Father Alexander, that you don't kriow me.' ' No,' I replied, ' I don't think I have ever seen you before.' ' Don't you 'remember a young scamp named/ Jack West, who forced himself into your parish school and nearly broke the gentle Sisters' hearts by his pranks, about ten years ago?' ' Why, yes, I do,' I said in amazement. ' Surely you are not Jack?' And I mentally admired the well-groomed, intelligent-looking young fellow before me. ' I am VTack West, Father, and I have been in a good many places since I saw you, but I never have forgotten the forbearance you showed me, nor the patient kindness >i Sister A , who held on to me, in spite of my infernal wickedness.' I smiled, for the man was in deep earnest and he told the truth. ' Tell me something about yourself, Jack.' ' Well, Father, I have been in college since, and I graduated, and my father set me up in business. He is dead now, poor man. I never joined any church, for 1 held too sacred the memories of my youth in that old schoolhouse of yours. I always had hidden in my breast the seed that waß sowed there — the seed of faith planted by the words of that good nun. It only needed some awakening influence to bring it to life ' He stopped and seemed embarrassed. 'Well?' I said. ' Well,' he echoed, ' I have found that influence in a good Catholic woman, whom I want to make my wife. Knowing I was not of her faith, she gives me to understand that, no matter how her heart went, she would never give her hand outside of the Catholic Church. I tested her, for I wanted to know if a Catholic girl had mettle enough to follow her convictions. She has. I know how mucn she thinks of me, and I would give my life for her. I want to surprise her. She does not know I have always been half a Catholic, or that 1 intend to be instructed, but I have come to you for it/ all.' / ' Have you ever been baptised, Jack ?' I said. ' Never, Father. I will have a clear title. I know what it means.' I saw he was in solid earnest, and, to make the story short, I at once gave him books and a catechism and appointed an hour for his return next evening. . .. , Seldom have I met one more sincere. He was as attentive and studious, as faithful and docile, as a little child. I found that his boyhood's lessons, when he listened to the Sister in the old classroom, served him well. In due time he was baptised and made his First Holy Communion, and became a most fervent convert. One evening he brought me on a friendly visit the young lady whom he wished to make his wife. He had told me that religion had been tacitly avoided between them after she had told him that her constant prayers were offered for his conversion. From my lips the astonished girl heard that her prayers had been answered, and when I assured her that I had baptised him and he had made his First Holy Communion, she burst into tears. I was deeply affected, and thought how much young girls could do if they were only faithful to the teachings of the Church in the matter of mixed marriages. She belonged to a distant parish, and of course knew nothing of what happened, in mine. , It is needless to say that a short time after Jack called and joyously told me of his approaching marriage. I did not see him often after his wedding, but it was always a source of extreme satisfaction for me to remember the little romance of Jack West. Two years passed by, when I received a letter from him- ' . His wife was dead, and his heart was sore with grief. She left him a baby girl, and he wanted to advise with me as to the propriety of allowing a distant cousin of his wife, a non-Catholic, to take the babe. This young woman lived with her parents, and the poor infant would have a good home. He had no relatives who

would come to his aid, and he was at a loss to know what to do. I advised him to accept the offer, and, if the little one were spared, it would be time enough in a few years to see to its being reared in the faith in which it was baptised. , Time passed on. Jack occasionally paid me a visit. One evening, about three years later, I say he had something on his mind. ' Out with it, Jack,' I said, for I had my own surmises on the matter. ' Well, Father, you've always been my best, friend, and ' 'And what, Jack?' * Well, the baby is growing up nicely, and Emma is trying to teach it the " Hail Mary." ' ' Quite a wonderful baby,' I said. ' Well, Father,' said he, roused by the faint touch of amusement in my tone, ' Emma says in looking up the " Hail Mary," which I said the baby must learn soon, she found a great many things in the Catholic religion that she never knew, and she wants to be a Catholic. And, Father, I am very glad indeed, for I want to marry her.' ' Ah,' I said, 'so that's it. "Well, Jack, you have had an apostolate of your own, certainly. I will be glad to help the lady in her search for truth; bring her to me.' He brought the lady, and I found her an intelligent person of about 28, able to hold her own in the matter of religion, but before whom a new vista had opened when she began to search for the ' Hail Mary ' in obedience to Jack's wish about the little girl. There were many things to be explained to her, and she plodded along with great caution. But all the more was she earnest and sincere, and, once convinced, she was, of the stuff that makes martyrs. I need hardly say that she was finally baptised, conditionally, made her First Holy Communion, and in the end became Mrs. Jack West — and I married them. Of course, Jack was soberly happy, and the Protestant parents of the bride were present at the ceremony, which was at Mass, where both received Holy Communion. They were greatly impressed at the dignity of the Sacrament, so lightly considered in these days of easy divorce, and expressed themselves so. Ere many days the .mother called and begged to be placed under instruction, with her husband, who was somewhat of an invalid. And so the whole family became Catholics in time, and fervent converts they were. ' Whence came this grace ?' I said to Jack one day when we talked it over. ' Father,' he said, earnestly, ' I think it began in your Catholic school.' — The Missionary.