The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 26 June 1919, Page 45

The Family Circle

A CERTAIN BOY. , ;■ He doesn't like to go to bed, And getting up is worse, To washing, ■>too, I've heard it said, He's just asmuch averse. And as for school and studying When he would rather roam, He hates it more than anything But doing jobs at home. I must admit that it is true, Though 'tis a sorry boast Whatever he is told to do Is what he hates the most. * I do suppose that if he chose What he should do all day, He'd play and eat awhile, and then He'd eat awhile and play. A LOVER OF THE HOLY NAME. When Philip 11. was King of Spain there lived in his court a prince of the Holy Empire, Ferdinand Gonzaga, Marquis of Castiglione and kinsman of the Duke of Mantua. Prince Ferdinand stood high in the esteem of Philip and his Queen, Isabel. One day he asked for a great favor—the hand, in marriage of the Lady Martha Santena, the daughter of an Italian noble and lady of honor to Queen Isabel. The Royal approval was readily given, the Santena family favored the suit, but the Lady Martha's consent was not won until through fasting and prayer she reached the decision that such a union would be pleasing to God. The marriage was solemnised in the mostdevout manner, and Ferdinand and his bride left the court for the tranquil routine of life in Castiglione. The gentle ways and deep piety of the young wife Avon the hearts of the people, and there was general rejoicing when on the 9th of March, 1568, a son was born to Ferdinand and Martha. The Duke of Mantua was sponsor for the infant prince, and he gave him the name Aloysius. Like many another Christian mother, the mistress of Castiglione had prayed that God would bless her with a son to rear for His service. Therefore, she looked upon Aloysius as a hostage to the Most High, and carefully trained her boy from his earliest years. "Jesus" and "Mary" were the first words he spoke ; his first conscious act was to make the Sign of the Cross. He loved to be with his mother in the chapel or on errands of mercy. A brother and sister came to keep him company, but best of all he delighted in retirement and prayer. \. -: Prince Ferdinand watched the boy's development with pride, but he was not in accord with the mother's plans for his heir. The boy must be a soldier, the. father decreed, and to incline his tastes towards war he gave Aloysius toy guns and other weapons. . On one occasion he took the child to Casal to see* ; a muster -of,. Italian troops. . Aloysius marched at ; the head of the ranks and carried a little pike. The Prince was so pleased that he decided to leave his son in this military environment for some- months. The result was hot what he had hoped it would be. Aloysius, then in his seventh year, innocently repeated some expressions that he had heard the officers use. :;He knew nothing of bad; language, and was deeply humiliated and grieved when his tutor sharply reproved him for repeating such words. V ' V 1 - : v He never forgot the incident, and nothing would induce him to remain- in company, where the name of God was profaned.'","',.'..' ' jpSS§5p -r-\-\ ">'-' V-7. *■■ ... .*•'•''"• _,' _ Little Aloysius was a true Knight of Our Lady, and often the servants watched : as he descended the stairs, pausing on each landing to say a Hail Mary. :»..t»xn;u arc -t>u,a 'ia: ycinuj \jxx.i tic: ici>civtu „ J.1.J.0 - J--A1.37} vjOKl-i

"munioh "from ;Cardinal Borromeo, and thereafter to receive his Lord was his greatest happiness.;,, It had long been evident that the mother's wish for her son would be granted. The holy youth begged to be allowed to enter the Society of Jesus, and after protracted and bitter* opposition his father gave his consent. pMCsVV OiU ■}-■'-■■' •'•- : " ; -- :-i s "Dear Son, your ff choice is a .deepwound-in my. heart," he said. B ,' •"I % ever loved -you as you always deserved . In you I had founded the hopes of my family ; but you tell me God calls you another way. Go, therefore, whither you please, and His. blessing everywhere attend you." - ','.. PROOF POSITIVE. "Newspapers, nowadays, are a swindle," said the . man who liked a- lot for his money. "Everything in them is condensed, cut down almost to nothing. They are not worth buying.'' . "I differ," said another member of the company. "A modern newspaper, to my mind, is a marvel of production. Why! for a mere coin you get something for all classes of the community, the politician, the sportsman, the financier, the theatre-goer, the literary man, all are catered for. There's something in it for everybody, and everthing in it interests somebody." "Then, who does this interest?" asked the first speaker, pointing to the stop-press column, which happened to be blank. "Oh! that," replied the other, "proves my argument; it's for those who can't read." THAT ACCOUNTED FOR IT. Jimmy Pouter was a little man, and as pugnacious as a ferret until he met someone bigger than himself. One day he went into a restaurant, very hungry and thirsty. He noticed a few tables away a huge man—• one of the bristling kind—with a large portion of roast duck. Jimmy ordered some. When, however, the waiter brought it to him, he noticed that his portion was only about half the size of the big man's. "Look here," Jimmy remarked to the waiter, "this portion isn't anything like as big as that fat fellow's over there ! What do you mean by it, sir ? My money's as good as his, I suppose? Where's the manager?" - The waiter looked at the big man. "That is the manager, sir!" he said. WHAT TROUBLED HIM. Old Jimson, the miser, sent his young son out to milk the cow. He took the one and only pail with him. Somehow or other both the lad and the pail disappeared mysteriously. - ■"." No more was heard of him till he wandered back home 10 years after, a millionaire, and loaded the old man up with gold and diamond pins and new clothes and gave him £SOO as a birthday present. When that was done, the strapping and prosperous son laughed and. said :—■ ' "Well, dad?" And old Jimson replied:—■ "George," says he, "wot 'ave ye done with the ■pail ■'?£;?: v. K l l;:. INSULT TO INJURY. V .'-".'-At' the military amateur pantomime a certain gay young subaltern had brought the house down by working into the part of Widow Twankey all the odd mannerisms of his colonel. .: ; _.,r ; 'Next day the matter came to the ears of the "old man,." and the subaltern was summoned to the presence ( for explanations. : • ■ ■• . f...;, "Now, sir," snapped the colonel, "I hear you had the confounded; impudence to mimic me at the theatre last night while I was away. What have you to say for yourself ?".' '• : ;.,.... "I am very sorry, sir; very sorry indeed," replied the culprit. "I can only tender my respectful apologies ■?f er^hav.in o- acted the'fool : !' , v'!C' ..- :/~'•• --- -..'*'" -; ■•-

t . . NOT AT ALL NICE. ° '■;.; # - Mr. William Huggins was angry, and he certainly appeared to have some justification for wrath.-' - -•» "Liza," *he • expostulated, "don't I always tell you I won't 'ave the kids rbringing in the -coals • from, the ;shed in my best 'at. It ain't nice, Liza. ".'•'■ ; • : ; ' ;. his wife coldly. "You have spoilt the shape of- that hat with your funny head, and, as you're working coal all. ■day at the wharf, what can a little extra, coal-dust in your hat matter?" ' v ' ; ';;'''' / "■ ; ' .'. '-• "You don't see the point, ,Liza," said William, with dignity. - "I only wear that .at in the hevenin's, ■an' if while I'm hout I takes it horf my head it leaves a black band round my forehead.. Wot's the consequence Why, I gits accused o' washing' my face with my 'at on. And it. ain't nice, Liza." ..«■*''■■* jii?i •■ ':..-.'. .. ART— ITS USES. - •-'.>.:^-. : The man, whose magnificent car stood in the roadway, v approached the . shabby-looking artist, who was painting for dear life, depicting on his canvas the sunset in 7 all its flaming-glory. : • ■ 'M '•„.-"-- / .; The opulent one stared at the picture, then said:./ V "I'll give you a quid for that picture just as it is." : The artist flushed, and tried not to look too pleased and as though he were used to dashing off little unfinished things and selling them on the nail. -"But why not wait until the picture is finished he asked. "I have nearly done." "Can't," said the opulent one. "'I need the canvas at once to mend my tyre SMILE RAISERS. I -Schoolmaster :■ "So you admit the unfortunate lad •was carried to the pump and there drenched with :water? Now, sir, what part did you take in this disgraceful affair?" F. „ ; Jones (meekly): "The left leg, sir." ..;■- .;■• .; ■ —d , ... Robert: "Mother, was Robinson Crusoe an aero•ibatTV ~,.'..:','. -i ,-y : ' ■ Mother: "I don't know. Why?" .... , Robert: "Well, this book says that after he had 'finished his day's work he sat down on his chest." Young Lady: "You say you were on a raft for six •weeks after you were torpedoed, and had nothing to •eat but mutton. Where did you get the mutton from?" Bored Sailor: "Well, you see, miss, the sea was wery choppy." . ;.... ',. An amateur authoress who had submitted a, story H*> a magazine, after waiting several weeks without "hearing from the editor concerning it, finally sent him :a note°requesting an early decision, as she stated "she Jiad other irons in the fire." 'Shortly after came the editor's reply: Dear unadam, —I have read your story, and I should advise you to put it with the other irons." "as b=s=™" gs== ~~ - '.