The Storyteller THE THREE WISE MEN

New Zealand Tablet, 22 November 1906, Page 3

The Storyteller THE THREE WISE MEN

Riley and Hopkins .sat.=,in a .-niche in the. back wall of the church, overlooking the parish graveyard ; while they waited for the school-lell" i& ring,- 4 ihe boys were ■ discussing school affairs. The niche had "once been' occupied by the statue of a saint— a saint with haloed head, upturned face, and outstretched • hands— but the statue had been broken and had never been replaced.' Riley sat deep in the hollow 1 ; .his back .was against one side, his feet braced against the other. Hopkins' legs dangled over the edge, and his heels kept- up a constant tap-tapping upon the rough-cast wall. ' Riley was " small and red-haired ; he possessed^ a turned-up nose, a pair -of extraordinarily thin legs, and smoked, with evident relish, the end of a cigar. Hopkins was a plump, . round-headed' youngster who wore a- settled look of protest. ! What did you have bo much cat-echism for yesterday ? ' asked Riley. ' . - Hopkins swung his books, which -were buckled to- - gether by a long leather strap, out over the edge of ihe. niche and regarded them with great disfavor. " To-day,' he said, 'is ' St.' Augustine's day. Yesterday we were getting ready for it, and you ought to be glad your mother kept you home to run errands It was fierce ! ' ' Why do we have -to get ready for St. Augustine's day ? ' inquired Riley. . • 1 Oh, Father Augustine puts Brother Clement up to it,' answered Hopkins in an injured tone. 'Just 1 because he's named after him, he thinks St. Augustine's day is better than any other body's day.' „». ' '' \ Hopkins had been stuck in the '*F£KBih ' two' terms ; Riley was Ms deskmate, and had been a" member of the class for -but a month. So e there were many things which he; : did not uifdersj^d. x^ : ' On- this day, every' year,' con-^iiiapHd^ns, 'the Fourth gets it chucked at ib for fai^*^pthew" Augustine gives us a prize -Ho study -tn^£gs/%r ;-^ive" have to work like anything, but . Martihy^shd - KenSlky-, and them other lobsters what sits up front always wins.' There was a service going on inside the church ; the deep swell of the organ came ■fehrbsgh ihe partly opened windows, and a Latin chant ros# and fell solemnly. Hopkins looked askance. at the cigar end.. ' Ain't you askeered to be smolMig" a~cigar here? ' questioned he. ' Not this one. 1 Riley drew up his thin knees and embraced them luxuriously. The school-bell rang- "at 'this moment; they -scrambled out of the niche and made their way through a narrow iron gate into a courtyard beside the church. The- vestry door was open, and on the steps ' stood Martin, in the purple and white of an - acolyte arranging the chain of a smoking censer. 'You're going to get yours, Riley, .all right, '--he informed the l>oy with the thin legs. ' Brother Clement ain't going to do - a - thing- to 3 r ou.' - 'What for'? ' asked Riley,. ■ 'For. foefmg absent yesterday. He • was getting us all ready for Father Augustine, and wanted everybody there.' Another boy, also attired in the long purple gown and white lace surplice, now came put. 'Yes, and you staying "away is going to get the whole bunch in trouble, maybe,' spoke- he. ' You'll get asked a question, and you'll fall down, and then we'll all catch it.' . - : You wait till I do it,' said Riley. ' Oh, you'll do it, all right,' Martin sneered. 'We've got a lot lifie you in the Fourth. Only for me and Kennedy here, we'd never make a showing.' - . '. Yes, you're a whole cheese,' said Riley. ' I guess if you'd" quit, the whole school would shut'. up.' • As they went through the gate that led. to the school .yard, he turned ,to Hopkins. \ '.What kind of a prize is it that Father Augustine puts up ? ' ' - '['.' ~\ ' Oh, -books and things.' 'And do they,' with a contemptuous jerk of -the thumb toward the two acolytes, ' always pull 'em down?' ' Always.' .-- - : . - r -" They had climbed the long steps and stood at the door of the Fourth when Riley spoke again. 'Do you think we could win this time ? ' asked he. ' No,' said Hopkins candidly, ' I don't.' Father was already there when Obey entered ; he stood upon the little platform talking to Bro- " ther Clement, who taught the Fourth, and his fat, rosy, and usually good-humored' face was puckered up severely. Hopkins saw this at a glance.

1 Gee ! ' whispered he to Riley,"' he's got Wise Mike with him.' . • .- Now,, be ifc known that ' Wise Mike ' ,w,as a , fie- 1 -^ tion ; ojnie d-ay, .in ' a moment of inspiration, Father Augustan© had conjured him vp 1 and Introduced him to the Fourth. He was a very subtle creation, with, a marked tendency T .to sneer and to ask' questions calculated to excite '^unrest in the faithful.. Father Augustine always ' spoke of him as a ' Scoffer, ' ' but" he' dis- * played such r satanic wisdom,' such undermining ingenuity, such preternatural malice- that the Fourth dubbed him ' Wise Mike.' "" - The questions in the repertory of this malevolent invention numbered about a score ; and for each" of them Father Augustine had provided an answer — a shattering, triumphant answer that invariably put the mooker to the blush and, in the end, drove him forth sneering, still malignant, but silenced. Hopkins told all this to Riley as they sat at their desk by the window. 'Is the Wise Mike questions hard ?-' asked Riley, who had never before heard of that gentleman. ' Something , fierce L And he swings 'em in on you when you ain't expecting nothing.' Just then Martin and Kennedy, having taken off iheir surplices, entered ami took their scats at the first desk. c There ain't anybody in the class but them two, what knows 'em There was no doubt but* that both Martin and Kennedy were bright boys ; but their weakness was that they wanted to impress the fact firmly upon the rest of "the class. This parade gave Riley offence, and now he rubbed Ms thin shins and examined the vain ones carefully. Father Augustine opened the examination in honor of the great Bishop of Hippo with a few light,'scattering volleys from Butler's Catechism. But the answers did not come with the readiness and snap that he_ seemed to expect ; so, suddenly, without a moment's warning, he unlimbered ' Wise Mike^s ' biggest gun and threw the most formidable shot of all into their midst. As luck would have it, Riley was the one fired upon ; but as he had no knowledge of the wise one's sophistries he remained silent. He seemed to hear the question hiss as he sat there trying to grasp its intricacies ; he had time to see Martin nudge Kennedy in an ; 1-told-you-so ' fashion, and then the troubles of the Fourth began. For two mortal hours Father Augustine stormed up and down in the space between the first row of desks and the blackboard, bombarding them with questions in elemental doctrine without pity. But he at last g*rew tired, paused, mopped his heated face, and said to Brother Clement, ' Give me the books.' Brother Clement handed him two beautiful books bound in red and gold, and the Father held them up so that the Fourth could see them. ' These,' said he, ' are the prizes whioh it is my. custom to offer to this class on each St. Augustine's day, to be contested for. From your showing to-4ay . you don't deserve anything, but,' tapping the books, 1 the prizes are already bought, so I'll let it go and hope for improvement .in the future. As is usual, the contest will be carried on by teams of two deskmates ; the books are both alike, being the " L-ife of St. Augustine,"' and ,each of the winning two will receive one. ' He put the books upon Brother Clement's desk, folded his arms across his big chest, and regarded the Fourth with much disapproval. ' There is no use in my making the subject of the contest one o% doctrine, ' spoke he, af tef a . withering pause, ' because none of you seem to know anything about that. So I will make it,' he snapped his fingers thoughtfully and wrinkled his brow in an effort to think of a fitting subject. Just then his wandering 'gaze became fixed upon a large engraving of ' The , Three Wise Men ' which "hung over the door, and he . smiled. ' I'll have you tell me, one week from to-day, in a paper of "not more than 1 two hundred words in . length, who were the three greatest men in the -world.' He noticed the eyes of the Fourth directed upon "the picture, and hastened to say, ' The men are not necessarily to be taken . from sacred history ; they may be chosen from any age and any walk ' in - life. ' As they went down the stairs ,at the noon hour the Fourth talked it over shrilly, because it was "a new thing. Riley, however, took no part in the dis- _ cussion ; he seemed to be cogitating. Martin arid Kennedy passed shim at the gate. ' I told you you'd take a fall,' said Kennedy, sneeringly. . _ «- ' I heard you,' returned Riley. J : And when we pull down the prizes,' put in .Mar--., tin, ' you'll fall harder still.' " , ' You ain't got 'cm yet,' said Riley. Martin and Kennedy stared, then burst into uproarious mirth.

' Maybe you think you'll get 'em— you and Fatty Hopkins.' Martin seemed greatly diverted at the idea, and poked Kennedy in the ribs. ' Ain't that- the limit ? He -thanks "fchey'ic going to " win ; and him only "in the class ,a ' couple .of months.' / ,- - •I'll bet,' said, Riley, ' tha,t_ you've got salt o-n the tail of every sparxow •%, $pm : .^street.- 1 -There ain't anything that Tdon'f belongs -^b^you. I' think I'll pick you for one of- the three wijgrjones; because ',you know more than anybody 1 -evor "fief ore.' - } As' they went down^the'" street .Riley said to Hopkins, 'Us two's going, to win" ilfem books— we "'gotta win 'em ! ' ,'.-,-' Hopkins had not heard the -little exchange of repartee between his desk-mate and Martin, and was somewhat surprised at the sudden exhibition of resolution. 'How can we?' protested he. 5We don't --know who the three- greatest men was.' - 'We can find out. We'll ask people.' Riley thought the matte"r over with great care ; and that afternoon he and Hopkins, when- Brother Clement was not looking, compiled-. 1 a list of persons to be applied to for information. The first on the list -was old Shamus, who kept the fruit stand across the way ; and they paid him a visit as soon as school was out. ' He's over eighty years old,' said Riley, ' and he ought to know a lot about people.' - ' ". When the question was put, Shamus stroked ' his white beard and reflected. ' The three greatest men in the world,' said heslowly, ' was Brian, lioru, Daniel O'Conjiell, and' Charles Parnell.' ' I never heard of any of them,' said Hopkins as they went down the street ; ' did y_ou ?' 'I know about Brian Boru,' answered Riley. 'He licked somebody in Ireland once. We got a picture of it being done.' Next on the list was Dan Callahan. Dan was ' a friend of Riley's ; ho was six feet tall, and tended bar for Kerrigan. 'When he received 'the query,, he leaned over the bar and regarded -them with interest. ' The three groat es't men in the world V ' repeated he. "That's easy. I got 'em right in a line— Jack Dempsey, John L., and Fitz ; don't let anybody tell you different.' * " ' . l 'l guess Dan ain't just on to what we want,' said Riley as they emerged fiom Kerrigan's. Next morning on their way to school they stepped in to see Herr Straubmuller, the blind man, who, day in and day out, could be seen weaving baskets, or playing his violin, in his little cellar under the shoe" store on the coiner. ' Ach ! ' cried he, l clot was a hard question." But I think me I can gif you der answer. Der three greatest men by der world was Beethoven," Schiller, and Bismarck. 1 ' ' It ain't no use/ said Riley, after they had left the cellar ; ' everybody says different ; it's" just according to who you ask.' They sat on the horse block in front of the parish house, which was next door to the -school, and "silently pondered the matter. ' Say,' said Hopkins, suddenly, ' Father Augustine always be's the judge in these x contests.' ' Well,' inquired Riley, ' what of that ?'. ~ 'If everybody,' proceeded Hopkins, 'is got three wise men of their own, why Father "Augustine inu'st have his lot, too. And whatever three he's got picked is the three that would pull down the books.' Riley looked at his chum with "admiration. " 1 Say,' remarked he, '.you're all right. That's -just the cheese. Now all we got to do is to find out • what Father Augustine thinks— but hold on*. I've 'got one of them already.' • "Who ?' ' St. Augustine !' Hey,' thumping Hopkins on the back delightedly. 'He must be one of them.' v "Sure, he must ! Ain't Father Augustine named after him?" Ain't he always telling us. what's in his books ? And don't he give us prizes on the nameday ? 'We got one of them, .all right.' " - Riley took out a soft pencil and a soiled scrap of paper ; then he wrote the name thus : No. 1 : St. Aiigusjine. - _ on the paper, and placed it in his pocket with' great care. 'We only got to dig . up two more, - now, ' said he, 'so we'll lay low and not say. a word.' The Fourth was in turmoil all . day ; awed whispers went about regarding the efforts 'of Martin and Kennedy to .discover the three great ones of., the earth, and report had them staggering under the weight ,of books, the like of which had never ' before been seen ;' and also as drinking many "cups of strong coffee to keep them awai^e at night. During' recess

now Martin had no time, to waste' upon jibes at Riley. "'He and Kennedy secluded "themselves- in lonely corners, _ compared long lists of writing, and talked learnedly ; Riley observed all this and grinned. . „ . " ' They've got it all to themselves ; - you- can't beat 'em,' said lie derisively.- % As the class , was -being dismissed that afternoon, Brother. Glemeni^ asked Hopkins" to -remain. Father Augustine wanted a boy to go after a package- 'of books whicn-'^he,", had purchased." It -was a good-sized package, and I , "'Hopkins was selected because he - .was - stout and capable?. ' 'I've got to 'go in- aud get a note from him,' said Hopkins to Riley, who had" waited- for. him out- . side. - '----; ~n y$ ' I'll go in. with 3 r ou,' said Riley quickly. ° - The girl who opened the door of the "parish 'house at their ring,""showed .them into Father Augustine's study on the second floor, and bade them. wait. The - room was lined with framed prints, and 'books were scattered about upon shelves and window-scats. Each - corner had a great, musty-looking stack, and every . chair and table - contained a heap of them. As Father *• Augustine did „nqt come at once the two boys ' proceeded to look " the books over. ' - ' Here's " Plays of William Shakespeare, "_' said - Hopkins. ' I seen one of 'em once in a theatre,' stated Riley. ' They was a lofc of men that hollered like anything and chopped each other with swords. .It was great-! ' '-Here's " Shakespeare - as a. 80y," " Shakespeare's Kings," and " Animals of Shakespeare." ' . - ' Here's two — three— four different Grinds of the "Life ■ of Shakespeare." Say, Hoppy,' and Riley turned .an astonished face upon his desk-mate, ' this whole stack of books is- about Shakespeare.' 'So is this bunch over here,' exclaimed HopMns, investigating, ' and look at that lob in the book-case ! They're all about /him.' , They gazed at each other for a moment ; then Riley slowly got out his paper and pencil., " . ' Did you ever see anything so easy ? ' he asi\ed blissfully, as he wrote : No. 2 : William Shakespeare, Esq.'Now we've only got one one to get,' ""said HopKins. ' Shakespeare must be one of Father Augustine's three ; else why would he have so many books about him ? ' - - Here the girl entered the room and asked ;Hop-i kins to step into an office, as Father Augustine was busy. When he returned with the note the bookseller he found Riley examining a print of a gentleman in a starched ruff which hung near the 'door. Riley wanted to . remain-- in the study, but the girl bundled them down the stairs and out at the door. - ' What did you want'? ' asked Hopkins. " . ' Did you sec that .picture what I was looking at? It was a man ' with a bald head and whiskers, and a wrinkly thing around his neck. All that- one side of the wall was covered with old-fashioned pictures, and they was all of the same man, only- he was holding his head different ways.' _ ' Didn't none of, them have no -names on ? ' Hopkins demanded excitedly. ' Not one.' ' ' ■ 'I bet it's the third man,' declared Hopkins." _ ' 'Let's go back and a,sk what his name is.' ' And give it all away ? ' . ' That's so ; Father Augustiue might see what we was after, mightent he ? ' - - ~- They talked the situation over until they got to the second-hand book-store; while Hopkins, was .getting - the" parcel, Riley inspected the stock. Suddenly he brightened. ' Harve you,' he asfaed a clerk, ' got any more , pictures of. people like that ? ' ' " He pointed to some old engravings which hung from a wire slung ■ across the store. ' Lets of 'em ; right on that" table over .there,' - Riley plunged into the heap eagerly ; Hopkins, with-"' Father Augustine's books dragging " him down on " ' one side, came up 'iir the' midst of : his friend's labors. ' Pictures of- people— old-fashioned ones. ,1 might find one like them on Father Augustine's walls:'- 4 ' t . ' That's^ so ! It's good you thought of th^t/l-lop-kins dropped the parcel and watched the search anxiously. *It might-be here, all rigjht.' Riley burrowed deeply into ihe heap "of prints';" ,a^ half-hour passed, and his face began to grow long ; but " suddenly, with- a gurgle of joy, he snatched at'a pic- - ■ ture of a man in a starched ruff. ' Is it him ? ' breathed Hopkins. ' It's him— sure.' Riley feasted" fiis eyes upon the portrait, ' This is just the same as the one

by the door — only littler. We" got** that Martin done up this time, for we -got ' the three -wise' men all right.'' . : - .Ho drew out his paper and pencil'; and with those importaut articles held ready in one hand and the portrait in the other, .he joggled ai clerk by_ the - elb.ow. ' Mister,' asked he, ' whose. picture is this ? ' - They held their brea tuba's V the" '"man"- took the portrait and glanced at it. ' This ? ' said the 'clerlsb^Oh'; this Is ■ a picture of Shakespeare.' ' • - *'-•- -~* -■ " : - Riley put his paper "and j>pencilc back in his p"bcket and -they departed sorrowfully.- ' '~' '' ~- . . 'I thought we had ib nailed that time,' said - Hopkins with a long ..breath. . ' 'Me, too.' Riley was discouraged/ aidV'seeiried .to be considering. ' Say, ' suddenly, ~~ \ suppose " Father Augustine ain't got three great ones picked out, eh ? - Suppose -he's^ only got two ? ' '■ - ' Hopkins looked horrified. 'Do you, .think that's all he's" -got ?'* ' 'I" don't know. I'm only saying.' ■,'.-- They left the parcel of Looks at the parish house and then went home. --*-•-'■ "■ '". '*■ l - I'm coming around to-night,' said Riley as- . they reached the Hopkins's- -domicile. '-We gotta hustle up on" this.' ' 1 his is the night I take old Mr. Straubmuller for his walk,' returned Hopkins. - ', You know he never gets out unless someone leads him.' ' All right ; I'll go too, and we can talk about things as we walk along.' As: has been no Led before, Herr Straubmuller, the blind basket-maker, was a lover~ of the violin.' ' " But -he loved the music '.of any instrument, and • when Hopkins took him out for his walk two nights in the week, he "always requested to be led past the parish church ; usually Father Augustine played the great organ for an hour after dinner, and the Mind man loved to loiter outside and listen. As it chanced, the- Father was at ' the instrument that* night, and the two - - boys, with their blind charge, sat upon the . great „ stone steps .and listened. The organ cried out arid "sobbed like a pleading "^supplicant ; next it thundered like an exultant giaiit, then wailed and moaned • itself into - silence. - ' 'He improvises,' said Herr St'raubmuller. • Ach, "dot * is goot ! -He is a master of der organ, ain't it ? ' It began again; but this time it was solemn aftd steady ; its peals of joy mingled with great- sobs 'of sadness. The blind man's face lit up, and his hands beat the time. ' It is der grand Mass of Mozart,' whispered .lie. :': ' The old man remained enraptured ; the , boys discussed their problem in low tones so as not to break in on his pleasure. While the organ still played, one of the church doors -. opened- and „ a stout, man descended the steps. - l '' '" 1 Oh, Mr. Straubmuller, 1 cried he. .-' Enjoying the music ? ' - I It was the choir-master, and the blind man recognised his voice at once, for they were old acquaintances. ' I often come mit some of der kinder of der neigh.borhdod,' said Herr Straubmuller. 'He plays always der ]music of Mozart beautiful.' - ''Indeed he does,' said the choir-master. . * But, With a laugh, ' why not ? Father Augustine has loved Mozart from a boy. He thinks he was one of the greatest of men.' . - --, _ . Like lightning Riley and Hopkins closed in on tho choir-master , they hung upon each side of him like yearling bull-terriers. ' What name ? ' they cried in a breath.. ' Mozart, do you mean ? ' astonished man . Riley pulled out his paper and pencil, « How do .you .spell it ? ' " ' M-o-z-a-r-t. His first name was Wolfgang.' ' Much obliged,' said Riley gratefully ; and doAvn it went : - ... ' . ' " „ No. 3 : Wolfgang Mozart: •' ~ - - - He put the precious' document and- trusty pencil / awajr, then he looked at Ilop^kins and grinned.(To be concluded next week.)