CHRIST THE CONSOLER

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 46, 14 November 1907, Page 37

CHRIST THE CONSOLER

She was a dainty little maiden with bronze ~ curls, a rosebud mouth, and forget-me-not eyes ; the pink of apple blossoms lingered in her softly rounded cheeks, and a broad white brow gleamed placidly beneath the clustering curl mass in front. During .the eveninf she had kept her place of honor by the side of her priest uncle, listened with widely opened eyes to the angel stories which he stealthily whispered at intervals, when he found the elders absorbed in conversation. Now, however, it was past bedtime for Mona, and the dear little head had given one or two great nods. ' I -think the " sand man " is about the place,' her father said quizzingly. Mona made a valiant effort to wink back the sleep, but told her she must now say ' Good night ' to the company. She gave a shy, appealing look towards the young priest, and said : ' Good-night, Uncle Jim.' ' Father Uncle Jim,' said a cousin's teaming voice, by way of correction. Mona flushed slightly. ' No, no ! ' she protested. I only called him that when I was little.' ' I beg a thousand pardons,' said the voice behind, with mock gravity.

' Good-night, Mona,' said her priest uncle, clasping her neck and curls protectingly with his strong arm. Then he added in a whisper, ' Don't forget my ' Hail Mary " to-night.' \ .

1 Good^nig]ht, father, and cousin Frank, and ev'ybody,' she ended, With another little fit of shyness which made her look ten times more sweet.

1 Goo'rt-JnigTlt, Moaia,' cried out half-a-dozen voices, . anS their owners watched the little girl out of sight ■ as she tripped away by her mother's side. Mrs. Maher was one of those mothers — old-fashion-ed; if you will— who always put her little ones to bed anrt taught them their simple prayers. In theroom adjoining Mona's there was a large cot, and the little girl tip-toed' "ove^r to get a last, look at her twinbrothers, who were sleepine; peacefully in it. ,Two chubby, dimi)led fists lay on the coverjet, and two more were stowed away under heads of tangled golden curls. Mona passed her fingers caressingly over the visible hands ; then she said : ' Eddie is smiling, mother ; I'm sure he is playing with the aneels.' "Yes, iriy lfEtle one, and Tommy- is trying 'to call father in his sleep.' They entered a bright small room where the walls were hung with sweet and touching pictures. ' The Child Jesus In the Temple,' prettily colored, hung over the wee white bed ;i and another favorite, ' Jesus blessing Irßile children,' was placed where her- eyes might rest on 'it when she _. awoke in the morning. Mrs. Maher sat on the low ..chair, and Mona, with, clasped hands f>pd fcpwpd heaia, recited her niglht prayers,' in which TJncJe -.Jim's • Hail Mary ' was included. ' Then mother brushed out her curls and kissed her 'good-night.' She carried her statuette of the Child Jesus in her left hand, and a tiny white, Rosary in the right.

n - ... 11. The long winter nights have passed away, and there is a wee baby girl at Uoolroe ; ; her advent has brought a wondrous joy to Mona's sweet, unselfish^heart. She* hangs about the little cot with its drapery of white and pale blue',, till the little sleeper wakes and smiles at her. Of late, - however, anxious looks have been cast on Mona. 'When her father and mother watch the unearthly light that shines on her face as she speaks • to them of Jesus and Mary and the angels, they feel that she is but ripening for heaven. There are times of weariness, too, when the apple blossom pink fades from her cheeks, "and large dark circles gather under her eyes. „ • , ' Mona is too fair for earth,' her priest uncle has said, in the child's absence ; ' God will surely take. her to Himself.' The mother grew a shade paler when he uttered the words. ftll that her loving heart could suggest was done, but after a few weeks the doctor shook his head and said that Mona could not live. Waves of ' anguish passed over the mother's soul, but to her little one she always showed a smiling face. ' Would you - like to see the angels, darling ? ' she said to her one day. ' Yes, mother, I want to see Jesus and the angels,' was the reply. Her father was lavish with his Caresses and bravely hid the tears from her. The- priest uncle spent miany of his leisure hours by the bedside of the little . sufferer. ' I'll look down at you all when I am in heaven,'' she once said to him. 'Don't "look down" on us, little woman,' he returned with an -assumed gaiety : his voice sounded huskily to those who heard; "Uncle Jim,' she whispered faintly. 1 Yes, my child,' he said, bending down to catch ' the words. s ' I'll send the angels on messages to you . and father > and mother.' He. smiled through a mist of tears ; she was evidently thinking of her catechism lessons. ' Uncle Jim, I wish I were big enough to receive Jesus in the Blessed Sacrancent.' The words almost startled. him, coming from such ', a mere child. He taught her to make spiritual Com- " munions, and she smiled with joy. --Afterwards, when speaking to the Bishop he spoke of Mona's desire, and the white-haired prelate, thinking perhaps of whatxthe Bishop of St. Agatha had done on a similar occasion, - said : ' Prepare the little angel, and bring Our Lard to • her.' - ■ Mona's happiness was intense when she heard the news. She prepared for her first confession and "First Communion at the same time, It- was her faithful uncle who carried to her the Body of Our Lprd. A radiant smile greeted his coming. When they had allowed her to make her thanksgiving, father, irother, and uncle,, all three approached. 'He will take me to heaven soon,' she murmured^ ' and you'll have little Crissie to take my place.' Two days later the Bridegroom claimed His little . bride. She. had asked to see her baby sister and twin brothers for the last time. A little group surrounded her bed, and there was a sound of stifled sobbing. ' Good-bye father, mother, Uncle Jinri, and ev'ybody. * I'm going tt» Jesus and the angels,' she -whispered ere her blue eyes closed in death.

Comfort has reached the hearts of the sorrowing father and mother. They have knelt before the tabernacle and offered their treasures to the lonely Heart of ' Love's Prisoner.' He has filled their souls with a peace that is not of ' earth. 'Uncle Jim' rejoices at the thought of having such a devoted little friend to plead for ! him at th"c ' Great White Throne.' At times if seems as if Mona were already fulfilling her promise, ' I'll send the angels on messages to you and father and mother. 1 Certainly there, are' very sweet and holy thoughts whispered in the ears of the young priest now and then.— M. E. L'Estrange.