The Storyteller

New Zealand Tablet, 25 September 1913, Page 5

The Storyteller

A MATCH THAT WAS MADE IN HEAVEN Isn’t it funny now how dreams can affect one ! My, oh, my! Just think of all they can cause. People chasing after - pots of gold and hidden treasures; or worrying over an evil that will never happen ; and sometimes even a little good may come out of them. Of course I’m not saying you can believe them. But I want to tell you a bit of a story. It’s one of my experiences. Father John says it’s a funny thing that all the experiences happen to me. It’s an odd thing and the funny part of it all is that I was the dreamer. I’m getting to be an old man —forty-one years a priest and thirty-seven a pastor. Yet what ever came over me I can’t explain. You know Tom Casey, who lives on Fremont, past the boulevard ? As good and God-fearing a man as I have in my parish ! I didn’t baptise him, but I did prepare him for his Confirmation; and I married him and Mrs. Casey is every bit the mate that the Almighty could intend for him. Wasn’t she the popular girl though ! And saying my prayers at night (they were keeping company then), I often thought a bit of a prayer that all might be well with them wouldn’t be amiss. An old priest without kith or kin, and no one y„.to boss me or make me miserable but my old housekeeper (and sure, it’s just her nature, she doesn’t mean anything by it), I took a great interest in the young folks, feeling just as much joy at a happy union as I felt sorrow at —well, not so happy. It’s odd ! Even when I married a couple at the foot of the altar and prayed for blessings on their*heads, I couldn’t help feeling a little sad. There was Tom and Joe and Will, who used to serve for me, and Mary and Ann and Kate graduating from one society into another, or singing in the choir—l felt I was losing them when they married. But that’s neither here nor there with my story, I’m a poor hand at a story. If Father John was telling this you would notice the difference right away.;

Tom Casey and Kitty Kirkpatrick were keeping company a good deal and their parents and even myself liked it. L Tom was a big, strapping fellow and when scarcely able to vote was drawing his hundred a month, and giving it to his mother to keep for him. Faithful as a clock in his duties, never missing a Sunday or a holy day, but you would find him in his seat. And Kitty, well, ask any of the boys, and girls who knew her. She was popular and good looking, and a leader in everything. I. think poor Tom often paid more attention to the choir than to the altar. But then Tom was a mighty nice boy, and Kitty was not ashamed or annoyed at his company. \

But all of a sudden came the smash. I don't know just what started it or how it happened, but there was a smash. Oh, dear me! They wouldn't speak or go near one another. But I knew all the time they were just longing for a chance to make up. It bothered me quite a bit. Poor Tom was an old altar boy, and I felt a little sorry to see so good a match broken up. But, think I, I'll just keep clear of the whole thing, and if they're intended for one another they'll make up without my interfering. Then came the dream. I was sitting in my old chair dozing away and thinking that it would be a great blessing if quarrels and spats were banished for ever like the snakes in Ireland, when who comes in the door but Tom and Kitty. ' Well, Father, we have decided to be married, and you can publish the banns to-morrow.' 'I was just thinking,' said I, 'that you two were meant for each other and ought to come to your senses. But still it's better to quarrel before and see the foolishness of it all, than to fight afterwards. Isn't that so, my lad

' Yes, Father. It was all my fault in the first place.' ' Why, Tom Casey! Don't believe a word he says, Father.' Tut! tut said I; 'it's all over and forgotten, and you'll be the better for it. When is it to take place?' We haven't just decided the date, Father. But you can publish the banns to-morrow and we'll be over during the week to tell you the day.' And with that away they went. Well, I finished up my Office and got to bed as quickly as possible knowing I had a long day ahead of me. Two Masses and a sermon and Vespers, and maybe a sick call or two. Well sir, for the life of me I could not find a note or a scrap of paper anywhere the next morning with the names and ages and parents' names, such as we must make for the record. Think I, 'l'm getting very careless. I must hoop up a bit.' And so I sat down and wrote out their names and parents' names in the announcement book.

Well, sir, I thought no more of it until I turned around at the proper time to make the announcements. And there were Tom and Kitty right in their places. I thought it odd; most of them go to early Mass when their banns are published. But, think I, they're proud of it and so am I, and I read it off. - . Dear me ! If a bomb had exploded or some one had died in his seat you wouldn't have seen greater consternation; and I'm sure my sermon was spoiled. I knew something had happened — such a sermon as I gave! I was glad when the Mass was over and I got into the sacristy. Faith, I no more than got into the sacristy when in comes Tom with a scared look in his eyes, and after him Kitty just spitting fire all over. Wasn't lin a pickle, though. 'What!' said I, 'you don't want your banns published after handing in your names yourselves last, evening and telling me you, had fixed up all your little grievances? Is it out of your senses you are?' Well, sir, the looks on the two of them. 'No, Father,' says Kitty, 'we're not out of our senses, and we didn't hand in our names. I haven't been in your house. since the sociable.' - . 'Tut, tut!, now,', says I; ' Come back this after-

noon after Vespers and we'll settle this thing.' Oh, I r wasn't going to be caught between two fires unprepared. Think I, I must look for that paper. Off they went, Tom out one door and Kitty out the other. After they went I stood there thinking. Think I, what in the world can be getting into them ? I 3 it another fight they have had, and is this the way they're trying to get out of it? I would have been there yet turning it over and over in my mind, only one of my servers said a man wanted to see me in the parlor about something or another. And after that I had my lunch. But I was still thinking and thinking. . 'Mary,' said I to the old housekeeper, as she was putting the last of »my meal on the table, ' where were you when Tom Casey was here last night ' Faith, he wasn't here at all last night that I know of. There wasn't a one came to the door but the two Scanlon boys to know what time Mass would be in the morning.' 'No one but the Scanlon boys. My, oh, my! Mary!' So much never went on without your knowledge since I knew you. -You're getting old, Mary. Well, so are we all. But I thought I heard you talking to Kitty after they left my study last night.' Well, sir, I thought she would drop the dish she had in her hand.

Kitty here last night! Faith 'twas myself called on her last evening, coming from my brother Pat's. And she was sick as a horse in bed. And I couldn't help thinking in my mind this morning when I saw her in church: "Ah then, Kitty, you're the good pious lass to be up and out after putting in such a day as you did yesterday." ' From bad to worse. And then the idea struck me— just bet I was sleeping- and dreamed the whole thing. I wanted to laugh; I guess I did. But, murder me! I knew I was in for it. I had dreamed the whole thing of them coming in and handing in their names. No wonder I couldn't find the script or scrap with a name on it.

Well, sir, if you ever saw a man get the vestments off in a hurry it was this same chap after Vespers. I wouldn’t have these two come into that sacristy with my servers around there for anything. I started over to the house and something delayed me, and when I did get there I saw the top of Kitty’s hat in the window, and I lost all the courage I ever had and back I went to the church. I waited around there a little while trying to screw up my courage. Then said I to myself, ‘ You’ve got into worse scrapes than this and always got out, you might just as well face the music and be done with it.’ Well, over I went and walked in brave as a whistle. They never saw me. There they were, the two of them, standing in the middle of the floor. He holding her pretty hand in his like she was praying to him, and they just looking into each other’s eyes as if all the beauties of heaven were there. Think I, it’s no place for me, and I backed out of the room. But they heard the click of the door and turned, and the pretty blush would have won poor Tom’s heart if nothing else ever would. I made the second announcement the next Bunday, and the third the next. And then I married them. If matches were ever made in heaven this one certainly was. Sure you can trace the finger of a higher power in spite of all the darts of Cupid or fifty Cupids, if you can muster that many. Extension Magazine.