The Family Circle

New Zealand Tablet, 17 March 1921, Page 45

The Family Circle

REDEMPTION, t A song I heard, I know not where, That sang in my heart all day, And when at night to rest I went, It sang my sleep quite away. That song with magic words I learned, And made it my very own, And ever since sweet rest I’ve had, And peace I never had known. A prayer I read, I know not when, That told itself o’er and o’er, As beads upon mind’s rosary, And meant to me little more. That prayer I sent, in sorrow’s time, To God with faith in my heart; , ’Twas answered, and I made it then Of my very life a part. A word once came I know not whence, That throbbed itself through my mind, Like fevered heart beats in the veins, Seeking relief to find. That word I took out in the world, And turned it into a deed, And ever since it has been to me An inspiration and creed. —. H. A. IN MEMORY OF A GREAT CARDINAL. It has been proposed to erect a tablet which would be a reminder of one of the greatest of English Catholic prelates Cardinal Wiseman, the first head of the See of Westminster. This project has been broached of late in view of a new development affecting a historic place which won fame owing to its connection with the life of the famous Churchman. Cardinal Wiseman’s former residence' at 8, York Place, Baker Street, W., London, has been incorporated with the adjoining house. It has been proposed that a tablet be put up similar to one which was placed on the former Archbishop’s House in Carlisle Place, Westminster. x Though it is 55 years since Cardinal Wiseman died, the great work which he accomplished for the Church during a particularly inspiring period of her growth in England has kept his memory unusually fresh. “A FRIEND OF MINE.” In a certain sense,, there is not much in a name; again, there is a world of meaning in a single name. As you run down with the eye along the lists in a directory names flash by without leaving a trace of feeling. Here and there one may cause you to pause for a moment and reminisce on an old friend, an acquaintance, an enemy. To the normal man the mention of his mother’s name brings a flood of memories, pleasant, tender, and soothing. A single insult to that name starts a sudden chain of actions that may end in the murder of one who would sneeringly refer to the mother who bore and nursed this normal man. The name of one’s country is ever cherished in the heart with other treasures; an affront to the name of the land we call our own is resented quickly and decisively. So, aiter ail, there is something in a name. It depends just what that name stands for. %*;_ - The Holy Book' tells us that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bendy not merely a few believers, but individual being-in heaven, in hell, on earth, should bow. in reverence. If instead of outwardly manifesting a respect that one pays.- to the. name of mother, country, or friend, the thoughtless or malicious man insists in profaning that£ Sacred Symbol, what

should. not be his punishment. | This dastard use of a holy thing brings a shudder to a person of refinement, let alone of faith. And yet, too frequently is | one obliged to listen to the ; diabolical profanation.; _ <: Some time ago a lawyer,-a Holy Name man. was riding in an elevator. Two men were conversing. One of them interlarded his arguments with frequent profaning of the Holy Name. The lawyer touched him on the elbow and said: "Pardon me, please don't use that Name in such a way. He is a Friend of mine." It was sufficient. Catholic Bulletin r

AUTUMN. _ . How warm and sweet you lay within my arms! You came when trees were blossomed pink and white. I never tired of watching for your charms; Each hour that flowered brought forth a new. delight. Then tender, sacred grew each passing year ; Your merry humor warmed my heart like fire; I never dreamed a lad could grow so dear; I felt the triumph of fulfilled desire. And now —our country called, our lives we gave: The autumn wind wails wearily of loss. They’ve sent me this—the picture of your grave; And you and I lie there beneath the cross. —Rosamond Livingstone McNaught, in Ave Maria. SOME ENGLISH PLURALS. We’ll begin with box, and the plural is boxes; But the plural of ox should be oxen, not oxes. Then one fowl is a goose, but two are called geese; Yet the plural of moose should never be meese. You may find a lone mouse or,,a whole nest of mice, But the plural of house is houses—liot hice. If the plural of man is always called men. Why shouldn’t the plural of pan be called pen ? The cow is the plural may be cows or kine, But a bow, if repeated, is never called bine; \ And the plural of vow is vows—never vine. If I speak of a foot and you show me your feet, And I give you a boot, would a pair be called beet If one is a tooth and the whole set are teeth, Why shouldn’t the plural of booth be called beeth? If the singular’s this, and the plural is these, Should the plural of kiss ever be nicknamed keese? Then one may be that, and three would be those, Yet hat in the plural would never be hose, And the plural of cat is -never cose. 4 . ■ We speak of a brother and also of brethren, But though we say mother we never say rnethren; Then the masculine pronouns are he, his, and him, But imagine the feminine she, shis, and shim! So the English, I think, you all will agree, .. Is the queerest language you ever did see.

HE FELT HURT. Harvest was over, and the squire had invited his men to a feast. Knives and forks effectively banished eloquence for a time, but at length the oldest man present stood up to propose the health of the host. :> v “It has fallen ter me, squire,” he said, “ter perpose y’r ’ealth. Bain’t much of a speaker, but yew’ve. bin. a good master ter we, an’ yew’ve seen we put in some good work fer yew ” . . . “Hear, hear!” from the squire. _ , ' The ancient one looked hurt, and scratched his head for an inspiration. . > v y “Here!” he snapped at last. “Yes, and in the fields,.too. { Dang it all, squire, don’t lay so much stress on the/ here’.if Bill Tobbins ’as ’ad six ’elpins!”. ; 'x v PATIENCE T>I?WT A 'OTVTPTY An absent-minded man returned home one evening, and sat down in a chair to think. He had decided to do something, ,5 and could not for the -life of him remember what it i was.. r He , sat ..and sat. Time passed. Still - the . elusive thing evaded him, = but he determined, that this time he would not be beaten, 1 and-that -he would sit there till he remembered it. • ■ id afeiefi todieia

; The clock struck eleven. It struck twelve' " but even at midnight he was. as determined as ever that he would i not , give up. One o' clock chimed. At two ; o’clock ; he suddenly Jl gave an exclamation of delight. ”Ah!” he cried, “I remember at last. I had decided to go to bed early ! ” 'T GETTING CHEAPER. The member of Parliament for Hoaksham seemed disturbed in mind. “Perkins,” he said, to his private secretary, “have I done anything lately to make myself ' unpopular ?” “I think not, sir.” “You have not received any letters of complaint, nor been interviewed by any discontents during the last month or so?” “Certainly not, sir. I should have told you at once.” , r “You have not noticed any antagonistic tendency in the leading articles of the local press “No, sir. Why do you ask?” “Well, Perkins, I am fairly certain there is an undercurrent of unfriendly influence at work in the constituency. You know, of course, that a brand of fourpenny cigars was named after me?” “Yes, sir.” “Quite so. Well, they are now selling them at five for a shilling.” RIGHT-ABOUT TURN. A popular rector tells a good story against himself. Going up the steps of his church to take service, he was accosted by a -stately old dame in difficulties with her breathing. - “Pardon me,” she said, “but would you do me the favor of assisting me up the steps?” “Certainly, madam,” assented the rector, giving her his arm. They reached the door, when the old woman, pausing for a moment's rest, said; “Pardon me once more, but do you happen to know who is preaching this morning?” “The rector, madam,” replied the cleric. “Ohshe said. “Then might I beg you to do me yet another favor?” “Certainly,” replied the rector once more. “What else can I do for you?” “Would you,” said the old woman, “be so good as to assist me down the steps again?” SMILE RAISERS. It is said that laughter will cure indigestion ; but the trouble is the man who has it doesn’t feel like laughing. “Try one of these cigars, old man. They’re the best things out.” “How are they when they’re lighted?” Hubby (reading the paper) “What asses some men will make of themselves.” Wife: “How, dear? What have you done this time ?” Doris rushed to her mother one day in a most excited manner. “Oh, mother, we’ve been playhm postman, and we gave every lady on our block a letter.” .“But, dear, where did you get the letters? I ’.. “Why, found them in your trunk in the garret all tied up with pink ribbon.” ■ -