The Ancient Saints of God [pp. 19-23]

The Ancient Saints of God.
the canons as assisting alone with
great recollection.
At the close of the function, my
informant went up to the young man,
and entered into conversation with
him.
"What feast are you celebrating today?" asked the officer.
"That of Sts. Abdon and Sennen,"
answered Monsignor B.
" Indeed! how singular!"
"Why? Have you any particular
devotion to those saints?"
"Oh, yes; they are my patron
saints. The cathedral of my native
town is dedicated to them, and possesses their bodies."
"You must be mistaken there:
their holy relics repose beneath our
altar; and we have to-day kept their
feast solemnly on that account."
On this explanation of the prelate
the young officer seemed a little disconcerted, and remarked that at Peverybody believed that the saints'
relics were in the cathedral.
The canon, as he then was, of St.
Mark's, though now promoted to the
"patriarchal" basilica of St. John, explained to him how this might be, inasmuch as any church possessing considerable portions of larger relics belonging to a saint was entitled to the
privilege of one holding the entire
body, and was familiarly spoken of as
actually having it; and this no doubt
was the case at P-.
"But, beside general grounds for
devotion to these patrons of my native
city, I have a more particular and
personal one; for to their interposition
I believe I owe my life."
The group of listeners who had
gathered round the officer was deeply
interested in this statement, and re quested him to relate the incident to
which he alluded. He readily com plied with their request, and with the
utmost simplicity made the following
brief recital.
CHAPTER IIL
THE OFFICER'S NARRATIVE.
"DURING the late siege of Rome I
happened to be placed in an advanced
post, with a small body of soldiers,
among the hillocks between our headquarters in the villa Pamphily-Doria
and the gate of St. Pancratius. The
post was one of some danger, as it
was exposed to the sudden and unsparing sallies made by the revolutionary garrison on that side. The
broken ground helped to conceal us
from the marksmen and the artillery
on the walls. However, that day
proved to be one of particular danger.
Without warning, a sortie was made
in force, either merely in defiance or
to gain possession of some advantageous post; for you know how the
church and convent of St. Pancratius was assailed by the enemy,
and taken and retaken by us several
times in one day. The same happened to the villas near the walls.
There was no time given us for speculation or reflection. We found ourselves at once in presence of a very
superior force, or rather in the middle
of it; for we were completely surrounded. We fought our best; but
escape seemed impossible. My poor
little picket was soon cut to pieces,
and I found myself standing alone in
the midst of our assailants, defending
myself as well as I could against such
fearful odds. At dlength I felt I was
come to the last extremity, and that in
a few moments I should be lying with
my brave companions. Earnestly de siring to have the suffrages of my holy
patrons in that my last hour, I in stinctively exclaimed,' Sts. Abdon and
Sennen, pray for me!' What then
happened I cannot tell. Whether a
sudden panic struck my enemies, or
something more important called off
their attention, or what else-to me
inexplicable-occurred, I cannot say;
all that I know is, that somehow or
other I found myself alone, unwounded