A Hero, or a Heroine?, Chapter XVI-XXV [pp. 497-515]

A Hero, or a Heroine? 509
of will, and, latterly, another obstacle, have Margaret slightly smiled, and the
stood in my way, and I might have kept on subject was dropped.
blind and miserable for the rest of my life On arriving next rnorning at St.
You have found the drnrch of God through
its treasures of d~anty, displayed in its church, Margaret found that
woil~s of mercy to the poor, the weak, nud the first pew was reserved for Martha
the sinful; it was your heart, so to speak, and hersel?, and soon Dr. James apfl~at carried you there. I have found the
~ame church entirely by my mind. I have peared and knelt with them. To the
seen repeatedly shallow prejudices, ground. surprise and delight of Margaret, who
less suspicions, and fanatical attacks met should enter the sanctuary to celeby calm, strong, logical arguments. I have brate mass but Father Barry; and it
seen the carping opinions of sects dwindling was he who, at the conclusion of the
away before the majesty of a revealed faith.
I have recognized that intellect, learning, holy sacrifice, administered the sacrascience, philosophy, shine brightest in that ment of baptism.
church which the scoffer of the day assert Margaret's cup of happiness was
to be in her dotage and dissolution. I hav
been forced at last, to admit her divine au- very full when, going into the house
thority, and the`consequent infallibility of afterward, by in,vitation, she was able
her teaching, and there was but one thing to exchange congratulations with her
left for me to do. How long would I have good friend Father Barry, and grasp,
resisted light, conviction? I cannot tell. with a glowing face and speaking
Cowardice, pride, and something else held
me back; then your letter came, as a push eyes, the hand of the newly-baptized.
from a friendly hand to a wretch clinging to They both agreed to dine with her;
the feeble branch which threatens to give and then she went home with Martha,
way in his grasp and precipitate him into wondering over the changes which
the abyss below, yet fearing to take the le
which will land him on firm ground. ap one year had brought about in her
"We have landed on the rock-you and life, and thanking God in her heart
I. God grant that we may stand on it for for her conversion and for that of the
ever. person dearest to her in the world.
"I have much more to say, but can write The dinner that evening was a very
no more. I have been for a week making a delightful one. Margaret and the docretreat at the house of the - fathers, and
I shall be baptized in their church to-morrow tor were surprised to find all embarmorning, Feast of St. Joseph, after the nine rassment between them gone. All
o'clock mass. You will come, will you not? their past intercourse seemed far
Pray for me. FR~~cis JAMEs."
away and like what had happened in
a dream, and they felt that they were
Margaret read this letter steadily beginning their friendship over again
il~rough to the end, and then fell on on a new and true basis.
her knees by her little table, where Margaret had ma~y questions to
Martha found her some time after, ask of Father Barry about Sealing,
when she came to summon her to and the different families she was inluncheon. terested in, and he had a great deal
"He has asked me to be his god- to tell her, as wAl as questions to ask
moU~er," remarked Martha, as they in his turn. And Margaret told all
were sitting at the dining-table. about the beautiful religious houses
~ "Has he? I should think he she had visited, and about kind Abbe'
would have asked me," responded Saincere, who had done her so much
Margaret. good, lent her books and led her gen "Don't you remember what you tly on till she was safely in the fold.
told me once about the spiritual rela- Martha Burney had to tell of her
tionship between sponsors`and their horror when she found what Margod-children, and what it precludes?" garet was wrapped up in; how she