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Show WHEN' LORD RUSSELL'S DAUGHTER DAUGH-TER BECAME A XUX. Non-Catholics can never understand how young girls give up all the joys of the world and enter convents, or why parents permit them to do so. Do you remember the beautiful letter Lord Russell of Killowen, lord chief Justice of England, wrote to his daughter Mary when she desired to enter a religious life? It expresses so accurately the Catholic spirit in this matter that it Is worth reprinting. Mary's choice was not unnatural for a member of the Russell familv. All Russell's sisters became nuns. His brother is the famous Father Matthew Mat-thew Russell, S. J., of Dublin. "Royal Courts of Justice, April 27, 1900. My Darling Child God's will be done! You have now taken the first serious step toward final retirement retire-ment from the life of the world. The thought that It makes for your happiness happi-ness and that it is the will of God, softens the blow to your mother and to me for blow it, beyond question, is to us blow it is also, I know, to Lily (who has borne herself like the brave girl she is) and to Margaret also. We hoped, selfishly in part, no doubt, but not wholly selfishly, to have your sunshiny nature always 'with or near us in the world a world In which we thought and think good bright souls have a great and useful work to do. Well, If it cannot be so, we bow our heads in resignation. We knov you will do your duty, a? it comes to you to do, well and thoroughly thor-oughly and unselfishly; and we have no fear that you will forget us. After Af-ter all, it is something for us, poor dusty creatures of the world, with our selfish concerns and little ambitions, to have a stout young heart steadily praying for us. I know we can depend de-pend on this; I know also you will not forget your promise to me should serious misgivings cross your mind before the last word is spoken. I rely on this. God keep and guard you, my darling child, is the prayer of your father, Russell of Killowen." |