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Show MARTYRS OF SUNNY FRANCE. "Hold! you young vagabonds, and tell us where you are going-?" spoke a curly officer of two children, chil-dren, a boy and a girl whom he and his band had encountered on a public highway. It was during the time of the oppression of Catholics in France when even children were imprisoned, sometimes to die martyrs for their faith. The girl's lips quivered and she looked helplessly help-lessly at the boy. The latter, however, looked defiantly de-fiantly at ihe man. "Where are gou going ?" again said the officer harshly, "Come, speak up, and we will let you go." : "What!. you let us goi" sneered the boy. "Xot much, we won't ! What's it your business anyhow where we go ?" "We'll make it our business!" cvclaimcd the man, seizing him by the shoulders and forcing him against a tree. "Xow tell us who you ar and where you are going-, or we'll take you to 'prison to die!" "What right have you to take us to prison?" -demanded the boy. "For insulting an officer and other reasons I need not mention," replied the officer. "Are you Catholics?" "Yes! I'm not afraid, to say so even though I die for it," grimly spoke the boy. "But though you have me you'll never get my sister, Run, Francis, run!" "After her men!", thundered the man to his troopers. "Catch her and they'll both die!" The men sprang after her but she, fleeter of foot, was soon lost to sight in tho forest. Soon the sound of pursuing men's foot-falls grew fainter and fainter and fainter and then died away entirely. The girl's heart beat rapidly as she- came to the village and ran up the steps of the house next to the little church. She hastily rang the bell and waited impatiently for the answer. ' A footfall was heard in the hall and an aged man -opened the door. "Come, Father," she said. quickly, "My mother, is sick and sends for you. My brother too, was coming, but has fallen into the hands of the merciless mer-ciless soldiers and is now, perhaps, awaiting execution." exe-cution." "God bless you, child," said the agen priest. "I'll be ready in a moment." He soon returned bearing with' him the Holy Viaticum and Oils for the sick, and they departed. The girlon the way seemed to realize that her Blessed 'Savior was. present, for her lips moved, as in constant prayer. As they neared a small cabin on the far side of the glen she whispered, "Here. Father." and stopping forward opening the door for him to pass. Going into the inner room, she waited until the priest had heard the sick woman's confession and then approached the bed Avhile he administered adminis-tered the remaining Sacraments. When he was gone the woman asked her about the boy. and she told her sad story, saying in conclusion: "He is now. perhaps, where we will soon meet him." "Yes, dear," replied her mother. "But tru-t in Jesus for in Him their is hope ajid plentiful redemption. Do not forget that when I am gone, you will still have a mother in heaven to protect you- our Blessed Mother has never been invoked in vain." After a few more words of- encouragement she fell into a troubled sleep and the girl knelt in silent si-lent prayer. When the priest returned he waited until the death of the woman and after consoling the sorrowing- girl again left the cabin. The girl fell weeping upon her mother's breast, and began t rave violently wL"ii a noisy tramp was heard, the door thrown open and 'he soldiers entered. "So!" exclaimed the exultant officer, "We have tracked you down at last. Xow we have got you and you will soon be where your brother is ju Kingdom Come!" So saying, he seized the girl and started for the prison for her execution. Tn another hour it was all over. The boy, girl and -another had all departed this world to meet in the next. As the girl died, a glorious smile shone over her and she muttered, "All for Thee. O my Jesus, all for Thee." And as 1 ho fatal sword clove her skull she laid down her life for her Savior who had laid down His life for her. |
