ever tasted better! Praising God for victory
he went to the priest and told him that he would be no further expense
to him, from henceforth he would beg his meals.

When Pietro heard that his son had added to his eccentricities by
begging for his food his anger knew no bounds! When he met him in the
streets he blushed with shame, and often cursed him. But if his family
were ashamed of him, there were many among the townsfolk with whom he
found sympathy. Help came in on all sides, and at last the walls were
repaired, and the church was no longer in danger of tumbling into a
mass of ruins. What was needed for the inside was got in the same way
as the stones, and pretty soon a congregation was forthcoming.

One of the hardest sacrifices God required from Francis connected with
this work was one evening when he was out begging from house to house
for oil to light the church. He came to a house where an entertainment
was going on, a feast very similar to those he had so often presided
over in his worldly days. He looked down on his poor common dress, and
thought with shame what a figure he would cut among the gay,
well-dressed crowd within. For a moment he felt tempted to skip this
house. But it was only for a moment; reproaching himself bitterly, he
pushed in and standing before the festive gathering, told them simply
how much he had objected to coming in, and for what reason, adding
that he feared his timidity was counted to him as sin, because he was
working in God's name, and in His service. His request was taken in
good part, and his words so touched all present that they were eager
to give him the aid he sought.

[Sidenote: _St. Damian's Finished._]

After St. Damian's was quite restored, Francis set to work and did the
same for two other equally needy churches in the vicinity. One was St.
Peter's, and the other St. Mary's or the Portiuncula. The second one
became eventually the cradle of the Franciscan movement. Here he built
for himself a cell, where he used to come to pour out his soul in
prayer. When his work of repairing came to an end, he gave himself up
to meditation, his whole idea being that he would henceforth lead the
life of a recluse. But God disposed!

CHAPTER V.

FRANCIS' CALL.

"Oh, my Lord, the Crucified,
Who for love of me hast died,
Mould me by Thy living breath,
To the likeness of Thy death,
While the thorns Thy brows entwine,
Let no flower wreath rest on min