ruptions your
pious ancestors would have witnessed with their blood? The army must not
witness similar outbreaks of religious zeal in the future."

He finished. Stephen left the room without a word, turned on his heel
and made his way down the street.

III

Nature is a great restorer when she pours into the gaping wounds of the
jaded system the oil and wine of repose. Divine grace administers the
same narcotic to the soul crushed by torture and anguish. It is then
that tears are dried, and that afflictions and crosses become sweet.

Desolation, a very lonely desolation, and a deep sense of helplessness
filled the soul of Stephen as he retraced his steps from the court room.
His life seemed a great burden to him, his hopes swallowed up in his
bereavement. If he could but remove his mind from his travail of
disappointments and bitterness, if his soul could only soar aloft in
prayer to the realms of bliss and repose, he might endure this bitter
humiliation. He felt the great need of prayer, humble, submissive
prayer. Oh! If he could only pray!

He was invisibly directed into the little doorway of St. Joseph's. His
feeling was like that of the storm tossed mariner as he securely steers
for the beacon light. The church was nearly empty, save for a bare
half-dozen people who occupied seats at various intervals. They were
alone in their contemplation, as Catholics are wont to be, before their
God, without beads or prayer-book, intent only upon the Divine Person
concealed within the tabernacle walls, and announced by the flickering
red flame in the little lamp before the altar. Here he felt himself
removed from the world and its affairs, as if enclosed in a strange
parenthesis, set off from all other considerations. And straightway, his
soul was carried off into a calm, pure, lofty region of consolation and
repose.

To the human soul, prayer is like the beams of light which seem to
connect sun and earth. It raises the soul aloft and transports it to
another and a better world. There basking in the light of the divine
presence it is strengthened to meet the impending conflict. Nothing
escapes the all-seeing eye of God. He only waits for the prayer of his
children eager to grant their requests. Nothing is denied to faith and
love. Neither can measure be set to the divine bounty.

"Miserere mei, Deus; secundum magnam misericordiam tuam."--"Have mercy
on me, O God, according to Thy great mercy."

Stephen buried his face