ldren. Even in the poorest and
most numerous families, what parent could think of parting with a child
for any sum of money?

Tell about the letter John and his wife received from a rich man without
children who wished to adopt one of their seven. Tell about the offer
the rich man made. What a great temptation this was!

The parents considered the offer, looked into each other's faces and
asked, "Which shall it be?" Not the baby. Why? Not the two youngest
boys. Why? Not the poor helpless little cripple. Why? Not the sweet
child, Mary. Why? Not Dick, the wayward son. Why? Not, for worlds, the
oldest boy. Why?

Tell the answer the parents sent the rich man.

* * * * *

_68_

Dor'o thy
in her'it ance
Cap pa do' ci a
ob' sti na cy
The oph' i lus
ex e cu' tion ers

ST. DOROTHY, MARTYR

The names of St. Catherine and St. Agnes, St. Lucy and St. Cecilia, are
familiar to us all; and to many of us, no doubt, their histories are
well known also. Young as they were, they despised alike the pleasures
and the flatteries of the world. They chose God alone as their portion
and inheritance; and He has highly exalted them, and placed their names
amongst those glorious martyrs whose memory is daily honored in the holy
Sacrifice of the Mass.

St. Dorothy was another of these virgin saints. She was born in the city
of Caesarea, and was descended of a rich and noble family. While the last
of the ten terrible persecutions, which for three hundred years steeped
the Church in the blood of martyrs, was raging, Dorothy embraced the
faith of Christ, and, in consequence, was seized and carried before the
Roman Prefect of the city.

She was put to the most cruel tortures, and, at length, condemned to
death. When the executioners were preparing to behead her, the Prefect
said, "Now, at least, confess your folly, and pray to the immortal gods
for pardon."

"I pray," replied the martyr, "that the God of heaven and earth may
pardon and have mercy on you; and I will also pray when I reach the land
whither I am going."

"Of what land do you speak?" asked the judge, who, like most of the
pagans, had very little notion of another world.

"I speak of that land where Christ, the Son of God, dwells with his
saints," replied St. Dorothy. "_There_ is neither night nor sorrow;
_there_ is the river of life, and the brightness of eternal glory; and
_there_ is a paradise of all delight, and flower