8. "The richest, rârest jewels

He hath brought me from the sky;
He hath clasped me to His bosom

With a love that can not die.

O tell me, happy Alice,

Art thou happier than I?"

II.

ELEANOR C. DONNELLY.

14. A SAINT'S ANSWER.

T. ALOYSIUS, when he made his hōme
The College of St. Andrea at Rome,
At recreation, on a certain day,
When all his brother-novices were gay
With innocent enjoyment, and the wit
Of many a wise and gentle Jesuit 1

Relaxed the studious circle; in his turn

4

Played draughts with an old brother from Lucerne : 2. When through the merry band like lightning ran The question of a youthful Corsican, Whose mind on serious issues ever bent, At playtime asks, “If, by Divine assent, Here in our midst an angel from on high Should bring us the decree that we must die A moment hence, tell me, my friends, what you In that most dread emergency, would do ?" 3. From lip to lip the eager question påssed; "Now were I sure this moment were my låst," Quoth one, 6 "I'd to the chapel speed, nor cease To tell my beads."-" While I upon my knees,"

1 Jěs'u it, a member of the Company of Jesus, a religious order founded by St. Ignatius Loyola in the 16th century, and noted for holiness of life and great scholarship.

'Re lǎxed', relieved from attention or effort.

3 Draughts, a game, sometimes

called checkers, played with wood-
en pieces on a checkered board.
4 Is'sues, questions or results.
5 E mer gen cy, a sudden or un-
expected occurrence.

6 Quōth, said; spoke; used only in the first and third persons in the past tense, and with the nominative always following it.

Cries out another, "would renew my vows

And make the Acts."-" And I" (with blushing brows,
A sweet-faced Genoese) "for my soul's sake,
Confession of my sins would gladly make."

4. And so the question parried1 to and fro,
Drew varied answers; voices loud and low
Ringing the changes on a theme 2 so near
Those pure, unworldly hearts, till, in the ear
Of Aloysius, bending o'er his game,

A whisper from the Switzer3 novice came:
"Fratello mio!4 thou alone art mute;"
Which others, in the height of the dispute
Hearing, were 'shamed; and he of Corsica
Cried out, "What dost thou say, good Gonzägä ?”

5. Then in the sudden hush the holy youth-
"Dear brother, if this hour, in very truth,
Death's angel with the awful summons 5 came,
Methinks"-he, smiling, pointed to his game-
"I would continue this; "-the while, surprise
Held all the others dumb-with drooping eyes
He added, "Doth not he commence
The noblest work, who, in obedience
To holy rule, and for the greater gain
Of God's dear glory, doth his will constrain ?

6. "He who performs each duty in its time,

With sinless heart and ever-watchful eye,
His very pastime maketh prayer sublime,
And any moment is prepared to die."

1 Păr'ried, passed from one to another, as used here.

Theme, a subject of thought or conversation.

3 Switzer, a native of Switzer

land; a Swiss.

+ Fra těl❜lo mi'o (mē'o), my dear brother.

5 Sămʼmons, an imperative call.
6 Con strain', to bend; to compel.

2. A bride saw the lily blooming"I go to the altar to-day;

In my bridal garland, sweet lily,

I will twine thy pale, beautiful spray." "Why sadden thy bridal, lady,

By wearing my cold, white flowers?
Sweet roses and orange blossoms
Should gladden thy joyous hours."

3. A mother wept o'er the lily-
"In thy pallid beauty rare,

Thou shalt lie on my dead child's bosom,
For surely thy place is there!"
"Oh! mourning, sorrowful mother,
Thou hast seen one blossom fade;
On the shroud of thy broken lily
Be a wreath of immortelles laid!"

4. A young girl whispered, "O lily!
Let me place thee on the shrine
Where our dear Lord Jesus dwelleth
In His wondrous love divine."
And the lily murmured, "Yes, maiden,
On the shrine let my blossoms lie,
That my pure white petals may wither
Near the Lord of Purity."

66

S

IV.

16. SAINT SEBASTIAN.

PART FIRST. A

EBASTIAN is the splendid officer in the armor of a tribune,1 standing at the right hand of the emperor. Well may you gaze at him. In all Rome thêre is not a young noble who has a brighter future before him."

2. The speaker was an old patrician,2 in whose veins ran the best blood of the Roman nobility. His companion was a young stranger from Pontus, to whom he was showing the wonders of the imperial city. On this day, Măxim'iän gave audience to strangers, and to all those who had tidings to communicate from parts near or distant.

3. At such times his favorite guards stood around his throne in all the glitter of their richly-jewelled armor, and with all their badges of military distinetion. Among them stood Sebas'tian, taller and more slender than any of his companions, but with a certain firmness of step and majesty of bearing which not even the Roman soldier's drill nor years of hard military service could bestow.

4. Maximian, in his rude way, showed admiration for the căptain of his first cohort.3 Diocle'tian had already sent forth that cruel edict against the Christians which allowed them to be seized in any part of the Roman dominion, and carried before a magistrate to receive sentence as enemies of the empire.

5. It was with the news of such seizures, both in Rome and the provinces, that Maximian had been chiefly entertained on the morning when the young stranger from Asiä accompanied the Roman patrician to the audience-chamber of the reigning Cæsar. Information had been given against men and women, old and young, and all had been turned over to the prefect for exăminātion, without one pitying inquīr'ỹ. 【

6. This persecution of Christians, too poor to excite his love of money, too weak to resist his power, and too mean, in his 'Trib' une, a Roman military six hundred soldiers; a legion comofficer. prised ten cohorts.

2 Pa tri' cian, a Roman noble.
3 Co' hort, a company of five or

4 Pre' fect, a Roman officer placed over a command or department.

+

eyes, to rouse his indignation, was becoming a dull business to Maximian. This morning, especially, he was growing tired of hearing the oft-repeated stōry from the host of smooth-tongued informers and mischief-makers, when a man of polished address, and with a step as stealthy 1 as a leopard's, knelt at the imperial footstool.

7. "Speak!" growled Maximian, with an impatient gesture, "what skulking Christian hast thou tracked to his hole?"— "Most gracious emperor," began the cringing informer.-" Be brief, I tell thee! "Is the emperor aware that in his own household, close to his very throne even, stands a Christian ?""Speak out, sirrah! I will have no mysteries."" Then, at your imperial command," said the wily courtier, in a bland voice, "I accuse as a Christian the captain of your first cohort, Sebastian."

8. The emperor started to his feet. "Reptile! thou lièst! Prove thy words; or, by the gods, thou shalt die the death of a Christian dog, by a slow fire and hot pincers." The informer ōnly smiled at the emperor's challenge, and in the same bland voice continued: "Then the emperor of the world has not heard of the treachery within the imperial walls? He does not know why Marcus and Marcelli'nus, who were on the point of recanting, went, after all, boldly to death as Christians?"

9. At this very moment Sebastian, with the same firm but light step which had ever marked him in the legion, passed from his place at the right hand of the emperor. Bowing respectfully to his impērial master, and with a courteous gesture toward the informer, he said in a clear voice: "Sire, allow me to take from such feeble shoulders the burden of proof. From first to last my service in the imperial army has been the service of a Christian."

10. "Tush, Sebastian! I can ill afford to lose my first captain. Thou art still young. The honors of the empire are all before thee. Have done with this nonsense, unworthy of a soldier, fit ōnly for women and slaves. Swear allegiance to the gods of Rome, as thou hast ever practised allegiance to her emperors." 'Sire, what is that false service thou askest of me? As a

1 Stealth' y, secret; sly.

'Re cǎnt' ing, taking back what

one has previously declared.

3 Al lē' ġiance, fidelity.