A HIDDEN GUEST

A True Story

'MIDST of a running stream it rose
In beauty picturesque, this Isle of Hope;
Its green shores lay in soft repose
Laved by the Vernon-many a leafy slope
Winding its way toward the bluff, which sheer
Looked down into the waters clear.

For weary souls a favourite spot

When Summer lures from Care's relentless sway-
Where Nature spreads her sheltered grot
And scatters pleasures all the flowery way.
Yet for One Presence many a heart did pine
Within His Eucharistic Shrine.

And faithful hearts were wed in prayer, That soon, with open hand and widow's mite, Uprose a modest Chapel there,

Sun-kissed each morn upon the verdant height; And sons of Holy Benedict were given

To break to them the Bread of Heaven.

Sped happy years till poverty

Wrought woe upon the people round about;
Came the last day on bended knee
They heard the solemn service, tears devout
Staining their cheeks; then tabernacle gate
Was locked, and altar desolate.

The Home of God! it still was thereIt told them of His Eucharistic love;

The bell no more might call to prayer, But still the Cross was pointing far above. And 'mid the humble souls of Him bereft, A Martha, Mary still was left.

And in and out the rural fane

They went with steps and faces reverent;

What hidden sweetness could enchain

Their spirits so? For days and weeks out went ;
They knelt to pray, and rose to sweep and dust,
And altar decked with holy trust.

Full oft might little groups be seen

Mounting the path, as gleamed the golden west:
Sweet children, too, tripped o'er the green,
To pray and keep alive those memories blest.
And Hope had kindled there her secret fire
That yet should come their hearts' desire.

Moons waxed and waned; Springs came and went ; The woodland temple still had magic sweet; Fair flowers oft their odours blent,

Like Mary's ointment on the dear Lord's feet. And Martha, trustful, cared for many things, Though grief smote oft on their heart-strings.

In at the windows, crystal clear,

The sun from North to South shot down its rays
Full twenty times-each gracious year
Gemming their crowns with pearls of hope and praise.
And now this April day, their prayer is heard:
One comes, the anointed of the Word.

They haste, their Heaven-sent guide to see;
The Tabernacle must be cleansed and lined.
Trembling with joy they turn the key-
The first time in that score of years-to find
His swathing clothes, the corporal folded neat-
Sudden they start in wonder sweet!

The tears are blinding them as now
A Circle all o'erdusted they behold
Upon the linen; low they bow;

And Mary hastes to tell the tidings old;
"We've seen the Lord within His sepulchre ;
Nor knew we He was living there."

Like the dear travellers of Emmaus,

Their heart was burning in them all the way

Those happy years they kept His house,
Unware of Guest whose love had bade Him stay.
Ah, those two humble lovers, how they shine

In His Heart's records all divine!

And priest and people hied to greet
The Eucharistic King upon His throne;
While tears and sobbings at His feet
Proclaimed that He had come unto His own.
And souls came back that long had gone astray,
And many sought Truth's perfect way.

Daily the Sacrifice shall rise

Upon thy wooded bluff, dear Isle of Hope!
Sweet watch shall Jesus' loving eyes

Still keep when Morn her orient gates doth ope
Or night shades fall and all the world shall know
Thy children who have loved Him so! *

M. S. PINE.

[* The incident here narrated is said to have occurred in the little Island of Hope, in the United States. When the chapel was reopened for public worship it was discovered that, by some oversight, a consecrated particle had been left in the Tabernacle when the last priest took his departure twenty years before. Of course the Eucharistic Presence would cease as soon as the particle ceased to have the species of bread.-ED. I.M.]

THE BROOCH OF LINDISFARNE

By JESSIE A. GAUGHAN

Author of "The Plucking of the Lily "

[SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS.-Chapter I introduces us to Father O'Moore, a Dominican Friar, who is crossing Donegal Bay in order to set sail in the Spanish ship, the Santa Anna." The period is that of the destruction of the monasteries. We also make the acquaintance of Francis Drake. Chapter II tells us something of the family history of a young lieutenant, a cousin of Lord Howard's wife, and the rejected suitor of his cousin, Eva Howard, now in a Paris convent. We leave Father O'Moore on the deck of the Spanish ship looking at the disappearing cliffs of Ireland.]

CHAPTER III

OFF THE ANTRIM SHORE

MORNING broke grey and chill. A heavy mist hung pall-like over sea and land. Wind there was none, but occasionally a light, sudden breeze raised the fog curtain and allowed a glimpse of grey, lifeless water or of dark shore and brown and purple hills.

Throughout the day the "Santa Anna" drifted silently through the impenetrable mist. So did the "Spitfire," and the following morning revealed the two ships close to one another off the Antrim shore, with Rathlin Island showing up in the distance. On the northern horizon huge banks of massed white clouds lay against the clear blue sky as imposing and beautiful as a range of snow-capped mountains, and over the ships cloudlets swept eastward, wind-driven like foam.

Then and there Drake gave battle, and the "Santa Anna made what resistance she could. But against a vessel like the "Spitfire" such cannon as the Spaniard carried were almost useless, for they fired high and the enemy, being low in the water, could sail inside their shot range with only her rigging in danger. The whole advantage lay with the English ship. The merchant vessel's best efforts were only like those of a blind giant wasting his blows in the air, while receiving constant injury from a lithe opponent.

Still, though the "Santa Anna" could not fasten her teeth in the enemy, she could at least bark; and bark she did, while the fury of battle which enables men to forget death and laugh

at pain took possession of her crew. A terrible chorus of gun-fire rang out over the quiet sea, and soon the two .ships were enveloped in a fog of their own making thicker than the mist of yesterday. All the time they were sailing on nearer to Rathlin.

On board the "Spitfire" Drake paced the deck while his guns were fired till they grew too hot for service. Battle smoke and battle music were to him most powerful stimulants. No less pleasant were they to his young lieutenant, who stood grasping the quivering taffrail, trying to see beyond the smoke.

"Curse the smoke!" he began, turning to Drake, when crash! the tiller flew to pieces, broken with a part of the rudder by a stray dropping shot, and the "Spitfire" became unmanageable, broaching to at once.

"Damnation seize them!" Drake yelled, springing aft to ascertain the amount of the damage. At the sight he became furious. "Spanish devils!" he shouted. "They will slip away while we make repairs. Curse them! They have crippled us,' and he shook his fist at the " Santa Anna," which showed behind the lifting smoke.

To the Spaniards the "Spitfire's" condition became clear at once, and a ringing cheer went tauntingly over the water as they watched the English haul down their sails, and saw the distance between them and their helpless enemy widening. With impotent fury, Drake watched the " Santa Anna" stand in for Rathlin Island flying the Spanish flag; he took a turn or two on deck and then went moodily below. It was dusk when the Spitfire" had steering way once more. Drake and his lieutenant were on deck watching the curtain of darkness falling between them and the land.

"Saw you the friar," the lieutenant questioned, "our white friar, I doubt not, blessing the Spaniards when the fight began ?"

"Yes! and belike he blessed' that shot that crippled us. Priest as he is, though, I like his spirit. He stood the fire as unconcernedly as we."

And then, right ahead of them where Rathlin lay, the darkness was rent in a dozen places. Fierce flames shot up into the sky, casting lurid lights upon the calm grey sea. The whole island seemed ablaze, ringed as it was with mighty bonfires. Showers of sparks flew up into the night, and the sound of cheering and laughter came over the water to them. Suddenly Drake laid a hand on his companion's arm.