Bolax Part 26

PALM BEACH, December.

_My n.o.ble, Generous Boy_: Your letter touched Papa to the heart, but there will be no necessity for your making such a sacrifice.

It would grieve me to have my child so far away from home, without the means for having a pleasant Christmas. Uncle wrote to say he would attend to your holiday pleasures, and Papa now sends ten dollars.

We laughed so heartily at your description of how the b.u.t.ter was washed for your benefit.

Dearie, do you remember the stories old Colonel O'Brien used to tell us of his campaign during the Civil War? How once he was nearly forty-eight hours without food, and was glad to eat an old piece of ham-fat, which he saw a darkey throw out on the gra.s.s as he rode past?

Colonel told us it was the spirit of self-control he had learned while at College that enabled him to bear hunger, cold, privations of all kinds, while in the army. Of course, the food is not expected to be as dainty as at home, but it is always wholesome; no Catholic College would give bad food to the children entrusted to its care. I tried to get the alligator's eggs, but the darkies tell me that it is a hard matter to find them; one old fellow told me: "Dem ugly beasteses loves dere young like de dogs and cats do, dey hide dere eggs and watches round when de time comes for de little ones to be hatched out; you don't better be near at dat time hunten' eggs or young ones, de mudder would snap you up in half a minute."

I have some curious sh.e.l.ls which I will give you when I see you; they would only be destroyed among so many boys, if I sent them.

Pray for Papa, not forgetting your loving mother.

P. S.--You ask me to describe Palm Beach, so I send the advertising pamphlet. The description given therein is a perfect pen-picture of the place, much better than I can give. I am Papa's amanuensis and he has so many business letters to send I have little time for other writing, with love,

MAMMA.

DECEMBER 29.

_Bien Chere Maman_: Such a happy Christmas as I have had. At midnight I was awakened by the Parish Church bells chiming the Adeste Fidelis.

The Midnight Ma.s.s was celebrated in the College Chapel, because the snow is so deep, Monsieur Le Cure had announced to the Congregation that the grand High Ma.s.s would be at 6 A. M. in the Parish Church.

I a.s.sisted at the Ma.s.s in the Chapel. It was my first Midnight Ma.s.s, and I felt awed by the solemn ceremony.

The grand High Ma.s.s was sung by four gentlemen from Quebec. Brother would not let me get up for it, but I attended Vespers in the evening; they had the same choir as at the morning service, with a band of music.

At nine o'clock we were invited to breakfast in the Brothers' dining room. At each "cover" was a box of bonbons from Brother Director and our letters from home.

Dear Ma! I was so surprised I cried. I opened your dear letter first, really I don't know how to thank you and dear Papa.

Aunt Lucy and Uncle Carroll sent me ten dollars, Uncle d.i.c.k, five. I feel as rich as a millionaire, with my twenty-five dollars.

JANUARY 20.

_Dear Mamma and Papa_: As I was writing the above, Monsieur Le Cure sent for me to go with him to Quebec. You may be sure I jumped at the offer.

We put up at the Sulpician Seminary. We went to see several beautiful churches.

Notre Dame de Victoire, built in the time of Louis XIV as a votive offering in thanksgiving for a victory gained over the English.

The very same flags and trophys captured then are still preserved in this church.

We saw the ice palace, on the summit of a hill, it was illuminated by electricity, and reminded me of Aladin's Castle in the fairy tale.

No one was allowed to go into it, but you could look in at the windows and doors, and see the wax figures dressed in fancy costumes.

You should have heard the joy bells, and the booming of the cannon from the citadel ushering in the New Year.

There was no discordant clang, no ear-splitting fog horns as in New York, but most of the churches having chimes, made an inspiriting melody.

The Basilica played the Te Deum, Adeste Fidelis, and the National Anthem.

We had midnight Ma.s.s in the Seminary, and no one went to bed until near morning.

I must tell you about a little girl we met in the street. She was carrying a doll in her arms when she slipped and fell; the doll was broken to pieces, the poor little thing knelt on the pavement and looked sadly at it, then bursting into tears and raising her eyes to heaven, she cried out: "Sainte Vierge mon seul enfant est mort!" (Holy Virgin, my only child is dead!)

It went to my heart to see her, so I picked her up, and tried to comfort her; I took her to the nearest shop and bought another "child," when I placed it in her hands, her eyes fairly danced with delight. "Oh, mesieu! I tank yo! No English speak."

Monsieur Le Cure gave her his blessing. As she was leaving the store she took up the broken doll, we asked her what she wanted with the old, broken thing. "Ah, mesieu, one does not throw away dead children; they must be buried."

The people here are so full of faith; you will see well-dressed gentlemen and ladies stop to say the Angelus in the street if they hear the bell ring.

I pray our dear Lord, that you, Papa, and all I love may have a happy New Year.

Your affectionate son,

B. ALLEN.

After Christmas holidays it was difficult for the boys to settle down to study. The good Brothers, who had not forgotten their own boy-life, understood this and did not draw the reins of discipline very tight for the first few days.

Brother Director made a very pleasant and sensible address to the juniors on the duty and benefits of being diligent in study. At the close of his "talk," as he termed it, he said:

"And now boys, I have something to offer you by the way of spurring your diligence. Three beautiful silver medals have been placed in my hands by three gentlemen living in Quebec. These medals are for your compet.i.tion.

If they were intended as rewards, I would not be a party to their bestowal. I want my pupils to feel that hard, honest study carries its own reward with it. Study puts you in possession of knowledge, which is power, strength, influence and pleasure.

"These are rewards to satisfy any virtuous boy without the addition of gifts. Boys of your age lag a little sometimes, and perhaps need something tangible to help them on. I hope these medals will keep you all up to your mettle, and that although only three of you can win them, all will prove yourselves worthy of them. One is for keeping the rules of the College. One for Composition--English or French. One for him who shall pa.s.s the best examination in all branches of study.

"You are now dismissed until tomorrow morning, when I shall expect you to be ready to begin work in earnest."

The boys set up a grand huzza for Brother Director, and then dividing into groups were soon scattered over the grounds or seated under the sugar maple trees.

All the boys made determined resolutions to win the prize. Bolax was especially anxious, because his father had objected to his coming to Canada, and he wanted to show that his mother's choice of a College was a success.

LETTER TO PAPA.

_Dear Papa_: Now I am in another sc.r.a.pe. The fellow that took things from the table has been found out; I can't imagine how. But he declares I told Brother Isadore on him. I said it wasn't true. He got red in the face and called me a hypocrite; said I pretended to be a saint because I go to Holy Communion every week. Papa, I never pretended to be a saint.

It isn't agreeable to have people think you're worse than you really are.

Your loving son,