Fabiola : or, The church of the catacombs - Digital Repository Services

learn. Forget nnd forgive, nncl don't look so hot over it !
"But it is the. mouth of July," expostulated Peter, glad to
turn what lir.d vexed him into u little merriment.
" '
Y u will b i wanted to take the wri.ti.ny from dictation '
data in the adult school to-night, a: d to lead the. Kinging.
AV have to arrange it all on a new plan now we have List
Lndy Edith. And, Peter, shako hands with all the young
men r.nd bid them goo 1- bye. Ask f r their good wishes in the
w rk of making a home for yourself.
WltECK'El) A.\I> SA 11
Part in a friendly way
with those who are older and worse off than yourself, and don't
mind iibout boys and children. Go and get the books out; we
:
shall be very busy to-n ght. After you have prepared the
rooms go to James Gardener and bid him good-bye, a_d go to
Mrs. Roper for the same purpose. I would not have you go
anywhere else. I want to g> to Treddington myself to-morrow,
and you can drive me in the pony-carriage."
So Mrs. Beauchamp set Peter to work, and arranged for his
departure Irom Penwarue.
PART II.
CHAPTER I.
It is almost impossible to imagine any house of its kind more
perfect th n that occupied by Miss Jana Lance and her sister.
These ladies were between sixty and sixty-five years of age;
very good, decidedly well-looking, always well dressed; models
of n atuessaud uiceness, and perfectly well mannered.
In former days they had kept a young ladies' school, and
muny residents in Treddington 1 ad received their early instructions
at their hands. Mrs. Peuwarne knew them well, and
Edith knew them also. Colonel Penwarno had been in
Lady
the frequent habit of ca ling to see them, and fruit, flowers,
and game through summer and winter
sent t > them by his orders.
haj regularly been
These good ladies were converts of about ten standing,
years'
and even their most disapproving neighbors could
n t do i
ther than admit tho firmness with which they had carried
out their convictions, and the quiet consistency which
marked their daily life. They had now y new duties we must lit
over Peter's life before we look at him again.
After three years.
three years pass
From nearly fourteen or fifteen years of age to probably
neary eighteen.
WhaJ. was Peter like ?
L t us take a look at him. He is in rather a remarkable
situation.
He is, in fact, on the roof of Miss Lance's house, just where
a sta k of chimneys comes up, and the. e, where the flat roof
allowed it, he has constructed a roomy place for plants and
ing shrubs, with a glass roof, ad warmed by the heat of
the kitchen flue. He i.4 mcst successful in his gardening in
this situation, and supplies Miss La- ca with roses in the winter
; and dwarf fruit-tr es plums and peaches beautiful both
in fruit and fl .wer ; and as to camellias and azalia">, all Tred-
drawing-room.
nies to see them aa they adorn a flower-stand in the
"
James Gardener c-mes too, and admires and "
lanrrm. Tin
"
if s me contrivance
,-y !(,,- coll c.:in , and getting wa-
'"'""''I '
hd IM(. !>'
:
ter, and keepiag an equal tempexafax , and m -hike. I
always the machinery part of a ib n;;tlm' -ii rSands.''
Peter has become a very lino you:ig man ; tall, strongly made,
and d eidedly g od-looking. Ho has improved in every w:iy.
His education has gone on. He has gone t ) an evening
and has been found to have a decided turn f.
Hdw;rk* at learning Latin with the priest, aid he ran t Ik
French with Miss Lance and her sister, and little Annie and
Jana Brewaid, w.th considerable fluency.
He is in Mr. Breward's counting-house, and gets a respectable
salary.
He does not live for himself alone.
Those words whicli were among the last ever spoken by
Colonel "
Penwarne, Do a little labor for His dear sak ,' hav'o
lived in Peter's heart and borne go d fruit.
Ho is a member of the Soc ety of St. Vincent of Paul, he belongs
to the Young Men's Catholic Association, ho serves Mass
daily, and is steady at his duties and ; perhaps it ought t > be
mentioned in his praise that he is not spoilt by the interest iaken
in h:m by Miss Lance and her sister. Ihey admire and
love him. They pray for him, and give thanks for him too.
There is not anjthing within their power that they wouid not
do for Peter Sands. And Peter is grateful. He knows how
go;,d they are, and he jields to
provement.
thtir wise wishes for l.i.-> im-
They have provided the means for his obtaining a good
knowledge of Ei.glish literature ; they have been great h<
him in his scientific pursuits and Miss ; Jane, who was r
.aly
a learned woman, had be n a great assistance and pleasure to
him in the study of mathematics.
These dear ladi. s wtre glad not to sink in'o idleness
lives of teaching and learning, of reading and thought. 'Jury
were very gl..d to be of use to their young friend, and they hud
reason to be gratified at the youth's progress.
Life had become a prosperous thing for Peter Sands ; and
prosperity is a trial wo all know that. Yet, peih.ps, ail this
prosperity was a less trial to Peter, because of a cert in sim-
plicity of character wh ch belonged to him, and winch th
early, faithful, persevering teaching of tered and st.engthened.
holy friends had fos-
The youth still carri d about with him the spirit of his childhood.
There was meekness, frankness, and caud r in all his
conduct. The aged loved him, the poor welcomed him chil-
;
dren ran to h m as if he were still a cliild like themselves.
And this was because he was a Christian ; because he not only
knew the Catholic faith and believed it, but because he also
practised it always because he not ;
inly lovt d God, but (-
Him in his duty towards his neighbor, und his forgclf ulne.^s cf
self.
By his distaste for all that was against the Catholic Church,
or in any degree contrary to Christian mcrals, or injurious to
Christian perfection, h< j . showed his love for God. And jvt ho
was not quick to see evil in his neighbors ; he 1 ved in holy ignorance
of other people's faults, and by giving them creuit ior
the sincerity that lived in his own heart he led many to righteousness,
without being aware of the good he was doing and
had done.
Such in youth was Peter Sand .
Mrs. Beauchamp, who watched him closely, ard g ve him
many a prayer as she sat busy over her good works in hoipretty
little paneled parlor, said that he owed something to t e
fact of his being so truly an orphan, without parents or re a-
tives, without a friend from any family connection. G /J alone
had given him all that he had ; God a'one hnd nised u > for
him friends, teachers, home, sustenance, and the very garments
that for many years had clothed him.
Millicent, the maid servant at Father Joseph's, used to
consider all this sometimes. She had lived there sinee her
childhood, as we know, and was a faithful friend in the household.