Irish Jesuit Province

Beati PauperesAuthor(s): John CunninghamSource: The Irish Monthly, Vol. 46, No. 542 (Aug., 1918), pp. 449-451Published by: Irish Jesuit ProvinceStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20505106 .

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[ 449 ]

BEATI PAUPERES.

Blessed are thle poor iln Spirit : for theirs is the iingdo of Iheaven."

Thank God 1! it was inl no uingentle mood

That onl the cold, wet, earthen floor 1 stood Of that poor cabin-tlither called in haste, Its inmnate to attend. A howling waste;

In darkness draped, and swept with blinding rain, 'Gaiinst wlieli miy willing horse could scarce miaintain

The pace I held hiiim to, I just had crossed;

And as one safe in port, late tenmpest-tossed, A monment stood inactive, round to gaze. Clear, or, obscure, as in the faggots' blaze

-Its only light-it intermittent shone, HIow desolate th)e scene I looked upon!

The imouldering tlhatchl that formiied the hiumlble roof And ceiling both, no longer weatherproof; The rafters, hideous witlh the ebon staiIn Of half a century's smiioke, and filteriing ain;

The walls Nith nmoistujre bright; the sodden floor; The ceaseless ra-ttle of the ill-hbun door

Their squalor emlplasising. Nought to grace Or air of comlfort lend, the eye could trace.

One item only, by its evidence

Of some one's pious care, relieved the sense

T felt of deep depression. Ere I canme, -I later found-a neighbour's kindly dame

Was busy there: had by the sick mian's bed

The table placed, and o'er it deftly spread

Her snow-white cloth; and thereon, reverent, set A crucifix, to teach Iimni to forget His own, contemplating his SaviourI's pain, And oni hiis cross with Him resigned remiain

In two tall candlesticks of glittering brass,

Her candles--blessed the previois (lan dlemas

Had fixed oni eitlher side the holy sign,.

Unlit till for the Ljord's Own Self they'd shine:

The sillken tow for the anointing there,

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450 THE IRISH MONTHLY

Inr niumibered rolls, had piled with pious care; Each for a separate unction; there had placed The holy-water stoup; and further graced The sacred board with crystal finger-bowl, And folded diaper; her kindly soul Pleased with a task, that Heaven, be sure, will bless Its poor's regarding as its own distress. So quick the eye's report, its survrey kept

Me but a monment 'still. My patient slept,

Or seemied to sleep; but, starting at the sound Of mv approaclh, looked up, and when he found It was the priest, his pleased and reverent face

With welcomiie beamed, while for the unseemly place; For sending for me " suich a dreadful night"; And-as he looked me over-for my plight

(" TYotlre drowned, youtr reverence," thus alarmingly

he pictured it) lhe meek apolooy

Profusely nmade; till, seated by his side, In terms that quite relieved him I replied, And for his health inquired. Was he in pain?

Well, he lhad some; bhut why should he complain? And he was feeling better since I came (He thanked the Lord, and blessed His holy name),

But le was old, and wished to be prepared, He said; then suddenly sat up and stared

At somiething at my feet, and bade mne see

Where I lhad placed them. There, insidiously The rain that from the roof, through many a pore,

Incessant (dropped upon the earthen floor, Had gyathered in a hollow neath my chair.

He blanmed himself, and for due want of care

Me too. T'd get my " death of cold," he said;

And, forthwith, from the post of his poor bed

On which hiis raiment hung, in anxious haste, His coat, detaching it from 'mongst the rest,

Removed, and would, had I permitted it,

Have for a safeguard placed beneath my feet.

But, hiis o'er zealouis care -discountenancing, I rescued from his hand the precious thing;

Said 'twere a shame a garment to illtreat

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BP4.1TI PAUPJEIES. 451

He 'd soon again reqtuire, God willing it;

Told hnim, while I could scarce repress at tear, I was well slhod, and there was nought to fear; And Urged hinte i his Confesison to begin.

I urged in vain. BHe woLld n ot tell a sin

Unitil I lhad complied, hie firmnly said, And on his cold, rough pillow laid hiis head,

I)etermimeedly ; nor, argutie as T might,

Till I hatd placed the garnment, in his sighllt,

Tn the offending pool, and on it set

My feet, protected frorm the cold and wet, W;oulld lie proceed.

" Now, fathler," sai(l lhe, I --"

But far away, beneatlh an eastern sky,

I heard triumlphant shouts, in which his voice

Was lost; I saw a nmultitude rejoice

Round One, Who in their midst rode tranquillv, Unmoved by their applause, their rivalry

Of exulta-tion, as they round Him pressed,

Or of their garments did themselves divest, And spread tlheiml in His way, while, loud and ligh,

Their glad T-losannalhs reached the echoing sky.

r turned, eand lo ! to that Eternal King.

My pooir, kind frienid like homage rendering,

Their place had ta'en-to nme, becauise I caume,

Lord, Grod of Sabaoth ! in Thy blessed name,

Tlhtus miniastering. And in that chamber lone,

His zeal heholding, Thlou didst not disow-n

Thy Iumnble servitor, nor see, unmoved,

The reverent act which I had so reproved.

For Thloui wert present, and Thy loving Heart,

From It's abundance, did to him impart

Rich store of grace, and merit for the dav

That shoiuld in full his pietv repay.

JOHN CUNNINGHAM, PSP.

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