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2 “No, no, Papa Coudret, do not be un easy. It shall all be done so quietly, I will bring him out most skilfully; trust to me ; I know how to manage without get ting into any difficulty, or fuss of any kind. When I think it the right mo ment to act, I will say : ‘ Monsieur Cou dret; did not respect for you restrain me, I should reply very differently to this man, who has so failed in respect to me;’ and then I will affect the air of one whose heart is filled with rage, but who is com pelled to smother it. You will say then: ‘Yes, it is true, you have not been well treated at my house, Jean Marie ; but do not let it provoke you; it shall never happen again, I swear it! I have no ticed, for some time past, there are some folks who aim at being masters in my house ; now, this is just exactly what I have no idea of, and, in short, will not permit! If good customers like you are not respected’—fact is, Pere Coudret, I am a good customer of yours, am I not ? ‘Yes, if you are rude to my largest and heaviest customers, how will you act to the more indifferent ones ? The Coudret Mill would soon be without work, I am sure of it.’ Oh ! never fear Jean Marie, I will put everything to rights! Be—” Here Xavier hastily cut him short. “Enough! enough!” cried he, pressing his hands against his breast; “you have said more than enough. Very well! I understand! I would be stupid as a goose, if I did not! Pardieu! Jean Marie—you have said enough !” * “You are sure you understand me ?” asked Jean Marie, who certainly never sinned through excess of confidence in the quick wit of others. “That position once gained, you know you can go on, and—” Xavier again broke in : “Oh, bah ! once again, I say, enough ! What do you take me for ? Do you think I have no brain ? It is all settled—set tled. Do your part; I will take care of mine!” They reached the house, and Xavier said : “The table seems to be laid. Go to the hall at once; I will go to my room for a moment, then I will come down— and then— an revoir /” added he with a significant nod of his head, as he struck the young man familiarly on his shoulder. And he left him. Jean Marie boldly entered the hall, drew near the fire, where the great pot of soup was bubbling and boiling, spread out his hands, pretending to be shivering with cold, and then began to speak with the servant, who was busy spreading the supper table. XVII. RETREAT AND DESERTION. Some moments later, Xavier entered, pretending to re-tie his cravat, and re button his vest; after him, followed Mar garet, and then Etienne, who glanced fur tively at Margaret; Luc was the last to come in, and seated himself quietly in his usual place. The soup bowl was then placed smok ing on the table, and the whole family of the Mill was brought together, once more, face to face. They had scarcely been seated, when Jean Marie evidently evinced his deter mination to engross the attention of the party. He began speaking in general terms of indifferent matters; but soon changed his tactics; and his words now evidently showed that they were careful ly chosen, to lead indirectly to some very decided conclusion. Xavier seemed, at first, to be the only one conscious of his intention, and from time to time, glanced anxiously at Luc, who apparently took no notice whatever of Jean Marie’s incessant talk. At last, though, our skirmisher became tired of these distant movements ; he ventured a step nearer, and found himself on more positive ground, where he could manoeuvre more at his ease. lie was speaking of the variety of character one encounters in the march of life; he glanced from the gayest to the most sombre; from the obstinate, self-opinionated speaker to the man who seems to have no use lor the gift of speech ; he remarked, cn that, in his experience, he had always found the most voluble talkers to be those who thought the least; while others, again, who are seldom heard, should al ways be watched, for they arc those who think the most. “And whenever I meet with one of these suspicious, silent, surly creatures—” Here Xavier’s glances towards Luc became more frequent and troubled ; for Luc, to the infinite satisfaction of Jean Marie, bad at last been moved to honor him with a rapid glance, and even Mar garet seemed somewhat startled. ‘Aes,” said Jean Marie, becoming ex cited, “we must always keep strict watch over these sullen, silent creatures, for ” But the Mill bell rang. Luc, leaving bis supper half finished, instantly rose, and almost automatically left the hall. Jean Marie’s face instantly fell, and Xavier seemed like one who has sudden ly thrown off some oppressive weight. Jean Marie left his sentence unfinished, and Margaret seized upon the pause in the conversation to commence negotiations. In her turn, now, she began “to heat about the bush,” to start the game that she felt very sure of being able to follow up. The hare once flushed, she drove it on herself, skilfully and easily enough. The question of marriage was freely en tered upon. Xavier looked with amazement upon his grandchild, who now approached so fearlessly the question she had hitherto so carefully avoided. He did not object, however, to her taking the initiative now, seeming, on the contrary, to pay great attention to all that she proposed, and answered her in the same strain; for, after all, it was the old ground ol dispute, and he felt desirous of taking advantage of Margaret’s present mood, to have as much light as possible thrown upon the mystery that had so long baffled him. Jean *v.arie, solely intent upon watch ing Luc’s return, seemed to be absolutely forgotten by the rest of the party. Margaret continued her remarks, and Xavier became more and more absorbed as the question became more and more earnestly discussed. She brought forward and established three principles; first, the generally recognized conditions of mar riage. and, next, the fear such a step naturally gives rise to. (to be continued.) HOW TO "REFORM DRUNKARDS, A correspondent of the New York Tablet thus narrates a method adopted by a Western Priest to reform drunkards in his Parish. When he first took posses sion, the people were sadly “demoral ized,” the church $25,000 in debt, and the congregation anything but popular, owing to the scandal given by the people. One of the first steps taken was to forma temperance society. Many kept aloof, “I did not scold them,” he remarked, with a knowing smile, “but 1 begged the people repeatedly to pray for them, and we did pray for them with good effect. A number of those who, at first, refused, finally relented, abandoned their cups, joined the society, and became sober men. Still there were a few who seemed quite incorrigible. At last I went to each one of them in turn, and after expostulating with him in the most earnest manner to no effect, gave him warning that if within a certain specified time he did not aban don his habits of drunkenness I would ask the congregation to pray for him indi vidually by name.” In a short time, the people became steady, and a wonderful reformation took place ; order, industry, aud thrift became prevalent, property was accumulated, the debt of $25,000 paid, and Catholic char acter redeemed in the region around. Still, there were some who adhered to their old habits, who were thus dealt with : “ I did not scold them, but I prayed ;’or them ; and even when I threatened to :>ray for them by name, they could not find fault with me, for the whole town xnew that they were drunkards, and they xnew that they were a public scandal, and how could they be angry with me, or find fault at our praying for them ? They could have borne a good scolding, and even gloried in it, and answered back with stout hearts, but to be prayed for, to feel that the whole congregation, with the Pastor at their head, was compas sionating them, and praying for them firorn day to day, and week to week, that was a little too much for them. . It rankled in their breasts ; they could not fiorget it. It disturbed their consciences. Above all, the grace of God, in answer to prayer, touched their hearts, arrd they relented, and came and begged to bo in cluded among the sober and the good of the congregation.” This Pastor adopted a charitable and wise course—“ I did not scold them, but I prayed for them.” It is said that Georgetown College de signs publish’ng a weekly newspaper. We fiope the rumor is true. There are men in Georgetown who can write Latin as well as Livy, Greek worthy of Athens, Italian as smoothly as Cardinal Bcmbo, French as polished as Rousseau, Spanish as superbly as Mariano, German like Schlegal, Portuguese as pure as Lisbon ever heard, and English as freely and ele gantly as mortal ever used that tongue; and every year finds students in it who are worthy of their Professors. Certainly it is the Queen College of America. A weekly paper ought to be published at such *an Institution. Father Maguire, the most successful and the best beloved President this venerable nurse of letters ever had, would gratify thousands, and benefit multitudes, by bringing out a handsome sheet. —Philadelphia (Pa.) Universe. [For the Banner of the South.] Despondency. Down the dark waves of Oblivion Sweepeth the record of Time, Chanting a murmuring melody, Fitful and sad in its rhyme; Tuning my feelings to harmony," W’reathing my thoughts into song, Making my heart to beat tenderly, Still as the current flows on. Over the islets of Memory, Surgeth the billowy tide, Crumbling all noiselessly, carelessly, Monuments built in my pride; Dash the wild waters relentlessly ’Gainst the frail structure of years, Whose life hath departed so suddenly, Bathed in the dew of my tears. Gone from the ranks of humanity, They, the best treasured and ti’ied, Gone, and in weary despondency, Wait I the ebb of the tide; Naught in the dread of futurity, Trifling the grief of to-day, If Time, on its road to Eternity, Bear a bright record away. Fidelia. FEAST OF THE ASSUMPTION OF THE MOST BLESSED VIRGIN MARY- This feast is the most exalted and glorious celebrated in honor of the most blessed Mother of our Lord ; for it re minds us of the glory to which she was elevated by her Divine Son Jesus Christ, after she had ended her holy life here be low, and that now seated upon a throne, and united with Him, as Queen of Heaven, she is venerated by all who, with faithful hearts, recognize and worship her Divine Son. Even in the earliest times, our holy Church celebrated this day with an Octavo, reminding us, as it does, of the glory attained by the most Blessed Virgin, and it is regarded as one of her highest festivals. The holy Fathers of the Church mani fest in their writings how greatly they rejoiced in the glory of the Blessed Mother of our Lord, and frequently ad monish the faithful to celebrate this day with holy reverence and joy. Thus, St. Augustine, in the sermon he preached on the Assumption, says : “Bebvcd brethren, the glorious day has arrived that sur passes all the Feasts of the Saints, a most solemn day, when, as wc believe, the Holy Virgin was received from this mortal life into the glory of Heaven. There fore, the whole world shall exult and rejoice in her Assumption; for it would be wrong if the greatest Festival of her through whom the Author of the world became our Saviour, should pass without being honored.” St. John, of Damascus, says: “To-day the holy and living Ark of the Covenant of the living God, which has received its Creator, rests in the Temple of the Lord, which is not built by the baud of man. David, her an cestor, exults, and all the choirs and de grees of Angels surround her with him, celebrating, rejoicing, exulting, praising, and proclaiming her glory. The heaven ly Paradise of the new Adam, free from every curse, in which is planted the tree of life, and our (spiritual) nakedness covered, this Paradise is to-day exalted into the abodes of everlasting life. To day the Immaculate Virgin, free from every earthly passion, and filled with heavenly joy, has not turned into dust and ashes, but she herself being a living Heaven, has been received into the abodes of Heaven.” According to Christian tradition, the most Blessed Virgin, after the Ascension of her Divine .Son, lived with St. John the Apostle, to whom our Saviour, shortly before his death, had commended her as His Mother, and who, from that hour, took her to his own house in Jerusalem, (John 19: 26-27), to the joy and comfort of the faithful, who greatly venerated her as the Mother of their Lord, and as a supporter of the Church, just then in its infancy. Her presence was to the faith ful a substitute for the former bodily presence of the Saviour. She was, to use the words of a learned writer, a model to the Apostles, and a teacher to the teach ers of the Church. She, who had care fully preserved in her heart all that had happened to her Divine Son, from the moment of Ilis incarnation, undoubtedly informed the Evangelist St. Luke of the many and important incidents which he relates of the early youth of Jesus, and His great precursor, St. John. After the Ascension of Jesus, the most Blessed Virgin had certainly no greater desire than that of leaving the world, and of being united in heavenly bliss with her beloved Son, and, if her former life had been a heavenly one, all the thoughts of her mind, and all the wishes of her heart, were now turned where she knew her Divine Son, Jesus Christ, to be, in the majesty of the Father! Yet, notwith standing her infinite longing to be with her Divine Son, submitting to the holy will of God, to whom she, as an humble servant of the Lord, had always sacrificed her own will, she still remained, after the Ascension of Jesus, for a long time on earth, bearing, with a firm heart, the trials to which the Lord subjected her. One of the most painful for her to bear was the cruel persecution incited by the Jews against the Christian community shortly after the descent of the Holy Ghost, which persecution disturbed her holy spirit, and for that reason, she, with St. John, left the city of Jerusalem, and sought refuge in Ephesus, until the perse cution abated. When the Apostles, according to the command of our Saviour, went to all parts of the world to preach the Gospel to all creatures, Mary returned to Jerusalem; for her heart could not bear to stay long away from the sanctified place where her Divine Son had lived, labored, and suf fcred; where lie had died and risen from the dead; and where He had sent down the Holy Ghost upon her, and upon the other disciples. At last, in the fifty-sevent’ l year after the birth of Jesus, that is, twenty-three years after His Ascension, and when she had reached the seventy-second year of her age, the long wished for time'of her death approached. According to tradi tion, the same Angel of the Lord, Gabriel, who had before announced to her the birth of her Divine Son, now appeared, and revealed to her the day and hour of her death. As she was free from original ►sin, and never had committed actual sin, she might have remained free from death, which is the punishment of sin, and, ac cording to the Bible: “Passed over all men, because all men have sinned in one (Adam)." (Rom. 5:12.) But, like her Divine Son, Jesus Christ, who volun tarily submitted to the law of death to procure thereby for man life everlasting, His blessed mother, His most faithful follower, wished to submit to that law. St. John of Damascus says: “Why should death overcome her who was to all of us a source of life ? Yet in humility she submits to the general law of her Son, and, a daughter of Adam, she suffers his punishment. She suffers the punishment of Adam in order that she, the mother of the living God, might be received into Heaven with greater glory.” According to tradition, the most Blessed Virgin, at the time when she closed her earthly course, lived in the venerable house in which our Saviour, with his disciples, had partaken of the Last Supper, at the same time instituting the most Blessed Sacrament of the Altar, and in which the Holy Ghost had de scended upon the Apostles. When it became known that the Mother of our Lord was about to depart this life, to share the glory of her Divine Son, the hearts of all the faithful in Christ were filled with sadness and joy; with sadness at the thought that their beloved Mother, their comfort and support, would soon leave them; and with joy, because they knew that she would be henceforth their continual aud mighty mediator with her Divine Son. Following St. Dionysius, St. John of Damascus thus describes her last moments: “By an old and venerable tradition, we arc informed that all the Apostles who were still living, with the exception of St. Thomas, were with the Mother of God in her last hours. As the moment ap proached when she yielded up her blessed soul into the hands of her Divine Son, who appeared with the choirs of the Angels, and surrounded by the numberless hosts of the holy inhabitants of Heaven, won derful hymns were heard, and a celestial light filled the apartment of the most Blessed Virgin, to which, loudly weep ing, all the Cristians of Jerusalem crowded, to see, for tffe last time, their beloved Mother and Mistress. Number less sick and blind persons, and many who were otherwise afflicted, among them unconverted Jews, were instantly cured, as soon as they entered the holy place. Three days after the bereaved Apostles had buried the holy body, St. Thomas ar rived, and lie was sorely grieved when he heard that the blessed Ark of the Covenant in which the Son of the Almighty had dwelt, had been consigned to the grave. In the desolation of his heart, he besought the other Apostles to open the grave where her holy body was laid, so that he might once more look upon her counte nance, beaming with love. They granted his prayer; but when the grave was opened, it was discovered that the body had disappeared, and they found only the wiuding sheets in which it had been wrapped, and which filled the air with an odor of indescribable sweetness. Greatly astonished at this wonderful mystery, they closed the grave, and could only think that it had pleased the Lord of glory, who had preserved the virginity of His mother even after His birth, to preserve also her spotless body, and to honor it, even before the time of the general resurrection, by receiving it into the heavenly abodes of bliss.” The opinions of the most celebrated teachers of the Church are in harmony with this tradition, and it is the pious be lief of the whole Church that, though the most Blessed Virgin died a natural death, still her body had not seen corrup. tion in the grave, but that, awakened froin the grave by the power of the God-man, who has risen and ascended into Heaven the most Blessed Mother of God was received into Heaven with her body glorified; for the pious faithful in Christ cannot presume that the holy body which had brought forth the Saviour of the world, and from which He, the Almighty Creator and Lord of Heaven and earth, had assumed flesh, should have become dust* “Who would dare to assert, 7 ’ Augustine says, “that the blessed body in which Jesus Christ assumed flesh, was given as food to the worms ?” And thus, also, St. John of Damascus: “Eve, who listened to the seduction of the serpent is punished with pain and death, and must enter the abodes of death; but this truly Blessed Virgin, who listened to the word of the Lord, who was filled with the effect of grace of the Holy Ghost, who, by the salutation of the Archangel, without sen sual affection, and without intercourse with a man, conceived the Son of God, and brought Him forth without pain, and who entirely devoted herself to God, how could death devour her ? How could the grave hold her ? How could corruption attack the body in which life was con ceived ? A road to Heaven, straight, even, and free from obstacles, was pre pared for her; for, if Christ says: ‘ Where I am there also shall my servant be,' how much more will His Mother be with Him !” How glorious must have been the en trance of the most Blessed Virgin into the Kingdom of her Divine Son ? With what joy must the blessed inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem have met their glorified Queen, and with what honors must her Divine Son, Jesus Christ, have distinguished her whom He, in His earth ly life, had honored as His mother ! St. Bernard says : “If eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love Ilimf (1 Cor. 2:9), who then shall be able to ex plain or comprehend what He assigned to His Mother, who loved Him more than all men, and who was loved by Him more than all the rest ?” And if, like her Divine Son, she already manifested so great love and care for the welfare of her fellow-men, and procured them, by her powerful influence with Jesus Christ, such great and miraculous gifts of grace when still living on earth, how much more will she now, united in the glory of Heaven with her Divine Son, employ her compassion so full of love, and her influ ence, so powerful with the King of Majesty, for the welfare and blessing of those she protects on earth, for the pious and faithful Christians! The most Blessed Virgin was, there fore, at all times most justly venerated in our Holy Church above all other Saints, and, in preference to that of all other Saints, has her protection and interces sion been invoked with the greatest con fidence. And this trust reposed in her, the mother of charity, by pious Chris tians, was very often most gloriously jus tified, as is proved by history, by great and frequent miraculous gifts of grace. St. Bernard, her great advocate, there fore, most deservedly and significantly implores her intercession on the Feast ol her Assumption with a heart full of reverence, and wc, the disciples and wor shipers of her Divine Son, should echo the words of that celebrated teacher of the Church, when lie says : “0 thou gloriou- Queen of Heaven and Earth, most Blessoi Mary ! Thy deep humility and heaven ly purity brought down from the highest heavens the King of Glory, the eternal Son of God, from the bosom of Iff Father, into thy virginal womb, ami to day lie has exalted thee to the highest degree of honor in Heaven, and male thee the dispenser of His divine grace.' Behold, 0 powerful Virgin! we po or chi!, dren of Adam to-day, at thine Assump tion, accompany thee with the most joy ful felicitations to the throne of thy glory and pray thee most humbly to make manifest in thy love to the world the grace thou hast found with God. 0, ‘v thy powerful intercession, obtain for ' of God the forgiveness of all the sim whereby we have so often offended tny Son. Through thee the sick expect re lief, the disheartened strength, the op pressed help, the sad comfort, and thoseia danger, safety and deliverance. Brant us, therefore, thine assistance, 0 C ilietTi of Charity! and despise not the that we send up to thee on this soleffi and joyful day celebrated in thy h u - but cause that Jesus, thy beloved Son Vy is God in eternity, may bestow the ; His grace upon all who call upon sweet name with fervent hearts.’ The Advertiser contains an epitome y the reports of the Committee of the Peers and members of the House off 1 monson Irish railways. They reem mend the purchase of the lines ffv State. t