priest heard his confession and administered to him the Holy Communion.

"I was at his bedside even to the last moment of all. After the priest had visited him, he was too weak to speak, except that he murmured twice, with sorrowful voice-Pride did it all! Pride did it all! With his head pillowed upon his mother's bosom, his hand pressed in mine, he smiled peacefully, as if God's forgiveness shone upon his dying face, and then his spirit passed away.

The young man silently grasped the hand of the old lady, and with tearful eyes left her presence.

Next day was Saturday. On the day after, Sunday, a young couple received Holy Communion together-it was the betrothed lovers Alice Desmond and Joseph Martin.

Soon thereafter a quiet wedding took place, and the two families became united in one household. Joseph Martin still retained his habits of study, but he "My story is nearly done. A few years no longer studied alone. Alice had after my lover's death, my father became been gifted with more than ordinary intelone of the many victims to Irish land- lect, and though her husband justly claimlords, and his straitened circumstances ed her to be the best housewife in the made it necessary for me and my younger world, without detriment to her other sister to emigrate to this country. duties, she resolved that the improveHere all our trials were not ended. ment of her mind should keep pace with My sister married, but in the year of his. Aunt Ellen smiles with joy and the cholera, both her and her husband Mrs. Martin is radiant with happy pride died, leaving their only child Alice in my care. My life has been devoted to shielding her from the sorrows that have darkened mine; and may God keep her young heart from too early pain and disappointment.

"Joseph, I have told you my story; perhaps it is a weary one, but you know why I have given it to you. Forgive these tears, I cannot restrain them."

as they contemplate the young couple poring together over the same volumes and discussing the feasts of literature contained therein. Over and above all is that contentment and peace among them which a trusting faith can only give. Worldly ambition does not disturb their little circle, for theirs is that nearest approach to an earthly paradise -a pure Catholic household.

Cardinal Wiseman's last words were: Here I am at last, like a child from school, going home for the holidays."

If home is the first place where faces are sour, and words harsh, and faultfinding is ever in the ascendant, the children will spend as many hours as possible elsewhere. Let every father and mother, then, try to be happy. Let them look happy. Let them talk to their children, especially the little ones, in such a way as to make them happy.

You cannot conceal your faults from God.

What is resignation? It is the putting God between one's self and one's grief.

Remember that on the day of thy birth thou alone wept, while all around thee rejoiced. Live so that at thy last moment all around thee may be in tears while thou alone hast no tears to shed; then wilt thou not fear death, whatever may be the hour of its coming.

THE LAST GRAND MASTER OF MALTA.

"Ma foi, tant pis pour vous. beaten fare badly, is my motto."

"But what will all Europe say when it reads an absolute renunciation of all claims on Malta, Gozo and Comino, made by our Order, almost without resistance?"

The combed straight down to his forehead, his eyes dark and piercing, his lips firmly compressed, his form short and muscular, his movements quick and determined, almost angry in their imperiousness. The other was a tall German knight, with blue eyes, fair skin and rosy cheeks, an anxious, unsettled, and timid gaze. He wore the robe of St. John, and his breast was adorned with the Grand Cross of the Order.

"And what, pray, has your Order done for France, that I should seek to guard its honor and its interests? You are the secret ailies of England and the open friends of Russia, and you have denied water to our fleet, when we had no other port at hand that could relieve our wants."

This colloquy was now ended by the signing of two copies of a written agreement to which they affixed their names, as follows: Signed, "Br. Ferdinand de

But, General"-the rest of the reply Hompesch, G. M. of the Order of St. was cut short by a deep sigh.

"Come, come, my good friend," said the General, “Malta is now in the hands of the French Republic, and nobody can wrest it from them. You, at all events, have no reason to consider yourself illtreated. Look at article 2d. A pension of three hundred thousand francs a year, not to cease unless it be replaced by a duchy in Germany.'"

The speaker at these words placed the point of his fore-finger on a parchment that lay open before him, and raised his eyes to those of his interlocutor.

This conversation was carried on in the Parisio palace at Valetta, the capital of the Island of Malta, on the 16th of June, 1798. The speakers, two military personages of high rank, were seated at a table covered with papers and documents, among which the parchments under discussion. One was dressed in the uniform of a General of the Republic of France; his cocked hat mounted with the tricolored cockade, was on the floor near his chair. His hair was black, and

John." Signed, "Bonaparte." The Grand Master now rose, and was courteously escorted by the General to the door, where he took his leave.

The Grand Master wended his way slowly along the strada reale, and having reached the esplanade in front of the great church of St. John, he dismissed his attendants, who retired to the Hostelry or Palace of the Grand Master, while Hompesch ascended the steps leading to the church. Twilight was now spreading its gray wings over the city, his troubled soul needed the quietness and solitude of the hour. Leaning against a pilaster of the façade, he cast his eyes upon the city. On his right hand lay the Grand Porto, bristling with towers and fortifications, which had withstood all the power of the East for well nigh three centuries. The broad bastions of La Cottonera and Vittoriosa seemed to protect the bay against any incursion from the land, while the battlemented rocks and promontories of Corradino, Senglea and Bighi, guarded the land against any ap

proach from the bay. On the left hand reverie lasted the knight was unable to side stretched the great harbor of Mar- explain, nor could he account for his samuscetto, the quarantine and lazaretto manner of entering the church. He grounds of the island. Here also every found himself, however, kneeling not far point of ground was manned with a from the door of the subterranean chapel strong tower, and every indentation which contains the tombs of the Grand ended against a broad bastion. Between Masters of the Order. As he gazed these two bays runs out to sea the tongue down the gloomy stairway leading from of land upon which stands Valetta. The the church to the vault, he perceived a extreme point is guarded by an impreg- dim spark of light, which gradually nable fort, on whose summit blazes a quickened into life, and grew larger and light-house for miles out to sea. The brighter, shedding around a blue and illextreme points of the shore facing the omened gleam. By this light he saw a lantern on the right and left, are crowned confused sparkling of helmets and shields, in like manner by giant forts. On the swords and spurs, and then a group of side of the Grand Porto stands Fort Knights of St. John, who moved up one Ricasoli, on the side of the Porto di after the other from the vault and Quarantena or Marsamuscetto, stands marched toward the wicket of the railFort Tinnier. Nearer at hand, scattered ing before the grand altar. He observed here and there among the houses of the that every knight wore the insignia of natives of the island, were the splendid a Grand Master, and as they passed into hostelries of Castile, France, Aragon, the sanctuary he recognized distinctly Auvergne, Provence, Italy, England and the features of Nicholas Cottoner, ManGermany, the abodes of the knights of oel de Vilhena, Lisle Adam, Pinto, Zonthe different tongues or countries. dadari, and the great Lavallette, whose appearances were identical with the statues or painted portraits on the monu. ments in the aisles of the church.

of

This fair and famous city, this whole island with the neighboring islands of Gozo and Comino, all these haughty knights of every nation, all these fortifi- Suddenly a report of all the cannon in cations down to curtain and fosse, scarp the hundred and one forts of the island and ravelin, had been subject to his com- burst upon his ear with a deafening mand up to the present day. To-mor crash. The church was lit up with a row's sun would behold him without blaze of light from a thousand torches, power, and all this subject to another showing distinctly the smallest emblems master. "Still all is not lost; three hun- and gilded lines along its richly painted dred thousand francs a year or a dukedom sides and ceiling, and the tinted panes in Germany is something to be consid. its storied windows, and even the inscripered," quoth the Grand Master. "But tions on the tombs of marble and bronze. will not all Europe spurn me as a traitor, The whole nave of the church is paved or at best a coward ?" with the tomb-stones of knights of the Order. Each slab now trembled, flashed and flew open, and from each started up a warrior. The whole space was filled with the sparkling armor, and the nodding plumes of the dead come to life again. A knight in the armor of Au

The Grand Master could find no satisfactory answer to this serious question. The blood mounted to his cheeks and mantled his throbbing temples. He shut his eyes convulsively to banish the hate. ful thought, and buried his face in his hands. How long his sad and painful vergne marched up the middle aisle and

unfolded the grand gonfalon of the Order dead. He was clad with a cope of dark in front of the altar, and at his side purple, and sat without speaking on the stood pages bearing the well-known faldistorium or episcopal chair.

"sword of Religion," which Philip II. had bestowed upon the great Lavellette. A peal of martial music welcomed the standard of St. John, victorious in many a hard-fought battle, and clouds of incense curled around it and rose toward the ceiling, filling the church with a grateful odor.

The deacon, who was a priest of the Order of St. John, now stood before the bishop and said: "Most Illustrious and Reverend Lord, the knights of the Order of St. John here present ask you, whether it is pleasing to you that the chair of honor of this chapter be filled?"

The bishop answered-" Placet." The At the foot of the altar stood a bishop, master of ceremonies and two pursuivants arrayed in full pontificals, supported by in complete armor, approached the terrideacons, sub-deacons and the ranks of fied Hompesch in the corner where he the minor clergy. Every one knelt as knelt, and led him into the midst of the the venerable prelate made the sign of ghostly assembly. As it is usual on enthe cross, and began to recite the "In- tering the choir, he bowed to the bishop troit," all joining in the responses, while and to the assembled knights, turning the "Kyrie eleison" was intoned from first to the left and then to the right. the gallery at the end of the church, His greeting was not noticed, and every and the full harmonious peal of the organ eye was bent to the ground. He was accompanied its majestic notes. The "Gloria in excelsis" and "Credo in unum Deum," were intoned at the altar and sung in turn by the choir. High mass went on with all the majestic rites and ceremonies of the Roman Pontifical The deacon, at its end, turned to the people and chanted "Ite missa est," and the bishop having bowed and kissed the altar, assumed the mitre, and turning, crozier in hand, to the war-like congre. gation, he gave them his benediction in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. The last gospel was read, and as the bishop pronounced the words, "Verbum caro factum est," every knee was bent to the ground, and high mass was over.

The bishop was now conducted to his throne, and disrobed of the brilliant vestments he had worn while officiating at mass. He laid aside his mitre, sparkling with gold and precious stones, and put on a plain white one without ornaments, such as is used in seasons of penance, or in masses of requiem for the

conducted to the stall of the Grand Master, which no one had occupied during mass, and thus filled the most conspicuous seat in that august assembly, next to the episcopal chair. The well-known form of the Grand Master Pinto, the immediate predecessor in office of Hompesch, now glided to the middle of the choir. While he spoke a dead silence reigned throughout the assembly, and the lights seemed to burn blue. "I hereby do solemnly impeach Ferdinand de Hompesch as a false traitor of the honor of God, and the weal of the Order of Knights Hospitallers, which he solemnly swore to uphold, and I ask that the sentence he deserves be passed upon him in this noble assembly of his brethren and predecessors in office."

The unhappy knight trembled from head to foot, and when solemnly interrogated by the bishop, what he had to say in his defence, his tongue cleaved to the roof of his mouth-he could not utter a word. The bishop now arose: "In accordance with the canons of the Church,