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JOIING. HALL,
editor & rnnrniETOR.
Ix-tlers to Kvanyelirit.
NUMUKh TWO.
i : In my last letter to you, I
l.ri- i!v tcviewed the position held by
tho i'tiurcli. in regard to tlio Blessed
Virgin Mary and the saints. I show
ed you tluitthc Church, while- paying to
them great honor nnd reverence, regards
thorn simply as intercessors nnd media
ton", and never gives to ti.ein that honor
vl eii is duo only to (Jod. I gave you
B:blieai proof:!, botli from the Old and
New Testamc tit. sustaining the doctrine
of the invocation of saints, aud showing
that they not only hear us, but, that they
answer our prayers by interceding in our
beh-Jl'. From what I have already ad.
valu ed, it is evident, that tho Blessed in
lieuven Lmow what passes on this earth,
that they are aware of all things con !ern
in;.' up, find that they rejoice in our happi.
n ss, and sympathize in our sorrows;
r r'loi wise, they could not bo gladdened
when we do good, nor would they resent
any sj iiilu d injury which might happen
to m as I have shown you to bo the
case. Again, it is not simply tho bare
possession of knowledge, on their part,
that 1 have fdiowu you, but the actual
fact, that they i.-lh-r up our prayers to
'Jod, and intercede with Mini in our be.
half. Here, then, are grounds sufficient
for th establishment of a doctrine on
this subject, and the true Church should
' :;!i such a doctrine ; lor, certainly,
this", and the many other similar texts
) rovo something; tho writers of the sa
ere J scriptures hud Home hi ention, son
i. finite object, iu placing them in the
liiHo. and did not put them there blind
ly and without reason ; and if the sacred
rcriptures be the work of inspiration,
they must have a meaning, and cannot
be injected. And if all contained in
the sacred text be true, and must form
it rule ot faith, such clear tcf timony, as
I hta'e ad winced, regarding the conncc
ti: n between mankind and the saiut-i,
intuit form the subject of a doctrine,
liiurft be the communion of saints. But
v, hat is tho communion of saints? It
b the reciprocal ;t'..ri hange of good of
fires between the i-V-'-e 1 in heaven and
the faithful up-'! earth, by which the
Litter ate Lent lit te-l by the prayers and
bic d it lit ion ol the former ; it is that ol
which you speak every time you recite
me A postles creed ; and if you reject it,
you stultify yourself every time you re.
cite that creed, just as much as if you
said ; " forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive those who trespass against us,"
und. at the same time had no intention
ol forgiving jour cm-ay. But this
ii. -cfiue cannot be ..u,;d in those relig
i ,ii systems which i eject ail cou.iuuui
e tiou between this woild and the next,
ami, therefyo, all intercession of the
the saints. It can only Lc found iu the
't.tholic belief , that our pray cm tire off
i rd lip for us by the siiut, and that
v c may, theicl'oe, a: k them to iutereeile
).r'is. Idis.iie. i:i thin letter, to show
1 vou, that ihe doctrine of tho invoca
tion (if soi is has been held by the
h ieh I oi i he very earliest ages, and
I i t .11 jii li.-i to vou from the wti-
tin ; of ti.
uud from other
: urees of i j i.i' value as testimony. I
hi.ve .-aid t.'iat this doctrine has been
held by the Church from the very car
Jii.it ngcs, aud the first proof I shall give
Jou, will be an extract lrom the '' Doc
irines ol the ( Lureh," by Cardinal Wise,
lii-i!. Hi: sivi: '-llveiy part of Koine
i. iiidertnio' d with oalneomli, iu which
the Lh.i lies ol sai'its and martyrs were de
) .site,! tificr their deaths. The t.imh.
ere even seme of then: us yet sealed up
; hd unbroken ; fune with inscription.''
( i them, or pel haps a palm branch rud i
ly sculptured, to show that there rcpi.se
the myiteisof Christ. We liave phials,
; ihering and fastened to tile covers of
the tombs, in the walls of the catacombs,
ii which uie sponges, or sediment, still
tingi d w'uh the color of blood; indeed
the very ii stiumonts of martyrdom arc
nitunt!y louad in tombs. Certainly,
these were men who know Christianity,
wLo fuily appreciated what was doe
1o Christ, for whom they died, who
wcreluily convinced thut notiiing on
earth was to be preferred before lli:n
ttnd that tio creature could pretend to
one Jifirtiele of the honor re vm ii hv
Him to Himself! Purely we cannot
wan' 'ureror more sa!i.-fn tory witness
es to .hat Chri-t instituted, than they
v ho bed their blood to seal its truth;
we. cMiunt want ti at hers bi tter imbued
with the rpirit ol His religion, than
those who were ro.niy to lay down their
lives to defend it. Let us see what was
their belief n garding their bretheren,
when they depoMied them in these tombs
4 nd scaled t tit. tu up, and inscribed on
tlem their regit ts or their hopts. Noth
ing is more common than to fin 1 on them
a supplication, a piayar to tho faints or
lutii'tyrs, to intercede for the survivors
with Iu the year ltibl, us dis
covered a remarkable tomb ol the mar
tyr l&ibatius, iu the cemctiy of liui jiau
Hud Kp.machus. On the cue bide, was
the pain branch, the emblem of mur
tyi'd'ju, uud on the other, the wreath or
JOHN Q. HAI..L, Editor.
I'Ofcr.TIE C .VUJTIItEn 3G
crowu given to conquerors, with this in
scription in a rude Infinity :
Salati didvi anima pete
ct roja pro fratrcs et
toJahts tuos.
" Sabbatius, sweet soul, pray and en
treat for thy brethernand Comrades."
These early Christians, then, pray to
the martyr to intercede for hib blether,
en on caith.
In the cemetery of Callixtus, i anoth
er insciiption of the samo antiquity,
which runsthtis :
Attlce spt'n'tus tvnt
Iu bonu ora pro parcnti
bun tuts.
" Attieus, thy spirit is in bliss, pray
for thy parents."
In that of Cyriaca, we have an in
scription in much tho same terms:
JuvMiie vi vn ia IKo
ct rog.
" Juvianus, may you livo in God and
pray."
In that of Pricilla, wo have another,
very touching and beautiful in the orig.
hial :
AixntoUmts fdio bencme
rent! fecit qui vixit unnis VII
spriritus tints bene rrqines
cut in Deo pitas pro
tororc tiM.
" Anatolinus made this monument
to his well deserving son who
lived seven years. May
thy spirit rest we'd
in God, and thou,
pray for thy
Bister."
Marino gives us another old Christian
inscription to this effect:
ICujet pro noLi quia
tic im its te in
Chrisfo,
" l'"iJjfLr u) because wo
know that thou art iu
.Christ."
Tlie;:o are most of them inscriptions
on the tombs of martyrs, whose bodies
were deposited therein during the very
first centuries of Christianity, when
men were ready to die for tho faith of
Christ. They, were insctibed by those
who saw them suffer, and who wore, per.
haps, themselves to be the rccxt to lay
down .their livcsj and yetdid not think,
that by entreating their prayers, they
Were derogating lrom tho glory ol Uou,
or the mediatorship of Christ." Let us
now, from t lie monuments, which aro of
the greatest interest, because they exist
now as they did when first erected, and
have never been nuhject to chango, de
scend to the writings (if their Father,
and we rind the panic testimony await
ing us, only much more strongly and
emphatically expressed. And wu will
liiij i i this testimony that they enter
tained exactly the same belief, upon
this subject, aa is held by the Catholic
church today, and which she has held
over since hi r foundation. We will
(hid, also, that they not ouly ask tho
.-.tints to intercede for them, that thoy
do not simply say " pray for us," " help
us," but " deliver us," " grant us," not
bc.eau.iu they believed that the saints
could, of themselves, grant '.hem favors,
or because they wished to ignore Al
mighty God but because, in speaking;
to an intercessor, it is frequently the
case that the same language is used
:o hi ui as would ho used directly to
the grantor. Catholics, at tho prc
:ent day, are charged with using, to
the Blessed Virgin and the saints, lan
guage which is due only to God, but
we tiud thut the Fathers of the Chureli
Ufd not only the same, but even strong
er, tt. lrenaeus, who lived in the sco
ond century, tells us, that, " as Fe was
seduced to fly from God, bo was the
lrgui .Mary induced to oooy him, that
site mii'ht become the advocate ol her
that had lallcu. Origen, ouo of the
Fathers of the Greek Church, who liv
ed in tho third century, speaking on
this subject, says : " And of all the
holy men "who have quitted this life.
retaining their chanty towards those
whom they left behind, we may bo al
lowed to say, that they aro anxious for
their salvation, and taut they assist
them by their prayers an J their media
tion with (Jod. 1'or it is written in the
books of tho Macabees: This is Jcro-
miah tho prophet of God, who always
prays for the ijeople, ana agaio, lie
thus writes, on the Lametitatious : "I
will fall down on my kuecs.and not pre
suming, on account' of my crimes, to
present my prayer to God, I will invoke
ill tho saints to my assistance. 0 ye
taints of heaven, 1 beseech you, with
.sorrow full of sighs and tears, fall at the
feet of the Lord of mercies for me, a
miserable sinner."
St. Cyprian, in the game century,
says : " Let us be mindful of one uuolh.
cr in our prayers ; with one miud 'and
one heart, in this world, aud in the uext,
let us always pay, with mutual charity
relieving our sufferings and afflictions.
And may the charity of him, who, by
the divine favor, shall first depart hence,
still persevere before tho Lord ; may
Ins prsyer, for our bretheren and sisters,
not cease." 1 hus we see, according to
the belief of the Fathers, that when we
mm
fCJIIVV, FEAtlt JI'OI". 1st , IS66.-
depart from this life, wo do not forget
our friends, but that tho same good offi
ces of charity are to continue, by our
praying lor those who still remain upou
earth
In tho fourth century, Eusebius of
Csarea thus writes : " May wo be
found worthy by the prayers and inter
cession of all the saints ; and St. Cyril
of Jerusalem, speaking of the Liturgy,
says : " We next commemorate those
who aro gone before us ; the patriarchs,
prophets, npostles and martyrs; begging
that, thiough their prayers, God would
receive our supplications. We then
pray for tho holy fathers and bishops
that aro dead, aud lor all the faithful
departed, believing that their souls re
ceive very great relief by the prayers
that aro offered up for them while this
holy and tremendous victim lies upon
the altar " St. Basil, one of the most
cloqucDt and learned writers of the samo
century, speaks much more enthusiasti.
ly, in his panygcric on forty martyrs, in
these words : "These are they, who, hav
ing taken possession of our country, stand
as towers against the incursions of tho
enemy. Here is a ready aid to Chris,
tiatir. Often have you endeavored, of.
teu have you toiled, to gain one interces
sor. You have now forty, all emitting
one common prayer. Whoever is op
pressed by care,has recourse to their
aid, as he has who prospers : the first, to
seek deliverance ; the second that his
good fortune may continue. The pious
mother is found praying for her chil
dren ; aud the wife for the return and
the health of her husband. O yc com.
inon guardians of the human race, co.
operators iu our prayers, most powerful
messengers, stars ot the world, and
flowers of Churches, let us join our
prayers with yours."
Another saint of this ago, St.Epbrem,
the oldest father and writer of the Ori.
cntal church, thus expresses himself :
" I entreat holy martyrs, who have suf
fered so much for tho Lord, that you
would intercede for us with Him, that
fie bestow Mis grace on us," and again
he says, in praying to the Blessed Vir
gin Mary: 14 We fly to thy patronage,
Holy Mother of God ; protect and guard
us under the wings ot thy mercy and
kindness. Most merciful God, through
thh intercession of the most blessed Vir
gin Mary, and of all the angels, and of
all the saints, show pity to thy oreature.
But the following is much stronger, and
appears in his works addressed to the
blessed Virgin ; In thee, Patroness
and McdiHtrix with God, who was born
from thee, the human race, 0 Mother
of God, placeth its joy, and ever is de
pendent upon thy patronage ; aud, iu
thee alone, hath refuge and defence,
who hast full confidence iu Mini. Be
hold I also draw nigh to tlioe, with a
fervent soul, not having courage to ap
proach thy son, but imploring- that,
through thy intercession, I may obtain
salvation. Despise not, then, thy ser
vant, who plaoeth all his hopes in thee
after God ; reject him not, placed in
girevnus danger, and oppressed with
many griefs; but thou, who art compai
siouate, and the mother of a merciful
God, have mercy upon thy servant ; free
mo from futal concupiscence &c." iu
another prayer, ot tho same saint, occur
the following words : " After the Trin
ity (thou art) mistress of all; after the
I'aruelcte, another paraclete ; after the
Mediator, mediatrix of the whole world."
' Surely," says Cardinal Wiseman, "this
is more than enough, to prove, that if
this glory of the Kyriao church, this
friend of the great St. Basil,, had lived
in our times, he would not have been
allowed to offiointe iu tho English
chuich ; but would have been obliged
to retire to some humble chapel, if he
wished to discharge his sacred func.
tions; " and yet this saint is not ouly
considered by us as the brightest orna
ment of tho Syriac and Oriental church,
but is equally regarded as such by Nes
torians and Monophysites, and other
sec taries who have separated from us
sinco his time. Mo was the bosom
friend of St. Basil, and is always alluded
to, by him, in terms of the greatest af.
fection and reverence, as a man of dis
tinguished virtue, but so humble that
he never advanced beyoud the order of
deacon in the church of Edessa. And
St. Gregory ot Nyssa thus addresses him
after his death : " Do thou now, being
present at God's altar, and with His
angjls, offering sacrifi -e to the Prince of
life, and to. the most holy Trinity, re
member us; begging for us the pardon
of our sins." We 6ce, therefore, that
the doctrine of the invocation of saints
was held in every part ot the church,
and prevailed as much in the Greek as
in tho Latin or Oriental. St. Gregory
of Xazianzum, speaking cf his deceased
friend St. Basil, says: "Now, indeed,
he is in heaven ; thoie, if I mistake not,
offering up eacrifiees for us, pouring out
prayers for the people ; for he has not
left so as to have deserted us. And do
thou, sacred and holy spirit, look down,
I beseech thee, on us; arrest, by thy
prayers, that sticg of the flesh, whish
was given to us for our correction, or
teach us hovr to bear it with fortitude ;
guide all our ways to that which is best ;
and, when we shall dopart hence, re
ceive us, then, into thy society ; that,
with thee, beholding more clearly that
blessed and adorable Trinity, which now
we see in a dark manner, wo may put a
final closo to all our wishes; and receive
tho reward of tho labors we have borne."
Beautiful and consoling as is tho doc.
trine of the invocation of saiuts to those
who believe in it, how especially touch'
ing is it to hear friend addressing those
with whom they have been intimate in
this life, aud who have left it for that
better aud eternal one, and begging
them, in the language of affection and
friendship, to jtill remember them in
their prayers ; and asking them, as they
are now admitted into the presence of
uou, not to torget those whom they
have left behind them, and who aro still
struggling against the dangers and temp,
tations of life. Mow consoling must it
not have been to thera to think, that,
though all the saints were their friends,
still they had those among tho blessed,
whom they could address in the intimate
language of affection, and on whom they
could, with the gentlo vehemence of re.
ligion, urge their claims and their do
sires. Wo have another example of
this in the language which St. Gregory
of Nyssa, the brother of St. Basil, uses
in his discourse on the martyr Theodo.
rus : Me says : " Invincible though
thou art, come as a friend to them that
honor thee; come and behold this sol.
emn feast. We stand in need of many
favors j bo thou" our envoy for thy coun
try before our common King and Lord.
The country of tho martyr is the plaoe
of his suffering; his citizens, his broth
ei8, his relations, are they who possess,
who guard, who honor him. We are in
fear of afflictions; we look tor dangers;
the Scythians approach us with dreadful
war. Thou, indeed, hast overcome the
world; but thou knowest tho feelings
and the wanta of our nature. Beg for
us the continuance of peace, that these
our public meetings be not dissolved ;
that the wicked and raging barbarian
overthrow uot our temples and our al
tars; that ho tread not under foot thy
holy places. That hitherto we havo
lived in safety, we owe to thy favor ;
we implore thy protection for the days
that are to como ; and if a host of pray
ers be necessary, assemble the choirs of
your brother martyrs, and supplieate al
together for us. The united prayers of
so many just will cover the sins of the
people. Admonish Peter, solicit Paul,
call John, tho beloved desciplo, and lot
thera intercede for the churches, which
they themselves have founded." Mere
S-'t- Gregory not only invokes tho aid of
Theodorus, but invokes it in temporal
matters. He tells him to " como as a
friend," to act as tho " envoy of his
country;" he tells him that they are
" iu fear of afflictions," that they " look
for cangers;" they fear war and its
dreadful consequences, and he begs tho
martyr to pray for the " continuance of
peace ; " he tells him that it is owing to
h:s favor that they havo hitherto lived
in peace, and begs his protection " for
the days that are to come," and finally,
that if his prayers aro not sufficient, to
call his brother martyrs to his assistance,
and to solicit the aid of Peter, of Paul,
aid ot John, the beloved desciple.
Surely, men occupying the position,
which these Fathers of the church did,
in the earliest and purest, as well as the
most rigid, days of christiuuity, would
uot thus strongly invoke tho assistance
of the saints, did they not feel confident
that their prayers would be both heard
and answered. To think otherwise, is
to impute the grossest folly aud igno
rance to those, whom as men ot sanctity
and learning, we have nlways respected
and venerated. Here is a passago from
St. Ambrose; " Peter and Andrew in
terceded for tho widow, (Luke IV. 38v).
It were well if we could obtaiu so speedy
an intercession ; but surely those who
implored the Lord for their relation can
do tho same for us. You sco, that she,
who was a sinner, was little fitting to
pray for herself, or at least to obtain
what sho asked. Other intercessors to
the Physician were, therefore, nccessa.
ry. The angels who are appointed to be
our guardians, must bo invoked ; and
the martyrs likewise, whose bodies seem
to be a pledge for their patronage.
They, who in their blood, washed away
every stain of gin, can implore forgive
ness for us ; they aie our guides, and the
beholders of our lives aud actions; to
them, therefore, wo should not blush to
have recourse."
The last quotation which I shall make
in this letter, will bo one from St Au
gustiue, showing the dibtinction which
the church makes between the honor
given to God, and the honor given to
tne saints, lie wy ; " me christian
people celebrate the memories of the
martyrs with a relisious aoleninitv. in
order that they may learu to imitate
them, aud may be associated to their
merits, ana may be aided by tbeir pray
ers; but to do martyr to the God
alone of martyrs, ia memory of them,
do we raise altars. For what bishop,
among the repositories of holy bodies,
S0
rani w
J. F. MO OltK, Publisher.
TEItJISl 50 Per IVnr in tdvancc.
assisting at the altar, was ever heard to
say : lo thee, Peter, to the Paul, or to
tho Cyprian, do we make tho offering ?
bo (iod, alone, who crowned the mar
tyrs, is sacrificed offered iu the places
where their relies rest; that tho eicht
of these places may excite a warmer
fcntiuictit towards those whom we should
imitate ; and towards him by whose aid
it can be accomplished. Wo venerate,
therefore, the martyrs with that venera
tion of regard, with which holy nien tiro
here treated upon earth, who are dis
posed, wo know, to Buffer for tho truth
of the gospel. When they havo suffer
ed, and have conquered, our veneration
is more devoted and more firm, as they
are translated from a state of conflict to
a state of permanent happiness.
But with that worshi p which the
Greeks call lnrein, (adoration), and
which in Latin cannot bo expressed by
one wovd as it is a worship properly
duo only to the Divinity with that wor
ship wo woiship God alone. To this
belongs the offering of sacrifice ; whence
they aro idolators who sacrifice to idols.
We offer no sacrifice to any martyr, nor
to any saint, nor to any angol ; and
should any one fall into the error, sound
doctrine will so raise its voice that ho
be coriec c l or condemned, or avoided."
In proving to you, that the saints can
hear the prayers and rcquosU which we
address to them, and that they will in.
tcrcede for us, I havo presented to you
texts from the bible ; from the same
source I havo shown you that tho invo
cation of s&ints is not only proper, but
that we aro even directed to avail our.
Belves of their assistance ; and finally I
have shown you, from records whose
genuineness cannot be doubted, and
from the writings of the holy fathers,
that such has been the belief and tho
practice of the church from tho very
earliest Christianity. I have shown you,
that tho prayers of the martyrs were iu.
voked eveu immediately after their
deaths, with a confidence and fervor
which proved, that the early christians
had tho firmest faith in the charitable
offices of those who had gone before
them. And surely, no one will doubt
tho testimony of Basil, of Augustine, of
Cyprian, or of lrenaeus! Wero they
not saints, aud do we not owe to them
the establishment of many fundamental
doctrines of religion ! And when they
invoked the saints and martyrs for assis
tance and prayers, is it rational to be.
lieve that they would do'so, unless they
wero convinced that their requests would
be heard T Most assuredly not , and I
think that their testimony, alone, should
bo accepted as proof sulfioiont of the
validity, as well as of the propriety, of
tho docttine, aud also, of the ability of
the saints to hear the requests which
are made to them, and of their willing
ness to answer such requests, by inter,
cession with Almighty God. For if we
admit that theso great writers were
saiutu, which, indeed, we cannot deny,
we must admit their testimony, on this
point, to be not only sound but authori
tative. And, indeed, it seems to me,
that no great length of argument is ne
cessary to prove tho truth of the doc
trine of tho invocation of saints, or of
their ability to hear us. Tho idea of our
being still in communion with .those
near, and dear ones, who have departed
this life, is bo consoling, besides being so
much in accordance with common sense,
that I imagine, any thiukiug man will,
upon mature reflection, be willing to ad
mit its reality. I had inteuded, contin.
uing tho consideration of this subject
through one or more subsequent letters,
but I feel that I have given you proofs
suffioieut in verification of the doctrine ;
and enough, at least, to warrant you in
investigating still farther for yourself,
in which any resources at my command
will be heartily at your service. Trust
ing that my hastily written letters may
afforded you tho information whioh you
desired. I remain,
Very Tru'y Yours,
MEOJCL'S.
To be thought periectiy happy, pride
often makes itself perfectly miserable.
Every step towards Heaven is a
struggle with aud victory over self, the
world, and hell.
Goods works aro essential to true re-;
ligion, not as meritorious, but as evi.
dence of the reality and glory of such
religion.
What is better than presence of mind
in a railroad accident ? A us Absence
of body.
A wit and fool in company, are like
a crab and oyster tho ono watches till 1
the other op:ns his mouth that ho may
catch him up.
The newspapers are all having a tilt
at the tilting hoops of tho ladies. Otic
inconsiderate follow calls their prevalent"
use the hiuderpest.
WTiat is the difference between an
editor and a wife f Ouo sets articles to
rights and tho othoe writes artioles to
aet.
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the rate (ptroolunui) of .. Hf 00
SEpejW
T SaiU r ttoy or JUTatrc"
A French brig was returning fron
Toulon to Havre with a rich cargo and
numerous passengers. Off the cost ot
Bretagne, it was overtaken by a sudden
and violent storm.
Captain P , an experienced sailor,.
at once saw the danger whioh threaten,
cd the ship on such a rock coast, and he.
gave ordejs to put out to sea ; but the
winds and waves drove the brig violent
ly toward shore, and notwithstanding all
the efforts of the crew, it continued to
get nearer the land.
A tuong the most acti ?e on beard ia
doing all that he could to help, was littlo
Jacques, a lad twelve years old, who was
serving as cabin-boy in tho vessel. At
times which he disappeared for a mo
ment behiud the folds of the sail, the
sailors thought that ho had fallen over
board ; and again, when a wave threw
down on the deck, they looked around
to see if it had not carried away the
poor boy with it, but Jacques was soon
up again unhurt.
" My mother," said he smiling, to an
old sailor, " would be frightened enough
if she saw me just now."
His mother, who lived at Havre, was
very poor and had a large family. Jac.
ques loved her tenderly, and he was en
joying the prospect of carrying to her
hi littlo treasure two franc-pieces,
which bo had earned as wages for the
voyage.
The brisr was beaten nhnnt a .T,1
i - niiuiiF
day by the storm, and in spite of all tho
-a - . I . i -..
euorcs ui wie erew ttiey could not steer
clear of the rocks on the coast. By the
gloom on the captain's brow it might
be seen that he had little hope of saving
the ship. All at otico a violent shock,
was felt, accompanied by a. horrible
crash ; tho vessel had struck on a rook.
At this terrible moment thn v,,o
- (itwiiigij
threw themselves on their knees to pray.
i.ower me uoats : cried the cap.
tain. r
Tho sailors obeyed ; but no sooner
were the boats in the water than thoy
wero cai-riod away by tho violenco of the
waves.
" We have but one hope of safety,"
said the cantain. " One nf na mm i..
.brave enough to run the risk of swim
miug with a rope to shore. We may fas
ten one end to the mast of the vessel and
tne otner to a rocK on the coast, and by
that means we may all get on shore."
" But captain it is impossible ! " said
the mate, pointing to the surf breaking
on tho sham rocks. 11 Whopvor .i,,.i3
attempt to run such a risk would oer-
Uitiiy bo dashed to pieces."
' Well," said the canhiin 5n o lnnr
, , ...
tone, " we must all die together."
At this moment there was a slight
quiet among the sailors who were silent
iy watting lor orders.
" What is the matter there f " inquir.
ed the captain.
" Captain," replied a failor, this littlo
monkev of cabin-hov
to shoro with a strong string round hi
body to draw the cable after him; he is
as obstinate as a little mule 1 " and he
pushed Jacques into the midst of the
circle.
The bov stood turn 111 (i a itnn tAitn.1
and round in his hand without darin to
utter a word.
" Nousensc I such a child isn't an t
said the captain, roughly.
But Jacques was not a charaotej to
be so easily discouraged.
"Captain," said he, timidly, "you
don't wish to exnose thn llvoo r,F
sailors like these : it does not m'ntiar
what becomes of a" little monkey" of
a cabin-lioy, as the boaUwain calls me
Give me a ball of stroiisr string, which
will unroll as I get on, 'fasten one end
round my body, and I promise you that
within ail hour ho rope will be well fas
tened to the thore, or I will perish in
the attempt."
" Does he know how to swim ? " naVo
the captain.
Aj swiftly and easv as n nnl "
plied one of the crow. '
"1 could swim up tho Seine from
Havre to Paris," said little Jaoquos.
The captain hesitated hut. tti
ot all on board were at stakn. nl
yielded. Jacques hastened t prenar
for his ternblo undertaking. Then he
turned aud softly approached the can.
ta'n.
" Captaiu," said he. .19 T m. V
lost, may I ask vou to t.-ik, o!,o-,. r
y vimicu u.
something for me 'I "
. teituinly, my boy," said the oap.
Ilatos ot
;"'"i w aimosi repenting of hav.
ing yielded to his entreaties.
41 Mere, then, captain," replied Jac
ques, holding out two five-franc piece
wrapped 111 a bit of rag ; " if I am eatea
by the porpoises, and you get safe to
land, be so kind as to give this to my
mother, who lives on the quay at Harro;
and wili you tell her that I thought of
ber, and that I love her very much, as
well as all my brothers and sisters f "
" Be easy about that my boy. If yom
die for u-s, and wo eseape, your mother
shall never waut for anything."
"Ohl thca I will willingly try U