“And—and—may I be your godmother?”
“Delighted!” cried the boy. “Nothing could please me better.”
“You ought to know,” observed John Rieler, “that the Church has erected an impediment between godmother and godson. If you carry out that program, you two can never marry.”
“Marry!” cried Dora, “I’m not to marry. I’m to dedicate my life to Mary.”
“Marry!” remonstrated Clarence. “Who ever thought of such a thing? Dora and I don’t intend to discuss that subject ourselves; and we don’t”—here he looked severely at John—“care about hearing anyone else discuss it.”
“All right, Clarence,” said John, “if that’s the case I want to be godfather.”
After supper, Clarence, alone, went to the boys’ chapel, where for fifteen minutes he prayed and recalled in sorrow all the sins of his life. Then came Dora, John, Will and the two married couples followed by Father Keenan; and in the quiet of the evening Clarence Esmond filled with faith and love received upon his brow the regenerating waters of baptism and became a faithful child of the true Church.
On the next morning the three children and Will Benton attended the six o’clock Mass and together received Holy Communion.
Clarence frequently during that day pronounced it the happiest day of his life.
On Sunday evening Clarence, who had passed most of the time with his parents, entered Father Keenan’s room.