"We will give up all reading, except books that lead our thoughts to holy things, not necessarily dull or uninteresting because they are holy. You know how delighted you were with 'Fabiola,' 'Faber's Tales of the Angels,' 'Babies Who Died for Christ,' 'The Little Spouse of the Blessed Sacrament.'"
"I should like to read 'Fabiola' again Ma, dear," said Amy. "I always feel—I don't know exactly how to describe my feelings after reading such a book as 'Fabiola'—happy, calm, a longing to have been one of the first Christians to have loved our dear Lord as did little St. Agnes."
"And I," said Bo, "wouldn't I enjoy going round with the big soldier Quadratus, and tearing down the Emperor's edicts against the Christians. Oh, wouldn't I play tricks on those mean old Pagans; I tell you I'd make them skiddoo."
"Mamma," said Amy, pointing to a painting of Ecce Homo, "I do so love that sad face; sometimes when I sit here and look at it intently, the eyes seem to open. Once I was so sure of it, I got Hetty to take the picture down. Oh, I feel so sorry for our dear Lord, especially his crown of thorns. Why, oh why, couldn't they have taken it off while he was carrying the cross. He must have struck His sacred head against the cross as he staggered under its heavy weight up that awful road to Calvary," and the gentle, tender-hearted girl sobbed aloud.
Bolax, at this, jumped up, dashing a book against the wall and kicking his chair, he exclaimed: "Oh, if I had been there I would have gotten a crowd of boys and thrown stones at those awful executioners! Surely lots of boys must have known and followed Jesus—what cowards they were! You don't hear of any one offering to help Him; every one was afraid except brave, glorious St. Veronica."
"My dear impetuous boy, I am comforted to know you think of and feel for our suffering Savior."
"What you would have done had you been present at the awful scene on the road to Calvary, do now, by making sacrifices of your own will, suffering something for the love of Jesus."
"You must not compare the American boy with the boys of those long ago times; the Roman soldiers who were driving Jesus were naturally cruel and rejoiced in having a victim on which to exercise their cruelty. They would have exterminated even a crowd of men had they dared to interfere, and boys would have been crushed to death instantly. Mercy was an unknown virtue to the people of those days."
"Mamma," said Amy, "thinking of my general Confession, I feel I must ask your advice on one subject; is it a sin to pray for animals?"
"Oh, Ma, dear," interrupted Bolax, "I want to ask about that too."