“A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME”
Bishop Conaty, rector of the Catholic University at Washington, while on a visit to Brooklyn recently, told of a priest’s experience in a small New England town. The clergyman was just about to retire for the night when he heard a knock at his door. He called “Come in,” and a negro presented himself and said, rather shamefacedly:
“Father, there is a girl outside. May I bring her in?”
Assent having been given, he disappeared for a moment, and returned with a white woman and informed the scandalized priest that they wished to be married.
He was shown the door with promptness, and the girl was severely admonished on the course she was pursuing.
Fifteen minutes later there came another knock, and on opening the door the priest found himself again face to face with the would-be colored bridegroom.
With great indignation the priest said:
“I thought I sent you about your business before!”
The darkey paralyzed him with this reply:
“Yes, I know you did, Father James; but Mary and I have talked it over, and we thought maybe you would look at the matter differently if you knew I was willing to turn Irish.”