WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.600 --> 00:00:04.440
<v Speaker 1>Chapter twenty four of Claude Lightfoot, or How the Problem

2
00:00:04.519 --> 00:00:08.039
<v Speaker 1>was Solved by Father Francis Finn. This LibriVox according is

3
00:00:08.039 --> 00:00:13.919
<v Speaker 1>in the public domain. Chapter twenty four conclusion. Shortly before

4
00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:18.199
<v Speaker 1>reaching the house where young Hardy was staying, Claude, having

5
00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:22.559
<v Speaker 1>finished his long thanksgiving, told Frank in great simplicity of

6
00:00:22.600 --> 00:00:27.679
<v Speaker 1>words his strange adventure. Frank was so moved that he

7
00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:31.879
<v Speaker 1>was hardly able to speak. At times during the narration,

8
00:00:32.359 --> 00:00:36.920
<v Speaker 1>he glanced over his shoulder, half expecting to see the

9
00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:41.159
<v Speaker 1>throng of radiant angels that must have made the progress

10
00:00:41.240 --> 00:00:45.560
<v Speaker 1>of his charge along this country road sacred and sweet

11
00:00:45.880 --> 00:00:50.679
<v Speaker 1>with their lovely attendants. They found Rob Collins with Willie

12
00:00:50.759 --> 00:00:54.320
<v Speaker 1>awaiting them at the house of the German Woman. Speaking

13
00:00:54.600 --> 00:00:58.759
<v Speaker 1>unconsciously in a whisper, Frank told Rob of the wondrous

14
00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:03.079
<v Speaker 1>thing that had come to pass. Rob glanced at Claude,

15
00:01:03.320 --> 00:01:06.840
<v Speaker 1>whose face still gave evidence of the holy thoughts and

16
00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:11.280
<v Speaker 1>inspirations which so recently had enjoyed full play in his

17
00:01:11.480 --> 00:01:16.920
<v Speaker 1>radiant soul. Frank said Rob in a whisper. I remember

18
00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:20.599
<v Speaker 1>when I was preparing for my first communion, how Father

19
00:01:20.680 --> 00:01:26.200
<v Speaker 1>Maynard used to insist that one Communion could make a saint,

20
00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:33.439
<v Speaker 1>And now said Frank, you understand. Then Rob, at Frank's suggestion,

21
00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:36.480
<v Speaker 1>rode to the village to tell the parish priest of

22
00:01:36.560 --> 00:01:40.719
<v Speaker 1>what had happened, and Frank, having hired two horses of

23
00:01:40.760 --> 00:01:43.920
<v Speaker 1>a farmer, brought Claude and Willie back to the camp.

24
00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:47.599
<v Speaker 1>It had been Frank's intention to break up camp on

25
00:01:47.640 --> 00:01:51.359
<v Speaker 1>the afternoon of the following day, but now he resolved

26
00:01:51.480 --> 00:01:54.640
<v Speaker 1>to hasten his preparations so as to take the early

27
00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:58.959
<v Speaker 1>morning train for Milwaukee. On reaching the city next morning,

28
00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:04.760
<v Speaker 1>Claude went at once to his father's office. Why, Clod exclaimed,

29
00:02:04.799 --> 00:02:08.840
<v Speaker 1>mister Lightfoot, jumping from his chair, what brings you here?

30
00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:13.439
<v Speaker 1>Clod returned his father's kiss, and then told his story.

31
00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:18.000
<v Speaker 1>Mister Lightfoot was far more moved than Frank had been.

32
00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:21.520
<v Speaker 1>The tears came to his eyes, and he bowed his

33
00:02:21.639 --> 00:02:25.800
<v Speaker 1>head to conceal his emotion. And when Cloud had come

34
00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:28.479
<v Speaker 1>to an end, he took his little boy in his arms,

35
00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:34.080
<v Speaker 1>kissed him tenderly, and said, God bless you, my little child.

36
00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:38.840
<v Speaker 1>Then he bowed his head upon his hands again. Cloud,

37
00:02:39.599 --> 00:02:43.319
<v Speaker 1>He said, presently, do you think of going to communion

38
00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:49.159
<v Speaker 1>next Sunday? I like to sir very much well, Clod,

39
00:02:49.719 --> 00:02:52.719
<v Speaker 1>with God's help, I shall go to communion with you.

40
00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:58.520
<v Speaker 1>And if Clod hereupon exhibited a joy of surprise which

41
00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:02.879
<v Speaker 1>just fell short of dancing in its expression, none of

42
00:03:02.919 --> 00:03:07.319
<v Speaker 1>my readers should be astonished. Mister Lightfoot had not approached

43
00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:11.520
<v Speaker 1>the Holy table for the past seven years. As the

44
00:03:11.560 --> 00:03:16.039
<v Speaker 1>happy father and happy son took their way homeward Cloud,

45
00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:22.479
<v Speaker 1>after some hemming and stuttering, at length said Papa, I

46
00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:28.680
<v Speaker 1>want to ask you one question. Certainly, Claude, do you

47
00:03:28.879 --> 00:03:33.719
<v Speaker 1>think it was American? The people on the streets may

48
00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:37.120
<v Speaker 1>have been astonished somewhat at mister Lightfoot's answer to this

49
00:03:37.400 --> 00:03:41.599
<v Speaker 1>simple question. Again, he caught his boy up and pressed

50
00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:47.319
<v Speaker 1>him close. Claude. He then said, if you're faithful to

51
00:03:47.520 --> 00:03:51.759
<v Speaker 1>your God, there's no danger of your being unfaithful to

52
00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:56.319
<v Speaker 1>your country. You may go to Milwaukee College as long

53
00:03:56.479 --> 00:04:00.639
<v Speaker 1>as you like. And again Claude was tempted to break

54
00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:04.120
<v Speaker 1>into a short and simple dance of his own composition.

55
00:04:05.240 --> 00:04:09.840
<v Speaker 1>I have noticed, continued mister Lightfoot, that there have been

56
00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:13.879
<v Speaker 1>many men untrue to their religion and untrue to their

57
00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:17.519
<v Speaker 1>country at the same time. But I don't know of

58
00:04:17.560 --> 00:04:20.199
<v Speaker 1>a single case in which a man living as a

59
00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:25.759
<v Speaker 1>true Christian ever betrayed his native land. The reader may

60
00:04:25.879 --> 00:04:31.120
<v Speaker 1>imagine the joyous meeting between cloud and his mother. Three

61
00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:36.879
<v Speaker 1>months ago. Cloude had been wild, impetuous, and passionate. He

62
00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:42.639
<v Speaker 1>had threatened to become ungovernable. Recklessness and a high temper

63
00:04:43.160 --> 00:04:49.079
<v Speaker 1>when they join forces may bring about dire results. Frank Elmwood,

64
00:04:49.160 --> 00:04:52.639
<v Speaker 1>in his first moments of acquaintance with Claude, had read

65
00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:57.079
<v Speaker 1>the youngster's character and been puzzled by the problem. The

66
00:04:57.160 --> 00:05:00.720
<v Speaker 1>solution had come about in a few minutes, and it

67
00:05:00.839 --> 00:05:04.879
<v Speaker 1>had come from Heaven. Claude, from the moment he made

68
00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:09.319
<v Speaker 1>his first communion, was a changed boy. And yet in

69
00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:13.600
<v Speaker 1>another sense he is the same claud. His smile is

70
00:05:13.759 --> 00:05:18.079
<v Speaker 1>as genial, his laugh is as light, his limbs are

71
00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:21.199
<v Speaker 1>as quick as when we first made acquaintance with the

72
00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:26.120
<v Speaker 1>dancing Sunbeam. He is different in that he has been

73
00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:30.360
<v Speaker 1>taught in one sharp yet sweet lesson of divine grace,

74
00:05:30.839 --> 00:05:34.720
<v Speaker 1>to reflect, to think, to keep in mind. That he

75
00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:39.600
<v Speaker 1>is a responsible being in class. He is a model

76
00:05:39.639 --> 00:05:45.040
<v Speaker 1>of behavior at home. He is an earnest student in

77
00:05:45.079 --> 00:05:48.199
<v Speaker 1>the playground. He is the leader of all his fellows

78
00:05:48.759 --> 00:05:52.519
<v Speaker 1>and everywhere. He is happy as the day is long,

79
00:05:53.639 --> 00:05:57.759
<v Speaker 1>as indeed is very natural, he misses Kate, who is

80
00:05:57.800 --> 00:06:01.600
<v Speaker 1>finishing her studies at the Visitation Convent in Saint Louis.

81
00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:05.439
<v Speaker 1>It is possible that Claude will continue to miss her

82
00:06:05.480 --> 00:06:09.360
<v Speaker 1>for years to come. For Kate, charmed by the high

83
00:06:09.399 --> 00:06:14.079
<v Speaker 1>ideal which the rule of the Visitandines presents, and drawn

84
00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:18.519
<v Speaker 1>by the modesty, holiness, and charity of these gentle ladies

85
00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:22.600
<v Speaker 1>who live so sweetly and graciously, the same hidden life

86
00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:26.360
<v Speaker 1>that gave us a blessed Margaret Mary, has already made

87
00:06:26.399 --> 00:06:30.720
<v Speaker 1>application to be received into their ranks, and Claude is

88
00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:35.720
<v Speaker 1>indeed pleased with his sister's choice. Of course, he will

89
00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:41.959
<v Speaker 1>miss her at times, but he will not suffer from lonesomeness. Claude,

90
00:06:42.040 --> 00:06:45.560
<v Speaker 1>at the present writing, has a little brother two years

91
00:06:45.560 --> 00:06:48.959
<v Speaker 1>of age. And I am given to understand by missus

92
00:06:49.079 --> 00:06:53.040
<v Speaker 1>Lightfoot's lady friends, who appear to be experts in such matters,

93
00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:58.399
<v Speaker 1>that a finer child than Frankie Elmwood Lightfoot never opened

94
00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:02.920
<v Speaker 1>his eyes upon the delightful city of Milwaukee. If one

95
00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:06.720
<v Speaker 1>can judge by Claude's attentions to the infant, he too

96
00:07:06.920 --> 00:07:10.839
<v Speaker 1>is of the same opinion, Missus Lightfoot, I am glad

97
00:07:10.879 --> 00:07:14.560
<v Speaker 1>to say, is no longer an invalid. On the very

98
00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:20.120
<v Speaker 1>day that Claude, under such startling circumstances, made his first communion,

99
00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:25.519
<v Speaker 1>his mother experienced a decided change for the better, and

100
00:07:25.800 --> 00:07:29.319
<v Speaker 1>she maintains to this hour that it was the fervent

101
00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:34.439
<v Speaker 1>prayers of her dear little boy which brought about this change.

102
00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:39.319
<v Speaker 1>Claude still cherishes the picture of Tarcissius. Whenever he looks

103
00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:43.319
<v Speaker 1>at it, he thinks of his first communion, and wonders

104
00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:48.399
<v Speaker 1>whether he shall ever again feel so unspeakably happy in

105
00:07:48.480 --> 00:07:53.920
<v Speaker 1>this world? Who knows? Should Claude, in the years to come,

106
00:07:54.360 --> 00:07:58.720
<v Speaker 1>ascend the altars some day as the legitimate minister of

107
00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:04.199
<v Speaker 1>the blessed sacrament? I dare say that his heart kept

108
00:08:04.279 --> 00:08:08.680
<v Speaker 1>pure and spotless. Let us hope, by the singular graces

109
00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:13.120
<v Speaker 1>of God, shall throb at the awful words of consecration

110
00:08:13.920 --> 00:08:18.199
<v Speaker 1>with a bliss even more unspeakable than the bliss with

111
00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:22.519
<v Speaker 1>which it throbbed when he made that memorable first communion

112
00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:28.399
<v Speaker 1>by which the problem was solved end of Chapter twenty four.

113
00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:32.799
<v Speaker 1>And of Claude Lightfoot, or how the problem was solved

114
00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:36.679
<v Speaker 1>by Father Francis Finn recording by Carrol Pelster