A lovely story for the children for this beautiful feast of the Most Holy Rosary.
I
THE lovely stars of early night were all a-twinkling in a glorious May sky. Marie Lesly, kneeling at the window of her little room, gazed rapturously upon the delightful scene. Down below was the blooming garden with its fragrant trees mirrored in the stone-encircled pond. Further on a leafy grove threw somber shadows, as the moon, big and nearly full, peeped slowly over the tree-tops, gushing out a flood of silver light Marie was praying. 'Twas her evening prayer. But now, because it was May, a decade of the rosary was lovingly added. How easy it was to pray to nature's God with nature all a-smiling before her! Arising, she kissed the cross of the neat little mother-of-pearl rosary in her hand. "My First Communion Rosary," she murmured softly as she unconsciously dropped it upon the sill and cast a last look at the starry heavens above.
"Queen of May, O pray for me!"
"Mother dear," cried Marie, upon entering the den early the next morning, "did you take my rosary away? I can't not find it anywhere, and only last night I had it in my room." No, mother had not taken it , nor had she seen it anywhere. "Perhaps Eddie has it," she suggested. In a moment Marie had found her brother.
"Now, don't you begin to tease again, Eddie, but tell me where you hid it—my First Communion Rosary."
"Really, Marie, honest now, I didn't take it. I didn't even see it , " said Eddie. "You'll soon find it somewhere, I'm sure. Don't worry." And for once Eddie looked so very innocent and sincere that Marie could not but believe him. But search as they would, it could not be found. Turning everything topsy-turvy to mother's great discomfort they explored the entire house and even the lawn around it. It was in vain. At last they gave up, but not to fret and complain. Oh, no; Marie was too truly a little lady for that. Beckoning Eddie, she whispered mysteriously into his ear: "Come up to my room with me. I have a wonderful plan." Up they went. Eddie's curiosity was wide-awake. What was about to happen? Closing the door quietly, Marie said with a bright smile:
"Eddie, let's pray to Mother Mary, asking her in some way to bring my rosary back to me. The fifth joyful mystery, The Finding of Jesus in the Temple, is the best."
Kneeling in simple faith, gazing fervently upon a picture of our Blessed Lady which hung over Marie's little white bed, and using Eddie's rosary, they trustfully prayed, "Hail, Mary, full of grace. Ten times their sweet little voices chimed out the beautiful prayer. Then they arose, joyful, confident.
"Twill surely, surely come back," maintained Marie. "Our Lady's help is never asked in vain. 'Remember, O gracious Virgin Mary!' Now we'll wait. I'll get another rosary from Sister for the time." And away they went for a game before school.
II
October days, the sweetest of the year, had come. Glad in autumn's many-colored garb, the woods presented a beautiful sight. In the fields yellow pumpkins shone amid rugged shocks of golden-eared corn. All nature was aglow with the russet and gold of Indian summer days. 'Twas Mary's month again: the month of the Holy Rosary.
"Eddie," said Marie, as they sported about in the frost-painted grove, "it's the first of October. I'm sure my rosary must come back soon. It simply must! Doesn't the Memorare say: 'never was it known?" Marie was ever thinking of her rosary still. She was
waiting patiently, trustingly.
"Perhaps," Eddie ventured to say, " you'll never find it ."
"There's no perhaps to it," replied Marie with sweet sauciness, "it's sure!" And laughing lightly, she added: "Let's pick a museum of leaves, all colors and sizes and shapes."
This they at once proceeded to do. Suddenly Marie called excitedly: "Eddie, Eddie! come here. There's a lone robin's nest high up in this tree. And see! there
is something shiny in it , something bright; maybe it's a jewel." Eddie peeped through the brownish leaves.
"Sure enough!" he burst out. "I'll have it down in a jiffy. What if it's a real gem," he added, his eyes glistening with excitement. With squirrel-like agility he climbed the tree.
"Now
I have it," he cried, standing on a long branch and reaching out for the nest. "Catch it, Marie! Down it comes!"
Down it came, falling on the velvet grass at Marie's feet. As she stooped to pick it up an exclamation of surprise and joy escaped her lips. Then kneeling beside it she breathed a grateful prayer:
"O thanks, my darling Mother, Queen of the Holy Rosary!"
For there, neatly interwoven in the robin's nest, completely encircling the inner side, was a string of pearls—Marie's First Communion Rosary.
Source: Tell Us Another, Imprimatur 1925
Another coloring picture is below.
I
THE lovely stars of early night were all a-twinkling in a glorious May sky. Marie Lesly, kneeling at the window of her little room, gazed rapturously upon the delightful scene. Down below was the blooming garden with its fragrant trees mirrored in the stone-encircled pond. Further on a leafy grove threw somber shadows, as the moon, big and nearly full, peeped slowly over the tree-tops, gushing out a flood of silver light Marie was praying. 'Twas her evening prayer. But now, because it was May, a decade of the rosary was lovingly added. How easy it was to pray to nature's God with nature all a-smiling before her! Arising, she kissed the cross of the neat little mother-of-pearl rosary in her hand. "My First Communion Rosary," she murmured softly as she unconsciously dropped it upon the sill and cast a last look at the starry heavens above.
"Queen of May, O pray for me!"
"Mother dear," cried Marie, upon entering the den early the next morning, "did you take my rosary away? I can't not find it anywhere, and only last night I had it in my room." No, mother had not taken it , nor had she seen it anywhere. "Perhaps Eddie has it," she suggested. In a moment Marie had found her brother.
"Now, don't you begin to tease again, Eddie, but tell me where you hid it—my First Communion Rosary."
"Really, Marie, honest now, I didn't take it. I didn't even see it , " said Eddie. "You'll soon find it somewhere, I'm sure. Don't worry." And for once Eddie looked so very innocent and sincere that Marie could not but believe him. But search as they would, it could not be found. Turning everything topsy-turvy to mother's great discomfort they explored the entire house and even the lawn around it. It was in vain. At last they gave up, but not to fret and complain. Oh, no; Marie was too truly a little lady for that. Beckoning Eddie, she whispered mysteriously into his ear: "Come up to my room with me. I have a wonderful plan." Up they went. Eddie's curiosity was wide-awake. What was about to happen? Closing the door quietly, Marie said with a bright smile:
"Eddie, let's pray to Mother Mary, asking her in some way to bring my rosary back to me. The fifth joyful mystery, The Finding of Jesus in the Temple, is the best."
Kneeling in simple faith, gazing fervently upon a picture of our Blessed Lady which hung over Marie's little white bed, and using Eddie's rosary, they trustfully prayed, "Hail, Mary, full of grace. Ten times their sweet little voices chimed out the beautiful prayer. Then they arose, joyful, confident.
"Twill surely, surely come back," maintained Marie. "Our Lady's help is never asked in vain. 'Remember, O gracious Virgin Mary!' Now we'll wait. I'll get another rosary from Sister for the time." And away they went for a game before school.
II
October days, the sweetest of the year, had come. Glad in autumn's many-colored garb, the woods presented a beautiful sight. In the fields yellow pumpkins shone amid rugged shocks of golden-eared corn. All nature was aglow with the russet and gold of Indian summer days. 'Twas Mary's month again: the month of the Holy Rosary.
"Eddie," said Marie, as they sported about in the frost-painted grove, "it's the first of October. I'm sure my rosary must come back soon. It simply must! Doesn't the Memorare say: 'never was it known?" Marie was ever thinking of her rosary still. She was
waiting patiently, trustingly.
"Perhaps," Eddie ventured to say, " you'll never find it ."
"There's no perhaps to it," replied Marie with sweet sauciness, "it's sure!" And laughing lightly, she added: "Let's pick a museum of leaves, all colors and sizes and shapes."
This they at once proceeded to do. Suddenly Marie called excitedly: "Eddie, Eddie! come here. There's a lone robin's nest high up in this tree. And see! there
is something shiny in it , something bright; maybe it's a jewel." Eddie peeped through the brownish leaves.
"Sure enough!" he burst out. "I'll have it down in a jiffy. What if it's a real gem," he added, his eyes glistening with excitement. With squirrel-like agility he climbed the tree.
"Now
I have it," he cried, standing on a long branch and reaching out for the nest. "Catch it, Marie! Down it comes!"
Down it came, falling on the velvet grass at Marie's feet. As she stooped to pick it up an exclamation of surprise and joy escaped her lips. Then kneeling beside it she breathed a grateful prayer:
"O thanks, my darling Mother, Queen of the Holy Rosary!"
For there, neatly interwoven in the robin's nest, completely encircling the inner side, was a string of pearls—Marie's First Communion Rosary.
Source: Tell Us Another, Imprimatur 1925
Another coloring picture is below.
| rosary_2.pdf |
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