come a bishop, he would have ranked in another career with other distinguished men of his race, with General Sheridan, Marshal Nugent, Count Taafe, O'Connell, O'Don nell, or O'Conor. He was physically as brave and as daring as the gallant soldier who made the wonderful ride down the Shenandoah valley. Had he lived in the Middle Ages he would have probably been made Pope, and ranked with Gregory VII. or Alexander III.

4. He would never have yielded to the despotism of a king or to the violence of a mob. The mob might kill him, but he would die with his face to the foe. He would not have been merely passive in a fight; his courage was active and aggressive. If the "Know-Nothings" had dared to carry out their threats, the archbishop himself would have planned and led the defense of his people and of his Church. He would never be found in the rear of a battle. With what a soldier's eye he followed the fights of the Civil War, and with what Napoleonic intuition he saw the strong and the weak points of the campaigns of our generals!

men.

5. He had the diplomatic talent of a Richelieu. Secretary Seward, who was himself a clever statesman, recognizing his power and influence, saw in Archbishop Hughes an equal, if not a superior, to himself in the art of governing No one did more than the first Catholic Archbishop of New York for our country in her hour of peril, by his influence both at home and abroad. Let us hope that some day our grateful citizens, remembering his patriotism and all his services to his country, will erect to his memory a statue to perpetuate his fame. It should be erected near that of his friends, the great secretary of state, Seward, and the great war-president, Lincoln. Less worthy citizens have received this homage after their death.

6. But whatever our citizens or the State may do to

keep his memory green, the Catholic Church in America, and especially in New York, will never forget his invaluable services. He found her on the ground, despised and dejected. He lifted her up and made her respectable. She was looked upon as the despised sect of foreign immigrants; he made her respected and feared. How he fought, and how he despised, and how he struck those who assailed her! He stood in front, like a giant, dealing death-blows to prejudice and bigotry. He exposed them to public contempt and ridicule by his trenchant logic, his cutting sarcasm, and his clear statement of the truth. He fought for God, his Church, and his country. If he did not succeed in everything, his failures were few. He failed to secure the blessings of religious education for the children of the public schools. But his arguments in this cause live after him, and have never been answered.

7. He was a man both feared and loved; but no one hated or could hate him. Even those who feared him admired him. He was so open, so just, so fair, so impartial, and so manly in his fight for what he thought right. I crossed the ocean with him in 1862. I was then a young priest, returning home from the Eternal City. He was coming back after his mission to Europe, where he had done so much to keep France and England from recognizing the Southern Confederacy. I remember how he used to stand in the evening in some sheltered spot, surrounded by a group of passengers anxious to catch a word from his lips. Every one listened to him as to a chief, a leader, an oracle. He stood among the passengers like one born to command. He seemed the owner of the vessel, and he looked as if he could command the very waves. I remember how he defended our national Government from some who were criticising it; how warmly he praised our

free institutions, showed the error of the Southern secession and the necessity of sticking to the Union. His voice was clear, his manner quiet, but his words were forcible and silenced the critic.

8. The free institutions of America were almost as dear to him as his Christian faith. Take him all in all he was not only the greatest prelate the Catholic Church in America has ever had, but he was as great and as good a citizen as ever deserved well of the American republic. Let her do him honor! REV. HENRY A. BRANN, D.D.

John Hughes, first Archbishop of New York, was born June 24, 1797, at Annaloghan, County Tyrone, Ireland, and died in January, 1864.

The "Know-Nothing" (4) was a secret political party, the object of which was not only to oppose Catholics in every way, but more especially to prevent them from holding public office. The "KnowNothings" burned several Catholic churches, and caused many bloody riots. They threatened to burn and destroy the old St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York, but were deterred by the action of Archbishop Hughes.

Armand Jean Duplessis, Cardinal, Duke of Richelieu (5), was an eminent French statesman and for many years minister of state under Louis XIII. By a succession of vigorous and energetic measures Richelieu succeeded in breaking down the political power of the nobles, which till then had been absolute, and bringing France under the control of the King.

Who was Secretary Seward (5)? Which is "the Eternal City (7)? What was the Southern Confederacy" (7) ?

66

Better than gold is a peaceful home
Where all the fireside characters come,
The shrine of love, the heaven of life,
Hallowed by mother, or sister, or wife.
However humble the home may be,
Or tried with sorrow by heaven's decree,
The blessings that never were bought or sold,
And eenter there, are better than gold.

LESSON XXXVI.

2. dôr mĕr-win' dow§; n.
windows placed on the inclined
plane of the roof of a house.

2. kîr'tlès; n. gowns.
2. dis'taff;n. the staff for holding
the bunch of flax, etc., from
which the thread is drawn in
spinning by hand.

5. stal'worth; a. strong; bold; brave.

5. kine; n. cows.

6. hyssop; n. a plant having an
aromatic smell and a pungent
taste.

6. e the're al; a. spirit-like.
8. wāins; n. wagons.

Evangeline.

1. In the Acadian land, on the shores of the Basin of Minas

Distant, secluded, still, the little village of Grand-Pré Lay, in the fruitful valley. Vast meadows stretched to the eastward,

Giving the village its name, and pasture to flocks without number.

Dikes, that the hands of the farmers had raised with labor incessant,

Shut out the turbulent tides; but at stated seasons the flood-gates

Opened, and welcomed the sea to wander at will o'er the meadows.

West and south there were fields of flax, and orchards and corn-fields

Spreading afar and unfenced o'er the plain; and away to the northward

Blomidon rose, and the forests old, and aloft on the mountains

Sea-fogs pitched their tents, and mists from the mighty Atlantic

Looked on the happy valley, but ne'er from their station descended.

2. There, in the midst of its farms, reposed the Acadian

village.

Strongly built were the houses, with frames of oak and of hemlock,

Such as the peasants of Normandy built in the reign of the Henries.

Thatched were the roofs, with dormer-windows; and gables projecting

Over the basement below, protected and shaded the doorway.

There, in the tranquil evenings of summer, when brightly the sunset

Lighted the village street, and gilded the vanes on the chimneys,

Matrons and maidens sat in snow-white caps, and in kirtles

Scarlet and blue and green, with distaffs spinning the

golden

Flax for the gossiping looms, whose noisy shuttles within doors

Mingled their sound with the whir of the wheels and the songs of the maidens.

3. Solemnly down the street came the parish priest, and the children

Paused in their play to kiss the hand he extended to bless them.

Reverend walked he among them; and up rose matrons and maidens,

Hailing his slow approach with words of affectionate welcome.

Then came the laborers home from the field, and serenely the sun sank