Life of St John Vianney.pdf - the Catholic Kingdom!

"He""22 THE CUR OF AR8.never failed to restore the courage of Jean Marie, and hewould plod again at his weary task with unflinching assiduity. It was not to be always in vain. A suddeninspiration one day entered his mind, which, after consulting his director, he carried into effect. He made avow to go on foot, asking alms as he went, to the tornbof St. John Francis Regis; to ask, through his intercession,the gift of sufficient learning toenable him to become agood and faithful labourer in the vineyard of the Lord.His prayer was heard. St. John Francis Regis, to whomhe ever afterwards bore a special devotion, obtained forhim the grace he had asked in a measure which astonishedhis master and those who had felt most hopeless of hissuccess. No sooner was he domesticated with his relationsat Ecully than the young student arranged with his cousinMarguerite, who was housekeeper, the wayin which hewished to be treated. She was specially charged, for instance, never to put any seasoning into his soup. Behe would say, to serve my soup before you putsure,"in any of your milk or butter. I want neither the onenor the other."When she was faithful to these instructions, Marguerite was rewarded by seeing him bright andcheerfO, and sometimes by the gift of a medal or a picture ; if she swerved from them, as she sometimes did,from accident or design, Jean Marie would reproach herseriously, and go about looking melancholy and out ofheart.ate his soup on these occasions," said she,"asif each mouthful was chokinghim."Here he carried on his old practice of collecting allthe houseless poor he could find, and bringing them fora night s lodging to the farm. On his way one day fromEcully to Dardilly, he met a poor man without shoes ;heimmediately took off a new pair which he had on, gave