104: APPENDIX. 



As I arn making my confession, I will make it com- 

 plete without Jesuitic restrictions : I was 18 years, or 

 about, after my father's death ; my mother, a Saint 

 "in bona fide" when out of the presence, or of the 

 influence, occult, of the priest, but when immediately 

 after that odious auricular confession, she was .... 

 You will excuse me not to qualify my mother ! ! I am 

 not a priest. I leave to the Supreme " unknown " 

 judge, what that saint was. Suffice to say, it was the 

 holy Thursday. I had as much to do in one day, as 

 two men would have done in two days. She scolded 

 me for not going to a religious ceremony. I told her 

 that I had too much to do, I could not do it. ... "Well, 

 she said : My child ! I shall be damned, and you too ! 

 for I am responsible for your soul and mine .... After 

 that admonition of my poor minded mother, I felt 

 1 cannot attempt to describe it to you. I know no 

 English words that would give you an adequate idea 

 of my moral excruciating pain .... you understand, 

 my mother ! ! telling me I would be the cause of her 



damnation ! ! for a few seconds I could not speak, 



I felt paralyzed ; when I spoke, I said, 



" No ! no ! mother, there will be no damnation. 



" If any, it will be for the hearer of your confession ! 



When I recovered from my stupor I told her with a 

 tremulous voice, but with a strong determination : 



