when he stoutly refused they compelled him by force to accompany them to Verona, where his friends recognised him and provided him with clothes. For the purpose of preventing his return to the woods they procured for him a lodging in town, near St. Peter's Church, where he should be at perfect liberty to give loose rein to his fervour. The offer was not displeasing to the saint. He thanked them for their charitable hospitality, and received whatever alms were offered to him, of which he reserved a small part for his own few wants, and distributed the remainder to the poor.

Thus did he live for some time in great happiness. Dedicated to prayer, and perhaps to the toil of his trade, he derived motives to bless and love God from everything. The warbling of the birds, the aroma of the plants, the beauty of the flowers, were to him a book in which to learn the wisdom, power, goodness, and perfections of the Almighty; and the Lord, ever liberal and generous to those who lend a prompt ear to His divine inspirations, encouraged the saint's good dispositions by singular graces. Sometimes when the servant of God was drawing water from the river, the fish would come to his hand, as if saying: "Here we are by the will of God: dispose of us as you wish;" but he, burning with divine love, would dismiss them, and tell them to sing the praises of the Lord. Then he would exclaim, full of joy: "Bless, ye fountains, the Lord! Bless, ye seas and rivers, my God! Ye fish, and all things that move in the waters, intone a hymn to the King of Glory!" In the year 1117 a great inundation occurred from the rising of the Adige, sweeping everything before it, and compelling the inhabitants to seek safety in some places of refuge. Our harnessmaker had also to leave and look for an asylum in the Abbey of the Holy Trinity, at a little distance from Verona.

III.

After the danger had passed he returned to the city, and gladly accepted the hospitality of the monks of San Salvador. He here made himself beloved by all the religious by his modesty, his humility, his obedience, his contempt of human respect, and by his fervour in the divine service. Lodged in a little hut which the fathers had near the church, he frequently visited our Divine Lord in the Blessed Sacrament, and paid Him his fervent respects. From this familiar intercourse with his Divine Master, Gualfard drew immense treasures of a heavenly character by his fasting, mortification, works of mercy, and the constant exercise of all the virtues. His admirable example attracted to his poor dwelling a great crowd of the faithful, who came to his door to be edified by the living reflection of a heart disengaged from the world, and to seek relief in their infirmities. The blind, the lame, the paralytic, the deaf, the leprous were there, and all derived benefit from the prayers of the harnessmaker.

On a certain occasion a citizen of Verona, called Mugeto, with eye disease, and in evident danger of losing his sight, influenced by the fame of the miracles wrought by the saint, sent to ask him to visit him, as he himself could not leave home on account of his infirmity. As the saint was satisfied with the notice of God, and hated the applause of men, he refused to accede to Mugeto's desire; and it was necessary for the Prior of San Salvador to order him to do what he was requested. Then, he went by night, to avoid all notice and vainglory. When the sick man found Gualfard was near him he seized his hands, pressed them to his eyes, and was instantly cured. Thus did God glorify him who sought not his own glory, but only asked to be let alone to

sanctify his soul, the only end on earth for which he

had been created.

When he knew his end was approaching he ordered a coffin and gave directions that when dead they should put him in it and bury him, not in the cemetery where Christians were interred, but in the public highway, that all might walk on him; for as he, in his own opinion, had led the life of a dog, it was only right he should be buried like a dog, and that all should trample on one who had so often trampled on the divine commandments. In a short time, as he had foreseen, he slept in the peace of the just; and they not only did not comply with his humble desires, but they built a marble tomb for him, and buried him with great reverence and devotion in the Church of San Salvador. He departed this life on 30th of April, 1127. Soon his tomb became famous for the miracles which the Lord wrought through his intercession. Later on, in 1602, a great portion of his relics were translated to Ausburg, and placed in the new church of the Capuchins. Thus does the Lord reward, even in this life, the memory of His servants who learned to sanctify themselves in humble stations. In God's eye virtue alone possesses true greatness.

ST. GOODMAN, MERCHANT.

I.

ABOUT the end of the twelfth century there lived in Cremona, a town of Lombardy, a merchant who in the midst of his bargains and dealings was able by his virtue

to enamour the Divine Heart. This was the Blessed Goodman Tucinga, son of a merchant, who by his traffic and industry had acquired a position, if not high and rich, at least decent. His parents gave him in baptism the name Goodman, that is a man of rectitude, a signification which our saint realised thoroughly by his edifying conduct and heroic disinterestedness. They knew that the principal part of parents' duties is to imbue the hearts of their children in the Christian maxims which may serve them as a guide and rule for the direction of their conduct in this valley of tears; and to this they at once dedicated themselves by sowing in that virgin soil the seed which later on should produce abundant fruit. Many complain of the annoyance they get in their old age from their unruly children, who hurry them in bitterness to the grave; but those unhappy parents usually gather what they sowed, and their children's bad conduct is no more than the scourge with which God afflicts them for the neglect of their offspring in their youth, and the bad example they gave them. At least it is often so. But Goodman's parents had never to complain of the slightest offence, for they ever found him docile, obedient, affectionate, and disposed to please them in all things.

Content with their condition and fortune, they never thought of giving him a higher position, as they well might, and when he arrived at a suitable age they put him to business in their own line. For the proper transaction of the duties of a merchant he took as a principle that truth and not deceit is the foundation of real credit; and hence he resolved and carried out his resolution never to avail himself of fraud or tricks, but to act in all cases legally and in good faith, as good Christians should. And this very mode of procedure, which according to the opinion of the world should have ruined him brought him customers who trusted in his honesty

Our young

and had no fear of being imposed on. merchant was also persuaded that fraud never produces good results; and that even if those who practise it sometimes amass wealth, if God does not suddenly deprive them of it, they at least will not long enjoy it. He was punctual in his payments, he avoided even the appearance of injustice, and he would have preferred to

lose his whole fortune sooner than commit a venial sin.

This spirit, infused into him by his pious parents, placed him beyond those risks in which young men often lose their innocence. And let no one think that he was therefore a dry, uninteresting young fellow, for, on the contrary, by his gracious manner, gentleness, and courtesy he won the affections of all who frequented his shop; but his graciousness was always chaste as purity itself; his conversation edifying as piety; his lips never uttered those double-meaning words and poisonous stories heard so often from others. The saint saw in his work and dealings an occupation given him by Divine Providence, and endeavoured to discharge it as best he could, availing himself of it as a means of sanctifying himself and promoting the sanctification of others.

No business seems more exposed to dissipation than that of a merchant. Standing behind a counter, he is at all times obliged to hear a thousand different questions, and to have to treat with persons of different dispositions and humours, and to suffer the impertinence of the ill-reared and exacting, which is enough to try the patience of a saint. Goodman was one in reality, and he had the fortitude to bear this and much more, and knew how to observe recollection in the midst of all. His customers used to say he was a young man without passions, because he had them under control by constant mortification. The clamour of the markets and fairs did not interrupt his union with God, nor did the most unreasonable demands disturb his peace and calm: he