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Show FISHERMAN'S LUCK transcribe here, without tying a moral to it, lest any one should accuse me of preaching. "Hence [says the quaint old chronicler], having assigned to his companions the other parts of the world, St. Francis, taking Brother Maxirnus as his comrade, set forth toward the province of France. And corning one day to a certain town, and being very hungry, they begged their bread as they went, according to the rule of their order, for the love of God. And St. Francis went through one quarter of the town, and Brother Maxirnus through another. But forasmuch as St. Francis was a man mean and low of stature, and hence was reputed a vile beggar by such as knew him not, he only received a few scanty crusts and mouthfuls of dry bread. But to Brother Maxirnus, who was large and well favoured, were given good pieces and big, and an abundance of bread, yea, whole loaves. Having thus begged, they met together without the town to eat, at a place where there was a clear spring and a fair large stone, upon which each spread forth the gifts that he had received. And ~~ FISHERi\IAN'S LUCK St. Francis, seeing that the pieces of bread begged by Brother Maxirnus were bigger and better than his own, rejoiced greatly, saying, 'Oh, Brother Maxim us, we are not worthy of so great a treasure.' As he repeated these words many times, Brother Maxirnus made answer: 'Father, how can you talk of treasures when there is such great poverty and such lack of all things needful? Here is neither napkin nor knife, neither board nor trencher, neither house nor table, neit her man-servant nor maid-servant.' St. Francis replied: 'And this is what I reckon a great treasure, where naught is made ready by human industry, but all that is here is prepared by Divine Providence, as is plainly set forth in the bread which we have begged, in the table of fair stone, and in the spring of clear water. And therefore I would that we should pray to God that He teach us with all our hearts to love the treasure of holy pover ty, which is so noble a thing, and whose servant is God the Lord.'" I know of but one fairer description of a repast in the open air; and that is where we are told how |