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This is an incredible autobiography of a man devoted to forming children both in schools and in literature. His legacy lives on in his books, especially the Tom Playfair series.
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Chapter IV
Five Months’ Banishment
WHAT most deeply impressed me on my return to the world were the faces of the people. How sad they were, how preoccupied, how careworn in contrast with the faces of the novices with whom I had lived for thirteen months! In leaving the novitiate I had left a world where prevailed the peace of God which passeth understanding.
The first thing I did on returning to St. Louis was to visit my family’s doctor, Jerome K. Bauduy. I had always regarded him as a great physician. He gave me a thorough examination, insisted that the provincial had made a mistake, and was minded to call him up at once and show him the error of his ways. But my aunt and my mother, who were with me, thought it might be better to temporize. They were of the opinion that the proper time to interrogate the superior was when I had recovered my strength and health. Dr. Bauduy held that there was nothing serious the matter with me and that with plenty of fresh air and exercise and sun light and good food I would soon be myself again. As the event proved, he was right.
The next thing which I did was to join the Saint Louis Gymnasium. Once more I availed myself of the turning pole and of the parallel bars. In addition an instructor at the gymnasium gave me drills in the use of the dumbbells and Indian clubs. To the gymnasium I reported every day. Also, my father, still sheriff of the county, gave me a position in his office which involved much walking about the streets of the city and, incidentally, kept me well provided with pocket money. A decided change for the better in my health came about so quickly as to be almost unbelievable. My muscles began to develop, and in a few weeks I learned certain tricks on the parallel bars which afterwards, in my St. Mary’s prefecting days, aroused admiration, but seldom imitation. In a word, I grew very strong and hardy in an inconceivably short time.
On January 1, if I remember aright, the Rev. Edward A. Higgins was made provincial of the Missouri province. Shortly after that day I visited him at St. Louis University. He was extremely kind and affable. I laid before him my whole case, my ailments, the opinion of the former provincial, my doctor’s opinion and my present state of health, and asked for readmittance. He made no objection and asked me to name the day. I told him that, so far as I felt personally, I would be glad to re-enter at once, but that the doctor wished me to take a trip for a month or so in the South.
Father Higgins approved of this and showed an unusual interest. It came out, then, that one of the novices for whom I had the highest regard, Mr. Edward O’Sullivan, had also had a breakdown. Father Higgins had it in mind to send him to some salubrious spot which would restore his health. The young novice had developed a clear case of consumption. Father Higgins had discovered that in Seguin, Texas, there was a small Jesuit house occupied by a few members of the Mexican province. He had been informed that the climate was all that could be desired for people with weak lungs, and he proposed that I should travel south with Mr. O’Sullivan.