ir own wills than to strive for riches or honours. Their
father, too, bade them learn to endure hardness and to bear without
complaints whatever might befall them. And the boys listened to his
counsel with serious faces, though they could be merry enough at times.

The lessons of their early years bore fruit, and one day the elder boy
informed his parents that he wished to become a priest. It was what both
father and mother had expected, and most likely hoped, and they at once
agreed to his desire. Arrangements were soon made for his entering a
training college, where he would have to live until he was old enough to
be ordained.

Joseph, the younger, missed his brother greatly. He loved his father and
mother dearly, but they seemed far too old to share the thoughts and
dreams which came to him in the night-time, or during the quiet moments
that he passed in church. Yet, from what we know of his after-life, we
may be quite certain that he was no mere dreamer, standing aloof from
his fellows. He was fond of carpentering and building; he watched with
interest while the workmen were laying down the pipes which were to
carry the water from the river to some dry field; he noted how the
doctor bound up wounds and treated sores; and indeed no sort of
knowledge that a man may gather in his everyday existence came amiss to
young Damien. As to what he would do when he was a man, he said nothing,
and his parents said nothing either.

On January 3, 1860, Joseph was nineteen, and Monsieur Damien proposed to
take him as a birthday treat to see his brother, and to leave the two
together while he went to the town on some business. It was a long time
since they had met, and there was much to ask and hear. We do not know
exactly what took place, but when Monsieur Damien returned to fetch
Joseph, his son told him that he had made up his mind to follow in his
brother's steps, and to be a priest also.

Monsieur Damien was not surprised; he had long seen whither things were
tending. He would perhaps have liked to keep one son with him, but
Joseph was old enough to judge for himself and he did not intend to make
any objection. Still, he was hardly prepared for the boy's announcement
that farewells were always painful, and that he thought he would best
spare his mother by remaining where he was until she had grown
accustomed to doing without him. Then he would beg permission to come to
see her for the last time before he became a priest.