t of
expanding somewhat his self-contained little soul. He appeared to grow
out of himself to a certain extent, to become less timid, less
reticent, even more sociable; and when he returned to Seville again at
the close of the year he had apparently lost much of the somberness of
disposition which had previously characterized him. The Archbishop
examined him closely; but the boy, speaking little, gave no hint of
the inner working of his thought; and if his soul seethed and
fermented within, the Rincon pride and honor covered it with a placid
demeanor and a bearing of outward calm. When the interview ended and
the lad had departed, the Archbishop descended to the indignity of
roundly slapping his ascetic secretary on his emaciated back, as an
indication of triumphant joy. The boy certainly was being charmed into
deep devotion to the Church! He was fast being bound to her altars!
Again the glorious spectacle of the Church triumphant in molding a
wavering youth into a devoted son!

Four years passed thus, almost in silence on the boy's part. Yet his
character suffered little change. At home he strove to avoid all
mention of the career upon which he was entering, although he gave
slight indication of dissatisfaction with it. He was punctilious in
his attendance upon religious services; but to have been otherwise
would have brought sorrow to his proud, happy parents. His days were
spent in complete absorption in his books, or in writing in his
journal. The latter he had begun shortly before entering the seminary,
and it was destined to exert a profound influence upon his life. Often
his parents would playfully urge him to read to them from it; but the
boy, devotedly obedient and filial in every other respect steadfastly
begged permission to refuse these requests. In that little whim the
fond parents humored him, and he was left largely alone to his books
and his meditations.

During Jose's fourth summer vacation a heavy sorrow suddenly fell upon
him and plunged him into such an excess of grief that it was feared
his mind would give way. His revered father, advanced in years, and
weakened by overwork and business worries, succumbed to the malaria so
prevalent in Seville during the hot months and passed away, after a
brief illness. The blow descended with terrific force upon the
morbidly disposed lad. It was his first intimate experience with
death. For days after the solemn events of the mourning and funeral he
sat as one