had but little in common.

To begin with, the bigoted and selfish desires of his parents found in
the boy's filial devotion a ready and sufficient means of compelling
him to any sacrifice of self. Only a thorough understanding of the
Spanish temperament will enable one to arrive at a just estimate of
Jose's character, and the sacredness of the promises given his mother.
Though the child might pine and droop like a cankered rosebud, yet he
would never cease to regard the sanctity of his oath as eternally
binding. And the mother would accept the sacrifice, for her love for
her little son was clouded by her great ambitions in respect to his
earthly career, and her genuine solicitude for his soul's eternal
welfare.

Family tradition, sacred and inviolable, played its by no means
small part in this affair. Custom, now as inviolable as the Jewish
law, decreed that the first-born son should sink his individuality
into that of the Mother Church. And to the Spaniard, _costumbre_
is law. Again, the vacillating and hesitant nature of the boy
himself contributed largely to the result; for, though supremely
gifted in receptivity and broadness of mind, in critical analysis
and keenness of perception, he nevertheless lacked the energy of will
necessary to the shaping of a life-course along normal lines. The boy
knew what he preferred, yet he said _Amen_ both to the prayers of
his parents and the suggestions of doubt which his own mind offered.
He was weakest where the greatest firmness was demanded. His love
of study, his innate shrinking from responsibility, and his
repugnance toward discord and strife--in a word, his lack of
fighting qualities--naturally caused him to seek the lines of least
resistance, and thus afforded a ready advantage to those who sought
to influence him.

But why, it may be asked, such zeal on the part of the Archbishop and
his secretary in forcing upon the boy a career to which they knew he
was disinclined? Why should loyal agents of the Church so tirelessly
urge into the priesthood one who might prove a serpent in her bosom?

The Archbishop may be dismissed from this discussion. That his motives
were wholly above the bias of worldly ambition, we may not affirm. Yet
we know that he was actuated by zeal for the Church; that he had its
advancement, its growth in power and prestige always at heart. And we
know that he would have rejoiced some day to boast, "We have saved to
the Church a brilliant son who thr