Bishop Buddy Scrapbook 1946-1948

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were on top. As the truck came along side of us, the driver skidded to a stop. He said he would like to take us, but that there wasn't an inch of room left. We were trying to convince him that he should find room for us, when suddenly another Chinese ap- peared behind us and asked if we were Catholic priests? We turned around wondering where he had come from, and then saw that anoth- er bus had stopped behind the truck; we were so busy with our pleading with the truck driver that we hadn't even heard it approach. This new bus driver had heard of the Catholic Church, and when we explained that we were not priests but Sisters, he said he would be glad to take us and proceeded to move our luggage. The bus was a military bus and there were just a few officers on it. Soon we were settled down on its comfortable seats, and both the truck and the bus moved away from the scene of the crime. O UR THRILLS had not yet end- ed. We hadn't gone very far, when we saw some men dashing towards us across the fields; some heard shots fired. The driver stepped on the gas and sped away from the pursuers. Then ahead on the road we saw two buses stalled, with a crowd of people milling around. Our driver pulled up and then jumped out to see what was the matter. He returned in a few minutes and told us not to worry that only a bridge was broken, and it would be soon fixed. One of the trucks carried long planks, and the repair job was quick- ly done. We reached Hokow about noon and were met by Father Fox. He was shocked when he heard about our experience and said he would have a Catholic take us in his truck the re~L of the way. The next day he drove us to the railway station where we had to wait three hours for a train. during which time we were subjects of interest to the curious Chinese. We eventually reached Yusan and were met by Father Stein. He put us in the care of a Chinese girl until the next morning when, after break- rast, we jeeped to the air-fi eld, bu L had to wait until 2: 15 in the after- noon for a plane. ·w e reached the Shanghai air-field about two hours later ; it's a good ten miles from the city, and a li eutenant put us on an army truck that took us to our Con- ,·ent on Route des Soeurs. You haven't really traveled until you've taken a trip in China.

climbed out. 'the Chineae took their little bundles lllld silently began walking back to Kweiki, the nearest town. Suddenly someone slid off ~he top of the bus, it was the man with the white trousers who couldn't squeeze into the bus that mornin_g. He had been riding on top of lt. Now he came up to Sister Veronica and myself and asked: "To what church do you belong?" We told him that we were Catholics. He re- marked that he was a Protestant and suggested that we beg God to help us in the difficulty. Just the three of us and the driver were left at the bus, but Sister didn't trust the driver, as she saw the sol- diers slip him a wad of bills; evi- dently he was in league with them. She wanted to join the others, but I thought we should stay and wait for help. In our dilemma we decided to pray to Father Ellis, who never turned from a begging hand, to in- tercede for us. W E WALKED up and down the road praying; sometimes I thought I heard a car, but nothing showed up. Then a man came along the road, and our friend in the white trousers came up to us and said that this was a dangerous place, and that we should go to the nearest town. The man on the road agreed to carry our baggage. We decided to face the ten-mile walk and the man went off to get a helper for the baggage. Just as we were getting our luggage out, we heard a motor purring down the road, and we turned around to see another truck coming along. It was piled high with goods and, in addition, had picked up our fellow passengers on the road; men were hanging on to the sides, and some

the motor and took out the distribu- tor, so that the bus couldn't start. Then he came to the back of the bus with some small bags, and the money was poured into them. The passen- gers were so anxious to get rid of the soldiers, that they helped put the money into the bags. NOBLESSE OBLIGE When the soldien had cleaned out practically everybody, the leader stood at the door and delivered a speech, to which _all listened mo~t at- tentively. He said that the Chmei;e soldiers had delivered the people from the aggression of the enemy and that they deserved some practical recognition for their services. He was quite an orator and paused after each statement, during which the passengers stood up and remarked: "Yes, you are right." I T WAS a most interesting example of Chinese politeness. The sol- dier remarked that they weren't com- mon high-way robbers, and the people bowed, smiled and said: "Yes, you speak the truth." He then called their attention to the fact that they hadn't disturbed the baggage, to which the people again remarked: "Yes, that's true, thank you, thank you!" The soldier bowed three times, and the passengers again thanked him for the courteous way they were relieved of their money. Then we were told to stay in the bus until they were out of sight. The door closed, and off they went. We watched them in dead silence as they went down the road and dis- appeared. An old man who had l<>1t a large sum began to object, but was hushed into silence. The driver came, opened the door and we

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