They were a strange looking people. Their hair was straight and black, and their faces were the color of copper. Columbus called them Indians, because he thought this island was near the coast of India. But it was not India. It was our own dear, beautiful land, our own great, grand, free America.

How glad we are that Columbus sailed out into the west and found it for us! We are glad that he was brave and would not be discouraged.

After some time, he returned to Spain, taking with him fruits and gold from the new land. He took, also, several Indians with him. Oh, what rejoicing there was when the little ships sailed into the harbor!

An account of this wonderful journey was printed and sent all over Spain, France, Germany and England. For now, you know, they had the printing press. Wasn't it fortunate that this had been invented? In this way, many people could hear of the new land and its wonders.

And what do you suppose the good prior far away in the little monastery thought about it? I am sure he was glad that the poor, tired traveler had come to his gate that night. I am sure Columbus never forgot his kindness.

The credit of discovering America belongs to three people, Columbus, Father Perez and Queen Isabella. You will be interested to know that they were all followers of St. Francis of Assisi. Father Perez was a Franciscan monk, and Columbus and the queen belonged to the Third Order of St. Francis.

Columbus was everywhere treated like a prince, and praised and honored for all that he had done. He was, indeed, a brave hero and he will never be forgotten.

SAINT PETER IN PRISON

You must not think that he only is a hero who fights battles, or who saves the life of some one in danger. Oh, no, a hero is one who does some brave deed for others; but it is not always by fighting. It often takes more courage not to fight than it does to fight.

I love to read of the great heroes of the Cross, men of splendid courage, who did not flinch in time of danger. Such a hero was St. Peter. He was ready to go to prison or to death for the sake of the Master whom he loved. St. Augustine says: "He became like a steadfast rock, unmoved by the tempest of persecution and the fear of death."

After our Lord's glorious Resurrection and Ascension, the Disciples at once began the work their Master had given them to do. They began to preach the Gospel of Christ and to work miracles in His name.

The princes and the Jewish leaders were jealous and very angry at this preaching about Christ whom they had crucified. The Disciples were arrested and beaten, but they did not cease to preach

other Apostles said, "We ought to obey God rather than men.'

Some time after this, Herod, the king of the Jews, began to persecute the Church. This Herod was a grandson of the cruel, cruel king who wanted to kill the Infant Jesus. This king was another very evil man.

He seized St. James, the brother of St. John, and put him to death. And when he saw that this pleased the enemies of the Church, he took St. Peter, the chief of the Apostles, and threw him into prison.

This was the third time St. Peter had been in prison, and this time Herod thought he would make sure of his prisoner. He placed on guard sixteen soldiers to watch him day and night.

Think of the poor prisoner chained in his cell, separated from all his companions. And yet he was calm and happy. He could repeat the words he had heard from the lips of his Divine Lord: “I am not alone, for the Father is with me."

He could think about the young prisoner, Joseph, of whom he had learned in his childhood. The Lord had been with Joseph in the prison and He would be with him. So St. Peter did not feel alone. Calmly he lay down upon his bed of straw and slept peacefully.

Meantime, many of his companions had gone to the home of Mary, the mother of St. Mark. They were earnestly praying for St. Peter in the dark prison. They prayed that the Lord would send him help and would deliver him from the hand of the tyrant.

Though they knew it not, their prayers were immediately answered. For at midnight, the Lord sent forth His angel, and a light shone in the cell.