One night a loud knock was heard at the door of a village presbytery. The priest opened the window, and putting his head out, asked who was there and what he wanted.

A man stepped forward and begged the priest to come immediately to a person who was at the point of death.

The clergyman hastily dressed, went to the church for the Blessed Sacrament and the anointing oils, and set out with the messenger who carried the lantern and bell. They soon arrived at a large farmhouse and knocked loudly at the door.

The messenger then put the lantern and bell on the ground and disappeared into the darkness.

In a few minutes the farmer came down to see who was there. When he saw the priest with the Blessed Sacrament, he was surprised, for there was no one ill in the house. After thinking for a moment, it occurred to him that he had given a tramp permission to sleep in the barn, and he sent one of his men to see whether he was there and if there was anything wrong with him.

The man reported that the beggar was lying in the barn, apparently very ill.

The priest went to him and found that he was dying. When he administered the sacraments to the man, they were received with gratitude and fervent devotion. Afterward the priest asked him whom he had sent to call him. “I sent no one,” he answered. “All I can say is that I have prayed daily to St. Barbara not to allow me to die without the last sacraments. The man died before the dawn.