Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-08-12

venerable priest whom you are con-
cealing. II is
Hush do not speak itl' cried sisiel
Agatha, placing her finger on heI
lips.
j have now said enough he went
on, 'to show that if | had conceived
the base design Of betraying you,
could have accomplished my object
before now
On the utterance of these words,
the priest, who had heard all that
had passed, left his hiding place, and
appeared in the room.
Il cannot believe,sir ; said he, that,
you are leagued with my persecu-
tors, and therefore willingly con-
fide in you. What do you require OF
meP
The noble confidence Of the priest
the saint-like purity expressed in
his features-must have struck even
an assassin with respect. The mys-
terious parsonage, who had intruded
on The scene Of misery and resigna-
ton which the garrett presented,
looked silently for a moment on the
three beings before him, and then, in
tones Of secresy, thus addressed the
priest:
Father, | am come TO entreat you
10 celebrate mortuary mass Tor the
repose Of a soul of a-of a-of a
person whose lie the laws once held
sacred, but whose corpse will never
rest in holy ground.'
An involuntary shudder seized the
priest, as he guessed the hidden
meaning of these words. The nuns,
unable to imagine what person was
indicated by the stranger, looked on
with equal curiosity and alarm.
'Your wish shall be granted said
the priest, in low, awe. struck tones.
Return TO this place at midnight,
and you will find me ready TO cele-
brate the only funeral service which
the church can offer in expiation Of
the crime TO W hich | understand you
TO allude.'
The stranger trembled violently
for a moment, then composed him.
self, respectfully saluted the priest
and the two nuns, and departed with
out uttering word.
About two hours a(terward soft
knock at the outer door announced
the mysterious visitors return. He
was admitted by Sister Agatha, who
conducted him into the second apart
ment OF their modest retreat, where
everything had been prepared ioI
the midnight mass. Near the fire.
place the nuns had placed heir old
chest Of drawers. A large crucifix
formed OF ivory and ebony was
hung against the bare plaster wall.
Four small tapers, fixed by sealing
wax on the temporary altar, threw
faint and mysterious CLEAN over
the crucifix, but hardly penetrated to
any other part oil the walls OF the
room. The floor of the room was
damp. The miserable roof, sloping
on either side. was pierced with
rents, through which the cold night
air penetrated into the rooms. A
deep, dead silence, through which
the slightest noise in the street could
be heard, added to the dreary grand
eur Of the midnight scene-a grand
eur maiesticalIy expressed by the
contrast between the homeliness Of
the temporary church, and the So
lemnity of the service to which il
was now devoted. On each side OF
the altar, the two aged women,
kneeling on the tiled floor, were
praying in concert with the priest,
who, clothed in his sacerdotal robes,
raised on high a golden chalice,
adorned with precious stones, the
most sacred OF the few relics saved
from the pillage of the Carmelile
convent.
The stranger. approaching at an
interval, knelt reverently between
the two nuns. As he looked up to-
ward The crucifix, he saw, for the
first time, that piece Of black Grape
was attached TO il. On beholding
this simple sign Of mourning, terri
bic recollections appeared TO be
awakened within him: the big drops
of agony started thick and fast on
his massive brow.
Gradually, as the four actors in
this solemn scene still fervently
prayed together, their souls began 10
sympathize the one with the other,
blending in one common feeling OF
religious awe. Beneath that mould
ering roof these four christians were
then interceding with heaven for the
soul Of a martyred king OF France
performing. at the peril Of their
lives, in those days Of anarchy and
terror, a funeral service for that hap
less Louis the Sixteenth, who died
on the scaffold--who was buried
without coffin or a shro0dl The
last relics OF the loyalty Of France
were collected in that poor room,
enshrined in the prayers Of priest
- 49, o-eJ .uou,an Dorbo1~