Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-03-28

ice, which bears destruction to every vessel
that dares to encounter their violence
During this season, too, the usual bounds
no longer restrain the angry food, but the
river pours fourth its water over the ad-
jacent lands, to considerable distance On
either side.
1t was in the depth of such winter that
fair lady knelt within the convent of Nom
nenwerder. Within small stone cell, con-
tanning no furniture, besides her pallet
single stool, and the table with its book and
crucifx-before which she was prostrated-
all spoke Of seclusion and penance. Yet
the lady's dress, Of purest white, was not
that of one who had forsw0rn the world;
and her features, though now expressing
the most bitter anguish, seemed, originally,
to have been moulded by mirth and gaiety.
Bat now, even in the misery Of the scene
without, could not have We'd with the drea-
riness and desolation of the heart that once
throbbed so merrily-and as she knelt before
the symbol of salvation, to seek consolation
in prayer, though her lips formed the oft
repeated words, her mind was wandering
back to the scenes of former happiness.
81 cannot and she burst into tears, as
she rose from her vain aspiration-''I can
not pray; my thoughts hang over this world
and Rudolf"
A soft tap at her cell door announced
visitor, and the next moment the abbess
entered; the lady abbess was stately
woman and proud, yet her dress bespoke
humility, and so would her words have done,
but their very sound belied them.
al come hither, Sister Christine, to learn
thy final determination-the month thy pa
rents gave thee for reflection has now claps-
| ed-wilt thou, then, sister, return to thy
home, and wed him for whom thou art des
tined; or does it better please thee to pre-
serve vain and forbidden love, shut up for
life in this convent ?''
A half suppressed sigh was the only an
swer on the part Of the sorrowing Chris
| tine.
s'My child, want an answer"
Still Christine replied only by her tears
''Christine, said the abbess, thou hast a
duty to perform, hast thou prayed fox
strength to go through with it ?''
q have knelt, lady"-and Christine pau
sed, for she dare not add she had knelt in
prayer.
The abbess, however, was satisfed-sbc
perceived not the distinction between pray
ers that dwell only on the lips, aad
those that arise from the oyerfowing OF IA
pious heart, and she proceeded to urge the
unfortunate maiden to a voluntary sacra-
| fee.
Lady" replied Christine, ''full well DO
[ know that, unless | submit to the cruel
wish of my parents, and wed him whom L
loath, and that too, this night, / must take
the veil, and VOW an eternal divorce from
| the world tomorrow, know also that from
this fate there is no appeal-but | cannot
! obey nv parents, and VOW love to him | 40
| hor, neither can on the other hand, voluu
tarily reneunce W orld to which my heart
strings are bound see, then, how dreadful
is the alternative ye leave me, on either
side perjury, on both sides misery oh if
there is mercy in your heart, leave me yet
a little time to reflect; in pity spare me Que
hour-one hour" and she fell at the feet Of
the abbess, bathing them with tears.
Foolish, frivolous girl" exclaimed the