The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-20

Theresa entered ssfsy the cell Of sister Agnes. A
kneeied by The pallet Of Vie sister.
Agnes, she whispe' ed, do yca believe the tales
We hear Of ssinis and purgstsy and stufrr
Agnes started. Theresa, she said, tina. u
NO. replied There's, 'hsrs,y Is to believe what
heretics tell %; beleve netting, because am tod
to believe too much
sObi bushs husht'
mo, won't. an growing mad, as every one
van spesk before de-
NO, do not interrupt me. You love, Agnes
ed her hands upon her breast and wi{thed.
He loves you also, proceeded the nun; and II you
bob knew ss do that this religion Is bat fable,
you might be happy
'Oh, Theresa, spare mel
Your escape is quite possible, continued Theresa.
He can come into the convent ct all honrs; know
the way-fee together, and be happy. Luther mar
ried Q num-
Our vow Theresa; do not torment me, my brain
ia on fire already. Besides, he never asked me 70
love him. And the vow-And the curse u
'Pshaw the vow-the curse: the puff Of foolish
Daiden's breath-tbe blast OF q wicked priests !
Think you these words aye registered in heaven
man IN 1t. But hear me. l am mad, but NADINE V
has made me wise loosed the chains OF my mind.
Popes and abbesses, and priests, are liars all OF
Of les wsnt to disenthrall YOU, to make you hap.
~ before die. will confess tomorrow to Father
frances 0, and tell him to save you; his arm is as
strong HE heart; fee with him, and be his bride
| when am in the grave
Il beeeech you, Theresa, by the Virgin, and all
the saints, that you speak not to Father Francesca
shall be degrne I'd in his eyes forever. And vii
not fee; win not risk my salvation for earthly hap
| pinsss.'
You are fool' exclaimed Theresa passiona.ely.
| Promise me, Theresa that you will no."
| Il will not promise. You are the only person l
| ever loved except ere. must save you.'
| Decidedly, Theresa, You shall not. ! viii never
more utter word 70 Father Francesca. would not
n.e with him; and he Is too holy TO ask It. Pro.
mise me that you will not speak, or shall never be
happy again,
said sister Theresa, altering her tone. We'll, il you
prefer your pride to your happiness be it so; will
do as you wish. Good night
She gded from the cell. Agnes would fain have
! recalled heT--bnt she was gone.
sister Agnes sat like one entranced; she po1dered
| the fearful words che had heard, until her own
| faith gave way, and she questioned whether "a
ipfict woe upon oneself could be acceptable
service to the Creator. The Romish dogmas
are not calculated to produce love to God;
! even the Saviour is often represented as i'm.
plscable until molliGed by his Moteer. She thought
Of her sufeiines, and her spirit shi ank from che
God who took pleasure in them. Perhaps, after all
she had been believing delusion; perhaps religion
| was fable. What If Father francesca thought 81
toc-what if be believed the vow to be . nunity
But no; there was that about him which proved
his sincerity and bis holiness. Yet Sister Theresa
was sincere also, sincere in her infdelity. Where
| lay the truth
| Thus. one moment she disbeteyed-the next she
prayed. All bad she but prayed to God, instead
| Of invoking dumb idols who could not hear ! The
heart Of woman was not made for solitude; she must
love die, or be utterly wretched. True there are
some, who, like sister Agnes, had been stript Of
every earthly stay-whose beloved ones have fallen
by their side like autumn leaves, until their branch
es have been Left bare-who are. happy. still. Bnt
they are those who lifting up the eye 70 heaven can
say, Though the fig tree shall not blossom, neither
shall fruit be in the vine; the labor Of the olive
flock shall pc cut of from the fold and there shall
be no herd In the stalls; yet will rejo e in the
Lord, will joy in the God Of my salvation. Tho
hearted they have had the dcsoaton Of their souls
retrieved BY the Glove Of God shed abroad in them
by the Holy Ghost" they have looked upon One
.'fairer than the children of men, even altogether
been satisfied with heavenly. isympathy-with
heavenly communion. True, it is 4 this purpose,
Rome pretends that she sewers the heart from
earthly love; but she begins at the wrong end. Ths
heaven, Coos wsy II TO establish himself Lord,
| and then the idOls Of the soul fall before his
presence.
Sister Agnes bnew not God as he is revealed in
L
human support.
The nuns assembled in tie refectory FOR dinner
and they ate, Popsh legend was, as usual, read
10 them Sister Tneresa ate little. aud seemed lost
| in thought. When the meal WAS ended and the
| nuns arose to leave the table, she addressed the
Abbess, and requested that all would remain few
minutes then drawing herself up erect and haughti-
ly, she said, listen, Signo1a, came hither 20 eek
learned that the religious are hyporiGs Il =
there is NO God, no pufgatory, DO he'll no c.a4t,er
You have tormented me till ] am weary of lie !
will be your prisoner longer. demand lher:y.
And demand OBEDIENCE said the Abbess.
| S.Ikn0w, continued Theresa, that am yopr ap.
| tive; we are barred and bo,ted in our duDgc ~
there is none to hear our cry for fberty-but' and
fots. This is my deliyerer,' She added. Selling q
knife and llupging it into her bosom. The blood
| spouted from the wound, and she fell. \ silDuta
neous shriek burst from the nurs, some of whom
rushed to starch the wound. 1t was ia vain, abe
had fainted sister Agnes supported her head while
water was poured ON her face, and napkin closely
| pressed upon her breast. But in q quarter of an
hour she had ceased to exist.
Sister Theresa was suicide; no mass was said
no candles we're burned for her. Silently they laid
| Der in unccnsecra.ed ground as they would have
| laid o cog; and then the nuns were harangued
| upon her crime, by on infdel and immoral prioa
They were xhorted to 60 TO confessi5n to fast and
pray; and a novena was appointed to clsa- the
! convent Of the crime committed within its walls.
Alter this sister Agnes bad fever, protrseted
| fever. Her patience and submission endearc heI
4 to the nfirmaran and nurses; and after her re-
covery, in the sadr Of her broken SPIRIT she was
so ohe dent and tfactable, that she recovered the
favor OF the Ahbcss, and was sometimes even trusted
! TO attend the noviccs in their garden walks. She
! was quite passive, because her heart was broken
and she hao neither hope nor wish. In fact, she
| vas sinking into the grave an occasional hollow
cough, and hectic spot upon her pale check ~
| mistakeabiy told Ibis tale. But ss.er Agnes
| was rot destined TO lnger away in consumption
| her fate approached more rapidly.
Easy NAT, TALE OF LIFE IN New YoRs
MD BosroN. By A. l.. STrMsoN. DERBY, PARS
PLAcE.-The author Of this pleasant and in
structive story has given us correct and prac
teal view of the every day life of the great
Atlantic cities, differing as widely in its shrewd
ness of observation, power of philosophical ana
lysis and genial humor, from the tawdry, SLIP
sh0d. artificial philanthropy and sentiment al