The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-05-03
had gone quite far enough already; 80, with
out another word of remOnstrance or expos
tulation, he made his reverence and retired.
CHATTER ".

Cul6C1O0, ne made MS reverence ana TctlTcel
CHAPTER ". 4
Mrs. Netterville waited until the echo Of
his fetreating footsteps had died away in the
corridor, and then fastening the door SO az
to secure herself from any further interrupt
| tiOn from the outside, she once more fell on
her knees before the cruciix, and buried
her face in both her hands. How long she
remained TINS she never knew exactly but
the shades of a short January evening were
already gathering in the room, when, with
I a start and alook as if her conscience smote
her, she rose suddenly from her
knees. =" Christ pardon me!' she muttered
half aloud, that, in my own selfish sorrow
I have forgotten others! Poor wretch! By
this time he must he well-nigl famislled, if,
indeed, (tllough trust it will not, )tlle delay
has not worked him deeper mischief"
| AS these thoughts passed rapidly through
| her mind, she opened cupboard close at
| hand, and drew from thence a bottle of
wine, with some other articles of delicate
food, packed carefully in q wicker-basket,
and evidently left there for some especial
purpose. She then sought through the gloom
for cloak, which she threw upon her Shout
ders and, drawing the hood down over her
face, and taking the basket on her arm, she
hastily left the room. Not, however, by the
door through which Hamish and the ser
wants had retreated, but by another at the
opposite end, and which was almost invisi-
BILE, in consequence of its forming one of
the panels in the black oak wainscoting of
the chamber. 1t led her directly by short
stone passage to another door or low wicket
on opening which she found herself in the
private grounds of the castle. Before her
at no great distance, stood an old ivy-cov-
cred church, half hidden in a group of tall
| Irish trees, which sheltered its little eene--
terry. This was not the parish church, but
a private chapel, built by the Netterville
hot, vii NppIo
here their infants had been baptized, their
daughters married, and their old men and
women laid reverently to their last slunl-
bers, ever since they had established their
existence in the land.
Mrs. Netterville could not resist sigh
as SHE glanced toward it's venerable walls.
1t seemed as if it were only yesterday that
she had gone there to lay down her hus-
band in his lowly grave, hoping and pray
ing, out of the depths of her own great grief,
that she might soon be permitted to sleep
quietly beside-him. And now, even this
sad hope was to be hers no longer; this
poor possession of six feet of earth was to
be wrested from her; strangers would lay
her in a distant grave, and even In death
she would be separated from her husband.
The thought was too painful to bear
much lingering upon it, and turning her
back upon the Church, Mrs. Nettervllle fol-
lowed a path which lay under the castle
walls, and led to courtyard, at a consid-
cradle distance. Round this court yard
were grouped stables and other offices,
which, having been built at different Pc
RODS, and without any consecutive idea as-
a whole, presented rather the appearance OF
collection of stunted farm houses, than of
the regular ut-buildings OF an important
mansion.
Each of these houses had a private en-
trance Of it's own land opening the door OF
one of then, Mrs. Netterviile looked in
quietly, and entered. The interior was
room, poorly, but yet decently, furnished;
and On a low settle-bed, at the farther end,
lay young man, who, with his sunken eyes
and hollow cheeks, had all the look of a
person ust rescued from the jaws OF death.
A knapsack on the floor, pike and musket
in one corner of the room, and u steel cap
and buff coat in nother, seemed to announce
him as one of the band of successful soldiers
who were even then i'll possession of the
castle.
Poor fellow! he lay, with closed eyes,
wan and weary, on his bed, looking, at that
moment, like anything rather than like
successful soldier; but he lifted his head an
he caught the noise of the door creaking on
its hinges, and his face frightened into as
expression of Joy and gratitude, 'pleasant to
behold, when he discovered Mrs. Nettervllle
standing ON the threshold. -
Can you ever forgive me = she said,
going up to him at once. - | cannot easily
forgive myself for having left you SO long
alone. In the grief and anguish in which
have been plunged all day, had well-nigh
forgotten your existence; and you must be
faint, / fear me, for want of nourishment."
"Nay, madam" he answered, gently,
indeed, but yet with good deal of that
comfortable self-assurance in spiritual mat
tiers which seems to have been an especial
inheritance of Cromwell's saints" If
yOu have forgotten, the Lord at least hath
been mindful of his servant, and hath cast
SO deep Il slumber on my senses, that nave
been altogether unconscious of the lapse OF
time, or Of the absence of those carnal com
T forts which, however the spirit may rebel
against them, are. nevertheless. not alto
gether to he dcspiscd. as being me means
ding Of our Master.