Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-04-24


to contrive way of conveying let
ter to us. These letters ready, the
old difficulty of getting them to my
country people still remained. 1t was
impossible to enter into any commu-
nication with them from the garden,
because Of the Perpetual Alteration.
l fell back upon an old accomplish
ment, which had slipped into disuse.
| have three brothers, who took upon
themselves my early education; and,
among ether boyish acquirements,ha
made me an adept at flinging missiles
at marx. My sole chance lay in
casting ny letters from my attic win
dow into the garden of the English.
lake the JrouuIe W UuInk Vi my
difficulties. My window was high,
certainly and gave me so much advan-
tage; but before me lay the street,
the nuns garden, the priests garden,
and beyond that the one my aim must
reach. They were all narrow places,
so that the distance was not absolute
ly great, but there was the terrible
chance of missing my throw, and of
our letters falling into either of the
two nearer enclosures. Every day |
picked up stones stealthily in the gar
den, and every evening during yespers
[ practiced finging them from my
window. The priests melon frames
were broken, and a sister narrowly
escaped being struck by pebble; but
watch was set for mischevious lads
in the street, and no suspicion fell up
on me. [ resolved that rs soon as |
had thrown twelve stones, without
missing, into the English garden, |
would risk my precious packet 30 my
skill. l. was done at last. Twelve
large stones had descended into the
right patch Of ground; and, with hands
trembling with excitement, wrapped
my packet in paper, upon which |
had written, "One Of your country
women implores you earnestly to post
this letter" Ny hands trembled, |
said. But that would never do. |
am not ashamed to own that | cover
ed my face with them, and prayed God
to give me strength and steady nerves
to take a right aim; and then stand
ing perfectly still for a few seconds,
to make sure that trembIed no long
er, | whirled my weighted packet out
Of my hand.
The short time it takes for a stone
to whirl through the air seemed sew,
eral minutes to me. | felt persuaded
it would fall into the priests garden
and all the dire consequences rose
vividly before me But saw my mis-
sile just clear the tarthest wall, anC
drop into its right place; and | sa
on the floor, crying Historically, part
ly from thankfulIness, and partly from
reaction. felt certain all would b,
right now; but | did not cry the les
T for that.
= Well, about fifteen days after that
: a message came to me that frienC
| was waiting to see ME at the grille
Ny heart throbbed quickly as | went
: Was 1t really one ofmy people, wear,
to see my face, and unsatisfed bv tn,
formal and scanty letters | was com
PEELED to write? Or was it a con
, federate of NJ. de Forvile? Siste
Catherine tainted dead away whel
she heard the message, and | left tn,
school in commotion, though happily
J, no connection was perceived between
, the cause and effect found the Su
rerieure in bland conversation will
: my visitor when | entered. 1t was
l lady, stranger, who explained to III
: that she had met Monsieur mon pert
at Paris,and having mentioned that sh,
9 should be passing through this tow
( he had asked to do him the ineStima
bic favor of seeing me with her owl
: eyes, and assuring herself of my healtl
3 and happiness. There could be NJ
/ doubt of either, she added with a po
. lite compliment to Madame, and sh,
/ had another commission to fulfill
; Monsieur mon pere had intrusted tt
: her two Easter eggs-one for Mad
anne and the other for me-and witt
r smile of the sweetest blandness Sh,
/ put both into the Superieure's hands
| They were small enamelled and paint
t ed boxes, OF the shape and size of al
egg. Madame's contained a banl
r note for two hundred francs; ant
mine simply chocolate bon-bon. |
, was impossible to suspect anything
) for | was not yet suspected person.
= The chocolate egg contained a mos
; ardent letter from Pierre, impIorin|
t Catherine to free herself from he
y yoke at the end Of her next five years
4 | learned then, for the first time, tina
p in France the convent vows are onl
!. legally binding for five years, an,
must be renewed at each expiration o.
, that period. At the close of the mex
O October Catherine would have beel
0 ten years nun, and she might asser
7 her right to be free. All my care an,
/ all my sympathy vanished, for nothin'
/ could be palmer or easier than tn
course lying before her.
e But sister Catherine was trouble,
: with a tender, or, as | think, weal
e conscience. To my great disgust sh
= wished to betray the whole to he
b confessor. ! made her comprehen'
i with some trouble, that | should forth
h with be turned out of the convent, an
L she would be left to fight her battl
e alone. She kept silence, but her COZ
l. duct was so odd that suspicious wer
y reused, and she was placed unde
Il ctrIct surveillance / had no oDnol