The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-10-10

He then rose, saying he was forgetting the
hour in begging for Cecilia's reinstatement into
favor, that he was pressed for time, and must
take leave.
There was about Father Paul an ease and
self-possession of manner which is most erro-
neously supposed an exclusive privilege of
fashionable circles; in asking Miss Thornton
the favor of seeing Cecilia sometimes he him
self seemed comforting a benefit; and such In
deed it proved to the little outcast
AS he babe her goodbye, Miss Thornton
curtsied low, and forgot after his departure to
scold Cecilia, who, on her side, ceased to 1ret
Spring at length came budding forth, and
brought to Norma recovery and strength.
Light and joyous was the Indians step as she
took her way back to the school. Her heart
beat tumultuously she knocked at the door.
In the passage she was met by Cecilia, who
sprang to her embrace.
Happy, happy was the meeting. Incoherent
expressions of Joy burst from them both as
they chung to each other, as if naught on earth
could again force them asunder. Yet as &C.
ella gazed intently ON the lineaments she SO
loved, she exclaimed with sorrowfnl surprise:
''Monna, how changed you are"
The child said right; the classic lines OF
beauty had vanished; the Greek profile for
merly so much admired in Norma, was now de-
curve of the Hip could no longer be praised.
Even the expression of the eyes was altered
the radiant flash was softened.
Norma had entered the hospital Mahomet-
an, she left it q fervent Catholic.
GLOW, dear Norma, did you meet with Fa-
Their Paul Z" inquired Cecilia.
Father Paul, my child, had come to the
hospital to give Extreme Unction to poor
Irishwoman, whose eyes he had just closed,
when he heard me raving in Hindostanee. l
words seemed to m max osslRIssiyyhl ng clear and
straight to me. He has been missionary IN
India, which accounts for his speaking Hlndo-
stance
Miss Thornton was sorely vexed at Monna's
having become Catholic, yet her department
was SO humble and unobtrusive she could find
no cause of complaint. There were often little
of which she took no heed. There was always
n large joint of meat on Fridays, but Norma
quietly ate boiled potatoes without single
observation.
Poor Cecilia knew not what course now to
take but Norma never touched ON the change
in her religion.
Years rolled on and brought Cecilia to the
verge of womanhand,- when the increasing
GOODNESS of her fathers letters seemed to make
Norma anxious.
One day Mr.. st. Leger called, which was an
unusual thing for him, as he came but once
wear and paid the school-bills through his
bankers He asked to see Norma alone, sayin g
he had some important communication to
make to her.
What passed during that interview could
never be known, for ever after Norma shud-
dered at its very remembrance. Ere Mr.. st.
Leger left the house he begged to see Miss
Thornton, and said he had been asked to for
Al
livered, little expecting the strange effect IL
had. produced, 9Sor she had tainted.
at is not my brothers handwriting. There
is some strange mystery about this Indian wo-
man, which perhaps you, Miss Thornton, have
been enabled TO fathOm."
|. Miss Thornton gave warm praise to Norma,
who, she said, during tho long years she had
resided in the establishment had won every
bUJfy's respect IN fTCt; only TIN fg
she had done during that period was to have
become n Catholie.o And the schoolmistress
1 l,aA cha afFnaI aFaI
such attachment as the Indian had evinced for
her charge; in fact, no mothers love waS
greater"
After MrSSt Legers departure, Miss Thorn
ton went up to bionnas room, and there in
deed found the poor creature in the despair be
! had spoken Of She was lying on the hoor
| her long black disheveled hair sweeping on
! the ground from its extreme luSnriance. Ar
| open letter was by her side, but she was cor
vulsiyely pressing to her heart cruciiix, as Al
| to gain support from it's mute eloquence. [Sht
| looked up rs Miss Thornton entered. There
was such hopeless woe in her faded eounten
| auce such complete prostratiOn in that noble
| and energetic nature, that Miss Thornton wa'
| touched with pity.
/ could not but sank back weeping. IL seemed
| to tho schoolmistress that she rescmbled thu
| picture of the gdalene lying on the ground
| s'Send Cecilia to me- at length she talteTed
! Miss Thornton started Mt the tone of TIN
| voice, for it told that heart-string over
strained had burst. Quietly she then left TIN
| room in search OF eczema. soon IA ilSnt ste
! was heard, and Cecilia, in breathless haste, in
quired the reason of Monna's mysterious sor
row. She stretched her hand towards the let
! ter, when Norma arrested her, saying:
| Not vet, my child; have patience, and lis
I ten to what cannot longer conceal from you
Judge me not harshly-Pardon me, o, pardon
me@
! f'Pardon-from me, my own darling Norma
! cried tho astonished Cecilia lyon, who hav
watched me with a mothers IOye-nay, coHt
! not have laxed- my mother better than you
| A sweet sad smile stole over the INDIAN
face as she rose mp, aud opening a trnuk, too
from it miniature enclosed in a small cas-
and gave it into Ceeilia's hands. H.
1t represented lovely Indian girl dressed ]
the gorgeous spiendor OF the-East' with JeWel