The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-08-29

common before the same altar. The Indians,
as they retraced their steps to their wigwams,
would say, That they were the favored chill
dren or the Great Spirit, for he had given them
TINS blessed resting place." #
CHATTER XIV
The bright, rich American autumn was now
ginning to change their color and lose their
foliage. De Brennan and the others who had
accompanied him to Quebec were daily expect
ed, and prayers from both villages were offered
for their safe return. De Tonty, accompanied
by twelve of his men and several of the In
dams, had determined to proceed about three
Il xas ths eve ropes q sainsg TRa t,.
church was almost finished; it would be con,
secrated the ensuing week, on the arrival of
was anticipated by all with pleasure, as the
sharp northern breeze was already commencing
to be felt And the next day, the feast of All
SAINTS, the divine mysteries would be .cele-
brated for tho last time, at least until the
spring returned again, at the Hill of tho Cross
On the morning of the day of All Saints
Father Gabrielle had risen before tho sun to
prepare for the solemnities of the day. He
wished to be first at the Hill of the Cross, that
he might make some arrangements about the
rustic altar before the little congregation as
scrubbed, 57fse Is - @ 80
The morning was beautiful; tho sun had
risen bright and clear, but the dreamy hazs OF
the Indian summer lay sleeping on the earth.
spot, IL aeeued az # AL the is1vere
/ OF afEing aud suInnfsr had revived TO do honor
to the day. few maple and sgipaeh trees.
had been planted at some little distance freIn
the cross. AS if in the vestibule of the temple.
The good Father paused moment to admire
1.-The yellow flowers and the scarlet berries blend
ing with the deep green of the foliage in. the
| morning light. His attention was attracted by
slight movement. He turned, and beheld
Sour Josephine kneeling near the little altar.
She held her crucifix in her hand, and was CON
wit nlxa of
unutterable pathos and love. As he gazed
| upon her time, place, Al was forgotten. He
| realized the amphitheatte mt Rome, and one of
| the virgin martyrs giving proof 81 the power
! of her Faith by the voluntary shedding of her
| blood. As soon as sho Was aware of his APP
proaGh she rose from her knees, and approach
ing the cross they began arranging the lights
| aud ornaments on the little altar.
Father Gabrielle proposed that the celebra-
ton of tho Mass should be delayed for about
an hour, knowing well that the absent parties
! would use every endeaver to reach the fort in
time for the service of tho day. During this
interval those who had arrived were reposing
| in the shade or absorbed in prayer; the good
Father and Smur Josephine were conversing
somewhat apart from the rest. 49,
/" Father" said she, !" on this glorious day
am oppressed with joy--ani undesirable sense
| of happiness rests on my soul, oh! what bliss
! it wonld be to enter heaven on this day, when
| the Church celebrates the beaBItude of 80 many
| thousands of her children. Truly it seems as
| if the portals, spread wide, invite US To ENTER.
Would that we could throw aside all these
mortal bonds as easily "a the leaves are falling
| from yon1er tree
| At this moment q cry SO loud and shrill rent
| the air that the dense forests rang again, and
the echoes from the deep banks of the mighty
river caught the sound aud answered with q
thousand -reverberations. The Indian war
whoop had sounded, and as il simultaneously
with the cry, the fiends themselves rushed upon
| them With club and tnmnhawk they feiled
their tetEnCetess viUtiu5 II tire
ground was slippery with human gore. Father
Gabrielle and Seur Josephine, with o few
others who stood nearest the altar, We're the
! first victims. ,- t
The cross had received several strokes from
| the tomahawk, but it had not fallen to the
earth--it lay half supported by the surround
| ing skEubs, with the vines trailing in the dust.
1 The EEorlS- of death still continued, when one
4 of the most ferociOus of the savages, as If in
mockery of the sacred emblem, planted near it
an immense club all smeared with the blood
and brains of his victims. already eighty
seven dead bodies lay heaped in bloody confu-
| sion, and aNShriek now and then attested that
| another unfortunate had been overtalIeo as
they fed through the forest-when the sharp
| ringing report of q carbine rang through the
woods. 1t was followed by another aud au-
/ otfer, in quick succession. - --.7---
l--De Tonty, with his men ut 6rms and the
| little band under the command of De BrefIian,
had returned, but only in time to save the
bodies from mutilati0u. --T
i ON the report of firearms the savares fed
Immediately, aud when the French came up the
stiffness of death reigned in this desolate spot
mot even q groan broke the dread silence.
/ Would that we could throw n veil over
| these heart freezing horrorsi But the last sad
duties must be paid Now and then the silence
| was broken by q sob, an exclamation, as the
remains of some relative or friend was recog-
nized. The CheyAlier dc Tonty aud Eustaehe
de Bremen, in silent agony, and MS IL aetuated
| by the same instinct, sought the foot Of the
/ cross. Some drops of the morning dew had
fallen from the creeping vines, rs they had
been rudely shaken, and lay like crystal gems
on the cold brow Of Seur Josephine, a. If at
testing the innocence and deep devotion of heI
/ life. At this moment one ef the Indians ep-
preached, and percsiving the bloody club
which had been planted near the cross, he ex-
claimed, "This is no more the Hill of the
| knk Rattan, Eatt0eD