Middletown transcript., 1869-09-04

the sanctlty OF my appearance, soon gained
a reputation. Within the miserable days
aud i'll the memory of the wretched years,
are hours Years had rolled along, yet
still mournful remembrance clung to the
scenes of my early life, aud little did the
vulgar crowd that hung around my exhor-
tations, dream that the austere Priest from
whose lips the cold words of absolution
fell, had pent up within his heart smoul-
dering volcano,
The religious services of the season were
about to close in Rome-thc carnival was
about to begin. 1t was the last day of
the solemn ceremonies of the church.
received word from lordly superior
that Venitiau lady would attend confess
sional in the little sacristy adjoining the
church of -, and was instructed to re-
ceive her confession and give her absolu-
tion.
The hour arriyed-I was to confess one
of my own cOpntryWomen-a Ventian.
She was veiled, and as she approached the
confessional, knelt-do | live to write it
Twas Francesca Was | mad? did de-
mon possess me Wild with delirium.
unconscious of aught else but the presence
OF Francesca, | sprung from my post, and
twining my arms about her, imp inted a
thousand burning kisses upon her angel
lips, calling madly but fondly on her
name. She knew me, and with Il look of
mingled loye and horror, she screamed
My lover, my fathers murderer !" At
this moment the door of the sacristy few
open, and the now hateful countenance of
the officiating priest & Jared upon ne, but
| needed it not
4" Father Francis" said be, "meet us
this moment in the chapel, the solemn GER
emonies are now closing, anon the carnival
will begin, and" added he in scrpept-
kissing tone, after that, the dungeon,
false priest" | arose mechanically, and
calling Francesca's female attendant, has
tened to the chapel.
The rites were nearly over. | approach
ed to take the consecrated wafer, when
with the very VOICE of demon, the otficia-
ting priest hisseq into my ear, /" be thou
dcculsrd forever |"
l hearcd the dreadful anuthem4-'tw
whispered with all the demoniac venom of
i1nd, but it seemed beloved into my ear
with the voice of scyenfold thunder.
!" BE thou accurscd turcver' and the
DID church with lis dim, antique windows,
the altar, the marple floor, the pictured
wall, all fioated past my eye with the in-
Gls'lnctpess of vision, as with u deep
groan sunk upon the cold aud echong
pavement. But in my swoon that awfui
avnunclaton still rang in my ears and the
old wallis seemed to live with echoes!
. BE thou arcprsrd forevcr.' seemed
30 DC the chorus of leYionrd tienGs, as Ia,
unearthiy nnathema marant,hd wildly lin
: red Wi1h distipctIes> around ;he W.
1vcrspreadlng dome ap0ye The organ :
spiritual sound swrllcd with yUlumo of
sweetness, ana ro.lyd away accompanies 5y
the chant OF virgins toward the heavens.
The music recalled me to my sens
and with the shrek OF an cXqlting demon
L uttered ours upon the officiating pri 81,
and rushed from the church, apd soughi
the cool winds of the hills The principal
streets were brilliantly illuminated, and the
balcopies Of che opplcnt citizens threw an
air of epchantmeHt. Of witchiug beauty
around.
The carnival had begun, and Rome was
again all pleasure and pastime.
Hypocrisy and religion, virtue and vice,
good and evil, the bold priest and the
veiled vestal, the debauchee and the vowed
ascetc-old, young, lame, halt and blind,
swelled the mighty throng that was pour
ing from every quarter.
L bounded, or rather flew past the
crowd like an opposing current, overturn-
ing many pious saint, or deformed devo-
tee who, despite their sanctity spared few
moments from their religious contempla-
tions to bestow curse upon the fugitive
With speed | past the densely crowded
streets, and breathless from my flight
found myself at Hast alone.
1t was night of lovelncss, and oh how
deeply are its memories treasured up in
my heart
The Heavens were unclouded; the pale |
stars looked forth from amid their solemn
march of beauty. and the silver moon as
she bathed the dome of the Vatican with |
stream of glory, seemed to smile upon that
city of a thousand proud and yet degrad-
ing memories
The Tiber rolled lazily in the distance
like stream of molten gold, and the hills
of Rome threw their sombre shadows upon |
ruins, grey with the age of long gone CEN
turies
The sacred Vestments we're still upon
me, and with my bare head cleaning in
the moonlight | was no unapt representa-
ton of the fallen Lucifer. still wearing the
garments of an angel of light.
had, one short day before, imagined
myself secured against the power of the
had gloried in my strength
and had falien-I had spent years of pen
itence and prayer, and for what?-that
my name might become an offence to nv
fellows, and united to cursings in the
nnathemas of the church
But my crime! had murdered Count
as he knelt at my mothers grave