The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-03-27

| "Drat that beggar; they are always prowl-
| ing about peoples doors to see what they can
lay their hands onw exclaimed the burly por.
ter, who stood behind the door, and at the same
| moment ne sprang forward. He might have
! thought he saw an angel, SO suddenly did he
pause; but certain it is, as his eye fell upon
that knee1ing, fragile gici-iicr hands clasp
| ed upon her breast, and the sweetest face that
God ever gave to q poor orphan still upturned
in speechless agony-his heart melted within
lous tones of her voice struck him as being
those of real sorrow.
"Surely," he exclaimed, this child can be
no i%,postef;" and STOPPING, he raised her ,;
what aileth thee I" That act, that voice,
that tone, these words, "sweet child" long a
stranger to Maries ear, pierced her gentle
heart. unloosed anew the hOod-gates of her
soul, and tears of tcnderest gratitude streamed
from her eyes, while she moaned, "poor Marie's
cold and hungry"
The finer part of the rough mans nature was
touched and as he brushed the scaTding drops
from his own eyes, he whispered, be STILL
my child, you shall have all you want" Had
he spoken harsh words to her she might have
become still, but gentfeness had been SO long a
stranger to her sorrowing heart, that it was
gentieness alone that now caused it to beat
ALMOST to bursting.
'"Don't be angry with Marie, dear, good sir"
she cried, the people don't speak SO to her,
dear mother did, but now she's dead, and
Marie's left alone" The man himself would
have needed Il Comforter if this had continued,
moreover, company just then arriving and the
scene having begun to attract attention,
he raised the exhausted child in his arms and
descended with her to the>kitchen. Z" Here,
peor. little creature who seems to- bs almost
perished Do give Ter n crnss of bread, let her
warm herself, and then send her home."
"Then send her home ~ half said, half NUT
tered Betty, for the porter had FASTENED back
to his place at the door poor thing, she
looks as if she never had home. What is
your name, dearf'
Dear mother called me Marie, when she
died." sobbed the innocent sufferer.
May the holy Virgin protect us +" exclaimed
the good hearted woman; did Ley, ever poor child
mothers Don't be frightened; tell me-" But
fresh bursts of grief had choked her utterance.
"There, my child, don't be afther crying SO
ate that. 1 know what's the matter; poor thing,
the ice on her face and hair Send her home!
Much of a home such poor thing she's got.
Where is Your home, my child?' i
" Maries got no home"
"Where did you sleep last night! ?"
6 don't know, ma'am; twas a great way
off, under some step. Indeed, don't know,
ma'am
Her sobs and the touching earnestness of
her replies were too much for the tender
hearted woman, aud, turning from her, she
wiped the big tears from her own eyes with
the corner OF her apron, and did her best to
comfort he poor child.
Meanwhile tho ball went on above, and it
was long after midnight before Mordant Hall
was again restored to silence.
In presenting Mr.. Calvin Seward to the
reader, mention ought to be made of the only |
defect he possessed. This was strong, not to |
say bitter prejudice in his religious opinions. |
Born and educated in the Presbyterian faith, |
listening to the instructions of its !
ministers. being the leading representative of |
a line of ancestry which extended back almost |
to the time of Calvin, whose name he was
proud to bear, it was matter of course,
rather than one of investigation that he must !
be a Presbyterian. He presumed his religion
to be true; he was satisfied with it, and he |
would infinitely rather have followed his be-
loved Pauline to the grave than have seen her.
under any pretence whatever, desert the faith
Of his fathers. Three years previous. ut time
when Pauline, born to be loved and idolized,
had just entered the gay arena of tue fashion
able world, Mr.. Seward discovered in his
daughter marked disinclination to enjoy the
pleasures of her gay and sunlit path. Dis
tressed beyond measure at this unlooked-for
Development, he sought in vain for u solution
IF the mystery, until one morning, on entering
the library, he surprised Pauline surrou nded by /
/ pile of books of Presbyterian theology, and
ntently porting over volume of sermons. So
leeply she absorbed in this occupation
hat she had not heard the door opened, nor
vas she aware of the presence of any one until
Ter father, having approached near enough to
the nature of the book which so much
her, gently touched her shoulder,
md playfuliy asked, Does my love intend to
tudy for the ministry"
Blushing she arose and threw her arms
around her fathers neck, she begged him not
o be uneasy at a within of hers.
He tenderly replied Il should not deserve
o be your father, my love, if could cease to
'e uneasy while my daughter appears
lappy."
This surprise for Pauline. She
hought she had skilfully concealed every
hade of uneasiness as to have escaped all oh
eryation but now, finding that her heart had
,ecn read by her fond parent, and that his
nxiety had been aroused, and that he was un-
Happy on her account, she deemed further ei-
ort at concealment useless, and bursting into
ears, she freely told him the tenor OF her
ceilings as far as she herself could yet realize
hem, and ended by saying, Dearest father,
he world with all its pleasures, wealth and
grandeur, cannot satisfy this throbbing heart
# mine. My soul Graves happiness such as
his world does not possess. and | long to seek
+ where alone it can be found-in God; how
# through what medium shall l search
or it in Him 7 Dearest father, be not angry
With your own Pauline, she dare scarcely con-
ess it to herself, but often as that question
ises in the mind, voice from within ex-
laims, and 1 know not why thousand echoes
catholic Church."
Mr.. Seward was not pious man in the usual
- III 4.