The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1870-01-16

frightenetame"
She jumped up and rau into the hail. and at
| the same instant her husband entered from the
street She moved~towards him, but suddenly
stopped, froZep~TYith an iuexplicahle horror.
M-de LaYeps face was of an ashy paleness--he
tried TO speak, he stammered the words died
upon ms lips, and his wife, in one of those qnicl1
Transitions which thought makes, believed he
was going to fall dead at her feet.
" What ails You 7" she cried reaching out
her arms towards him.
r., j." Do not be frightened, Camille" said he;
GO hut Maurice"
He was unable to finish.
" Mauricew she echoed. "Where is he =
Why does he not come home o great God !!
he is dead-he is drowned !"
Nj. de Laval had now somewhat recovered
himself, and he explained: L" He rescued a
child who was drowning, and was wounded in
the head. They are bringing him home. Ny
dear Camille, keep up heart! He lives God
will restore him to usw
She staggered and looked at her husband
with fixed eyes.
" Have courage" he cried.
The servants, already called together by the
sad news, had opened the gates to the relatives
and friends who were coming in every direction,
and also to those who were bringing Maurice.
They bore him on litter, covered with q mat
| tress, and his head, all bloody, with eyes wide
open, rested on n, pillow made of the coats of
the brave men, while behind the litter walked
n man all covered with blood. He was the
| father of the child whom Maurice had saved at
| the price of his own life
| The boy was quickly placed upon the bed,
and the physicians were soon by his side, fol-
lowed by the parish priest. Camille, kneeling
beside him, saw, in an evil~dream, the
surgeon dress the wound which Maurice had
manner to the other physicians behind the
curtain. She the priest go up to Maurice,
and, after talking to him in low voice, bend
over him and raise his hands in the benediction
of the dying, fundamentally after give him
the holy oils. As in n dream she heard her
husbands voice, saying, Dear wife, the good
| God wants him Look at our Maurice" To-
- She then looked at him. Maurice, aroused
| by the words of the priest, had regained com
plete consciousness and knew that he was
dying. He seemed -lnare than tranquil-happy;
and, looking around enGaH present, said
Goodbye, papa-:z- only did what you
taught mo-" ~F~ss-''.'-.-'.-
He then discovered the father of the rescued
child, who had concealed himself behind NJ.
de Laval " Give my love to your little boy
said he.
His eyes then sought for his mother. She
got up, and, bending over him, took him in her
arms. YDear mamma, make an offering
for grandpapa's conversion. Say to him.
He stopped. His mother saw the light fade
from his eyes, and knew that his breath was
hushed in death. For long time she remained
holding him in her arms, like that most des-
olate of mothers, bathing him with her tears,
and unable to listenLto the comforting words
of either husband or father, both of whom
were overwhelmed with grief. At last her
pety, those religious sentiments which had
always animated her life, prevailed, and she
l., Eyes, my God I accept the sacrifice, and l
sacrifice him for my father. Save him, Lord,
save himn
Two days later they buried poor Maurice,
I the whole village attending his-fuuernl.
! The same evening the priest, who had been
| with him in his last moments, presented him
self to Madame de Laval, and said:
"You are, afflicted but your prayers arc
heard. Divine grace has pursued your father,
and this very morning when the body of your
child yet in the house, he called me TO him
and made his confession. He could hold out
no longer, he said to me. Rejoice, then,
madam, in the midst of your grief"
She did indeed rejoice, though she still
wept
40 AIOyse," said she, "and my dear Maurice /!
They are then taken away, but at what a. pricop'
"JThank God!n cried the priest. /" He seps
arates family here only to reunite them in
eternityw