The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1871-01-08

Although the night had by this time nearlj
bottle of generous wine. The old man, afte,
he had refreshed himself by O glass of wine
addressed the clergyman thus:
You, good sir, seem astonished that should
wlsh to hy from the world-I have had little
intercourse with men of your profession, but
will give you my history-it is but brief, but
you Will learn that it was not without reason
l wished to leave world in which am not
merely useless, but grievous burden upon the
only being love. l have been a mercantile
man, myself, and loved and married poor
glrl. could never be in business on my own
account. ! took situation as bookeeper,
which held until I became useless from age,
ana younger men were preferred to me. Thus
my circumstances were always circumscribed,
wife was an angel Of love, kindness and fond
ness, and my dadghter is the true image of her
mother. But age and illness have brought me
10 the last extremity, and my conscience re-
volts against the idea of the best child in the
world sacrificing her life for old, useless
Fellow. And with what patience. what sweet
ness. what love, what perseverance,! see her
sinking under her toll and her deprivations
and not a werd of complaint escapes her pal!id
lips. She works and starves, and still has al
ways a word of love, affectionate smile for
her father cannot have much longer to live;
ana nope the Lord will pardon me for cutting
on few days or weeks from my life, in order
TO preserve or rprolong that of my dear Ber+ha."
~. ron are for innate man, my friend" said
ate wife, you have yet beloved daughter
who sincerely loves you, since she l.bors for
your support with so much devotion. /, ON the
contrary, am rich; possess an abundance of
have found nothing but deceit. My fathers
servants were submissive slaves to my ca
prlce-my nearest relatives have all died
those whom have trusted have betrayed me-
yet repeat still have wealth, but of what
use1 1 endeavored to associate myself in IL
union OF love and friendship with good and
generous people, but 1 found only hypocrites
and imposters, who pretended friendship for
70 ether purpose than to partake of my wealth, |
anQ esjay themselves at my expense. shy !
or rather the villains whom mistook
betrayed me, and then laughed at my sim
olc!ty but in time gathered experience and
ny heart was filed with distrust. 1 was be-
rothed to rich heiress, possessed of all
With enthusiasm; her love, thought, would
epay me for every disappointment. But 1
Don saw she was nothing more than proud
ool who wished to make me her slave, and
oke all other men besides to her triumphal
hariot. broke off the engagement. and Sc
ected poor but charming grl-a sweet in
ocent being, as thought, who would be my
fes own angel. Alas! / found her one day
idding adieu with tears and kisses to youth
'hom she loved she had accepted me for my
'ealth only My peace of mind vanished, aud
sought diversion in travel. Everywhere l
'und the same hollowness, the same treachery,
ne same misery. In short, became disgnsted
18th life, and resolved to put an end this night
} the miserable farce"
Ah W said the good priest show easily can :
on procure happiness by making others hap
J, or at least alleviating their actual suffer
gs. 1 have already discovered the way I
1ns bis sn,ght,when nigh l SO provdenti9lly encoun;
n dying tradesman. How long illness had 9
asted all his little savings, his wife and o
erous family lose all when they shall have i
st him, their furniture sold-they have hardly Ii
cd for n few days, very few days. To-mor- il
W you will bring consolation to the mourn s.
8, and at the same time, from your superfu- /,
IS wealth, you will relieve this poor man,
ur companion, from despondency, and his n
ughter from excessive toll" v
. You have spoken we'll, good father" said t,
g young man "it shall be as You say" tt
Already had both these men resolved to b
The priest said, ait now wants but a few
urs until morning. You will both retire to re
st, and in the morning you will be fitted to Ii
Ere they retired the elder man confded his w
me to the good priest who had restored him
more than life. 1t is, said he, "Wilhelm VI
bmidt." "And mine," said the young man, W
es on the old man. He recognized him as the m
sband of Catholic wife who died some fo
lrs before, but although Wilhelm was q Lu- fe
'ran, ne never had interfered with the re- til
ion of his wife and daughter. The venerable tn
rgyman rejoiced the more that he had been hi
trumental in saving him from the most
he morning had well opened when the two alb
q left the house of the venerable pastor but an
ore they reached the end of the street, a Joy
v modification befell the elder. A man to
ON he owed q small sum of money observed no
and had him at once arrested for the debt ha
young companion at once told him to make ha
lself easy about it, He had not money with An
/, but in few hours he P9omised to be with gir
J, she
But my daughter" exclaimed the old man, cot
hat will be her terror" mig
Be composed on this, too," said the young the
/, &c 1 shall see her." tho
sudden thought entered his mind-he in ,
Id now ascertain if she deserved the praises sea
father had bestowed.
of the narrow and ill-lighted streets the
in an attic of lofty and a ST
lightly house, sat pretty biOndine, about as ;
nty years of age, busily employed with he
needle. The furniture of the room was tina
r. but clean andNtasteful. The girls whole the
IS would not have fetched many kreutzcrs; thil
every article was as neat, and fitted her as sou
l. as iii had cost hundreds Her fair locks one
led u face frightened by pair of eyes of as
venly blue, which bespoke q peaceful mind dee
a pure soul. The spirit of order, modesty A
CLEANLINESS, reigned in everything around one
Her features were delicate, like those of "'
nobly born her eyes betrayed sleePless- poo