The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-04-07

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gloom of night ere those two separated, and
when at length he was gone, and Bertha heard
bis refreshing footsteps on the gravel walk,
she realized that never more would the re.
OF her earthly life had faded. Never again
would there be real sunlight for her, save III
the world to come. Thus felt the poor, striok-
arms.
:" You are all the world to me now, mother"
she said, softly.
God to have ordained otherwise, for may not
be always with you. Let us kneel, my Der.
tina, and commit ourselves and our great
trouble to him who tempereth the wind to the
shOrn lamb"
Mother and daughter reverently bent the
knee. and the prayer of praise and of sacrifice
ascended as sweet Incense to the throne OF tue
Eternal.
Courage, dear Bertha The earthly land
scape may have lost its charm; the golden hnes
of sunset may never more light up thy soul
but for such as thee (who sacrifice the most
cherished affections of the heart at the s .d
land gorgeous in its splendor, whose rivers
flow with eternal life, whose flo and fruits
die not, and over which shines forever IN
majesty and love the sun of righteousness,
whose beams fall with bri ghter and
sweeter radiance on those who have endured
much for His name.
Years rolled on, during which Bertha nan nan
bury was a devoted child, tending her mother
in her growing in6rmities with ever increasing
love and sweetness; friend to the poor ana
the needy; = CONSIDER of the afflicted in hne,
Every Christmas Eve found her at the altar OF
the little convent church. In this manner ten
long years passed away. For some time she
had been at the communion table alone. AT
last she came attired in the deepest mourning,
and the world knew that she was alone-alone
with God and her new sorrow.
The earth was darker now than it had ever
been. The truest the dearest earthly friend bad
been called away, and now there was nothing
to live for-nothing: only patient waiting for
the coming of death. So felt Bertha in the
thirty first year of her age; but in her case as
in our worst trials God is nearest to us. How
this came about, and o ray of peace and hap
piness fell upen the latter days of her
earthly pilgrimage will appear in our next
chapter.
CHATTER II.
At the church which Miss Hanbury usually
frequented, gentleman had for some three or
four years been a constant attendant. lie was
a man Of about forty-ive years of age, tall and
dignifed, with handsome Spanish counter
ance. There was something extremely at
tractiVe in the ensemble OF the stranger. He
was evidently devout Catholic, being fire.
quently seen ut the Holy Communion. Bsr-
tina had indeed remarked him, for he was one
who could not be hidden in a throng-one who
carried with him everywhere the stamp Of a
SouIlculdu uo cdoys ST&CokuI CdIEIdSoS LILO
courtly bearing; the flash of the dark eye-all
| told of one born to command his fellows.
Hence as we have stated, Miss Hamburg had
observed him, but wrapt up in her own
| troubles, and her heart still bound to another.
she had not taken the interest in the noble-
looking stranger, which was strongly mani
tested by the other ladies of the congregation.
-" Do YOU know who that fine handsome
gentleman was who went to Communion this
morning, Miss Hanbury7" asked one Sunday a
Miss Kate Harding.
No; 1 only see he is always at the church. )
"Well, he evidently feels a deeper interest
in You than you do in him, for 1 am sure he
does nothing but watch you the whole time
the choir are singing the Gloria and the Credo"
of the services to make his survey. But how
comes it that you are SO fat as to all the
movements of the strangerf'
n0h, never pretended to pray at inter
and count the strangers in the church"
Bertha could not forbear smiling at the
candoe Of her friend. Miss Harding CON
tinued:
"I shall certainly discover who he is. 1
dare say Maria Styles can tell me. She
usually knows every one and everything.
Maria Styles was the newsmonger Of the
congregation, lady who knew everyone's
business and oftentimes remained in blissful
ignorance of her own. Our readers have
iightened days. However, without waiting
the result of Miss Harding's researches, we will
at once inform the perusers of these pages
that the gentleman in question was n other
than Count Raymond de la Torre a Spanish
grandee, and people said q millionaire. That
he was good, fervent Catholic has been
already stated.
And did Count Raymond take an interest in
the pale, melancholy lady, whose tender care
of the faltering steps Of her mother had first
awakened his attention Tor had Miss Hard
ing, after the f'shion of women, jumped at
this conclusion No; for once Kate Harding's
surmises were correct. The stranger had
grown to watch for the coming of Miss Han
bury we watch for those we love. He had
inquired and had learned her history, aye. all,
even the courage with which she had resisted
the temptation which had beset and blighted
her earthly path and the noble Spaniard,
with the enthusiasm of his southern nature
had exclaimed:
my heavens, the love of such woman is
worth having To make the journey of life
with her would surely help one to prepare for
that journey to which one is every day draw
ing nearer"
Count Raymond was not the man to form an
idea without carrying it out. 1t had occurred
to him that az there was possible hope of
Bertha Hamburg ever belonging to Hugh
Chambers, the Protestant, there could be no
reason why she should not be made ovor to
Raymond de In Tore, who was O Catholic.
Thus argued the hopeful spaniard, but not q
al. l..