The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-05-05
A STORY OF TOURS, !.

I In the latter part of the thirteenth century,
there v cit in the city Of Tours. in France, a
poor widow, who eked out q precarous sub
sistence by letting few rooms in he- house to
any strangers whom business pleasure
might attract to the ancient capital of Tour
| ainc.
Amongst her dodgers was one who, at the
| period of the occurrence We are about to relate,
| had already resided some months in her house.
1t was young lawyer; his days, and even
| many of his nights, were spent in studying all
the subtleties of the intricate science to which
| he had devoted himself; and already, though
still in the springtime of life, he had acquired
the reputation OF being distinguished master
of his art.
But this was not, in the eyes of the good
widow, his highest qualification. Every morn
ing, often before daylight, might he be seen
| vending his way towards the old Cathedral,
and there, kneeiing humbly before the altar,
it was his!habit to assist at several Masses,
before betaking himself to the labors of the
day.
Soon the fame of his learning and piety
spread abroad, for his hostess was never
| weary of speaking 10 her friends and neigh
bors of his good deeds and numbers of poor
persons fiocked to him in their necessities, and
never left hun without having received assist
| ance and consolation. Often he pleaded their
causes gratuitously, and obtained Justice for
those whose poverty might otherwise have
| Thus he led the life of q saint, while pursuing
a career which is usually supposed to offer
greater temptations than almost any other.
| IL happened during his stay in Tours that
the period arrived when Il large fair was au-
nually held in the town, which was
quently crowded with merchants, traders aud
| Adventures from all parts far and near.
| Two persons, belonging apparently to the
| former class, took up their abode in the house
| OF the widow of whom We have spoken. They
| appeared to be wealthy, aud carried with them
| large leathern bag of money, which they
| seemed in great fear of losing, as it might be
supposed there were many dishonest persons
among the multitudes who filed the town. In
order, therefore, to avoid the risk of carrying
50 large sum constantly about with them,
they requested their hostess to take charge of
it for them until such time they should
require il, and to lock it up for them in closet
in her house.
Having obtained her somewhat reluctant
| consent to this arrangement, they further
| stipulated that, in order to avoid any posi-
bility of fraud, she should only deliver up the
bag of money to the two friends together, not
| to either separately. This she likewise prom
Used, and the money was at once given into her
keeping.
A day or two passed away her two dodgers
made themselves extremely agreeable, and the
good woman congratulated herself upon having
| such worthy people in her house.
One morning they bade her good day."
usual, before going to attend to their various
avocotions, and were leaving the house to-
getber, when one of them returned, saying he
would be glad if she would give them the bag
of money, which they had only just recolected
they should that day require.
he took his departure.
In the course of the day, his companion
turned, said that they had been making some
purchases, and requested TO have the bag of
money. The widow at once replied that she
had given it to them that very morning.
He answered that she had given it to his
companion when he was not present; that she
had done very wrong, and had acted quito in
| opposition to the agreement She represented
| to him that she had fully believed him to be
standing close to the door. He replied that
| such was not the case that he had gone quite
away; and that she must make good the loss.
The poor woman, in the greatest distress. as
| cured him that she had acted to the best of her
| ability, and that all she possessed would not
make up the sum which he declared the bag
| to contain.
| He answered that he would take measures
| to compel her to pay the sum due to him ac-
cording to agreement; and the next morning
he appeared before the court, and related his
story.
The judge ordered that the women should
be brought before the court on the following
day.
When she received this summons, her heart
at first sank within her; but, presently, call
ing to mind the wisdom and learning of her
young lodger, she went to him at once and
| m tde known her trouble He received her
with the greatest kindness, and listened pa
| tently while she related to him all the circnm-
stances of the case. He at once perceiy ed that
it was a scheme devised by these two heertless
Williams to ruin his poor hostess, and to efraud
her Of her little possessions. He babe her,
however, be ofgood courage, for that he would
be present on the following day to plead her
cause.
Accordingly, at the appointed time, the poor
widow might have been seen in the court with
her young counsellor. Theiropponent was wait
story, in much the same terms as on the pre-
vious day, but with more assurance.