The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-12-21


tried to induce her to speak Of It; lastsrly she
has told me contradictory stories, 30 chat
know not what to bslieve."
me. your n o. relative. thsday after to:
morrow. at st. Julien's Asylum, o. the hour Of
neonf Orr mutual friend here, will, I am very
sure; GSeo%pany yen ncw ;,.xn,,,.h,., p,.
30 glad to have met with one of my kindred"
said Walter, afsctionately grasping the young
priest's hand. "The day after to.morrowf
true to my engagement" and . Ugh escaped
him as the priest replaceasthe miniature in his
vest.
CHAPTER xxxIv.
- The Meeting.
True to his appoinsment. Walter reached st.
Jnlien's Mt twelve o'clock, in the company Of
hts friend, the Canon, who said nothing as to
He had not seen ais supposed mother in the
interim; even had he done SO, he would not
who claimed relationship with him, until the
second interview had taken place.
One of the nuns met him in the corridor
SEQ her At once" she said. She appears to
have quito covered her reason as is mot unfre.
quentfy the case as death approaches"
"My. poor mother! God be thanked" ejacu-
lated the young man; and with much emotion
he followed the nun to Elias room.
am to zee you. feel very i'll, in sbort-now
that-my dear boy, feel that am dying. and
o dense, dark veil, which has enshrouded my
faculties. seems suddenly removed, and the
than they have ever BEEN before. .' Sister Sister
Gouzaga, listen to what I say" she added,
striving to raise herself in the bed. +" First,
my dear boy, want your forgiveness for
terrible wrong have done you. Will you give
it met"
"Oh Mother. mother dearest mother, you
have never injured mo ~
OF have, You are not my sonU
"Not your son ~ calculated Walter, in q
piteous accent of Consideration and surprise.
At this moment there was light tap at the
still grasped the hand of her nephew, whis
pered-
"There is an English priest and his mother
wishful to speak With you. They ere old
Eyes, certainly" And then she murmured,
Dear, beloved boy, you will be. so happy
yet"
Then there stood beside the bed of the dying
Ella. her sister, and her youngest son, the
Jesuit priest.
man, was that of Mrs. FORESTER, who had been
hastily summoned from Paris by Father Her
bert, on whose arm she leaned for support
my SOD" she murmured, and would have
rushed to Walter, had not the nun made a sign,
fearful of exciting by any great manifestation,
"Do you know me, Ella :" she said, bending
For moment there was o pause, then she
said
Yes. 1 think do. Why, you are my own
gray, and you are old, like me; not as we were
when ran away frsm Ashleigh Thorpe"
Then she burst into q flood of tears.
"Ella, love, am glad to have met you again i;
draw forth the truth in the presence of wit
nesses. before the last dread change should
take place. TELL me all, Ella did my baby
Because loved him so dearly oonld not
bear to live desolate and alone. Oh, Louisa,
the veil has been withdrawn that has obsoured
boon perfectly conscious, could not have
asked you to forgive this wrong. Walter, my
dear boy, come here and give me your hand,
and your mothers, and say you forgive Aunt
love-"
"Can it be possible" he said, as he felt and
returned With warmth tho kiss Of his stranger
from infancy upwards was dark and Obscure
Then the dying woman smiled and whis-
pered, as IL to herself
Eyes, and she will not DO ash AIMED Of my
hoy, for I gave him good education, God
bless him |" aud an expression of intense salts
faction passed over her features.
kiss me, Edward; nay, Walter, mean.
Kiss me, my brave, afectionRte boy, and be Rs
kind t. yonr mother as you have boon TO me-"
Then she played nervousy with tho bed
clothes, and they knew all was nearly over,
because she complained 1t grew dark, WI hen the
MONDAY sun was still at Ito height.
Then Father Herbert drew nigh the bed, and
read aloud those beautiful prayers of the
Church for the soal that is departing,
Suddenly o s.nilo passed over tAe wan fea-
lures, the eyes were covered with tho tilm OF
death-dead to the outer world with
hand she made tho sign of the cross, The other
she passed over the bcdclothcs ii III search
OF something"
He understood her meaning even ere the
words " Walter" and I" Louisst were faintfy
uttered; they laid their hands, Joined together,
in her own; there was q gentle pressure, a
faint smile on the calm and palid face and the
spirit of poor Ella was freed from it's mortal
coil
CHAPTER XIV.
TIE Letter
The burning sun of July day did not tend
to swecten MAry's ts0Per under the domestic
duties which her auut had heaped upon her.
The hard drudgery of the life in Canada did
not suit her, aud as she had been cajoled, so to
speak, in coming, the burden seemed intolera-
bly, heavy. She was forever longing to return
to Ireland, yet tho time passed and there
was no hope of q change, when Death, which
effects the greatest of alterations in the desti-
mics of survivors, immediately altered the face
of affairs in her regard.