The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1873-08-31
From the Catholic world.I
A N G. E L A.
TRANSLATED FROM TIE GERMAN OF
ONRAD Won boil ANDEN.
tContipued.)
CHAPTER VI.

tContinued)
CHAPTER VI.
The Clsramontane Way Of Thinking.
On the following morning, no message was
sent for the doctor. The child had died,
az Klngenberg foIetold: Frank thought of
gela in tears, and the father broken down with
grief. 1t drove him from Frankenhohe. In q
quarter of an hour he was at the house of the
proprietor.
servant came weeping to meet him.
You cannot speak to my MASTER said he
"Wo had q bad night. Ny master is almost
down. Poor Eliza! the dear, good child"
"When did the child diet"
,o"1tt,1S At four s o'c0ck ; this morning and how
think she is only sleeping. If you wish to see
her, just so up to the Same room in which you
were yesterday"
After Come hesitation, Frank ascended the
stars and entered the room. AS he passed the
threshold, he paused, greatly surprised at the
sight which met his view. The room was
room streamed the broken rays of the morning
sun. On n white-covcred table burned wax
candles, in the midst of which stood u large
crucifx there also n holy ly-watcr vase, and
in it q green branch. On the whito cushings
of the bod reposed Eliza, crown of evergreeus
about her forehead, and n little crnciix in her
least disfgured; only about her softly closed
eyes there was dark shade, and the lfe-lilie
freshness cf the lips had vanished. Angela sat
near the bed on q low stool; she had laid her
head near that of her sister, and in conse-
quence of n wakeful night was fast asleep
ELIAS little head lay in her arms, and in her
hand she hold the same rosary that he had
found near the statue. Frank stood immova
BILE before the interesting group.
The most beautiful form he had over beheld
he now saw in close contact with the dead.
Earnest thoughts passed through his mind.
The heetngness of all earthly things vividly
occurred to him. Eliza's corpse reminded him
impressively that her sister, the charming An
gela, must meet the same inevitable fate. His
eyes rested on the beautiful features of the suf-
terer, which were not in tho least disfgurcd by
bitter OF gloomy dreams, and which expressed
III sleep the sweetest peace. She slept as
gently and confdingly near Eliza as if she did
not know the abyss which death had placed |
between them. The only disorder in Angelas |
external appearance was tho glistening curls |
of hair that hung loose over her shoulders on |
her breast.
At length Frank departed, with the determi- |
nation OF returning to make his visit of condo
lence. After the accustomed walk with |
Klingenberg, he went Immediately back to
Siegwarts.
When he returned home, he wrote in his
diary:
May 2lst-Surprising and wonderful.
when my uncle's little Agnes died, my |
aunt took i'll, and my uncle's condition border |
cd on insanity; tortured by excrucating an
guish, he murmured against Providence. lie
accused God of cruelty and injustice, because
he took from him child he loved 30 much. He |
lost oil selfcontrol, and had not strength to |
bear the misfortune with resignation. And |
now the Siegwart family are in the same cir |
cumstaDces; the father is much broken down,
much afflicted, but very resigned; his tremb-
ling lips betray the afllicton that presses on his
heart, but they make no complaints against
Providence.
"' thank you for your sympathy,' said he
to me: The trial is painful; but God knows
what he does. The Lord gave me the dear
child; the Lerd has taken her away. His
holy will he douc' So spoke Siegwart. While
he said this, perceptible pain changed his
manly 7countenance, and he lay like q quiver-
ing victim on the altar of the Lord. Siegwart's
wife, beautiful woman, with calm, mild
eyes, wept inwardly. Her mothers heart bled
from thousand wounds; but she showed the
Same self-control and resignation Stegwart j
did 60 the will of the Most High.
And Angela do not understand her at
All. She speaks OF Eliza as of one sleeping or I
Df one who has gone to n place where sue is I
happy. Bnt sometimes n spasm twitches her I
eatures then her eyes rest on the crucifx t
hat stands amid tho lighted candles. The {
of the cruci6x seems to afford Il
ler strength and vigOr. This is q mystery to +
ne. cannot conceive the mysterious power b
f that carved figure. O
Misery does not depress these people it v
nnobles them. have never seen the like. q
When compare their conduct with that of S
hose have known, confess that the Sieg-
lyself to shame. o
"What gives these people this strength, this 6
aim, this resignation Religion, perhaps. g
hen religion is infinitely moro than mere 4
n mere external rule of faith. u
Il am beginning to suspect that between I!
'aven and earth there exists, for those who ci
We for heaven, q warm, living union. 1t APP
,ars to me that Providence does not in 81
ed, exempt the faithful from the common ht
of earthly affliction hnt lie gives them
reueth which transcends the power Of human he
ture' to-