The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-01-11

in which his early days had been spent; his
present home was an old and roomy house,
any attempt Mt entrance, unsanctioned by the
will of its occupant; at least without degree
of force being used, which must have inevita-
bly, led to discovery. Here, then, dwelt Jacques
Guyot quito alone. But far worse than alone |
was he when absent from his house, for the |
evil repute in which he was held was such,
that as he walked, the children ran shouting |
after him Z" There goes Guyot. See the
wretched miser, how thin he is! He grudges
himself food to make himself fat, and clothes
to cover his lean old body" The miscellaneous
urchins would cast stones at Jacques, and load
him with insults, unchecked by their parents.
Bnt even this was not the worst One day he
met O friend or at least he had been such in
youth, and whom he had not seen for many a
long year. For the moment, jacques forgot
his rage and his isolation-it was so losg since
a kindly word had been bestowed on him, and
oh how he yearned to win it. Eagerly he
advanced. with an indescrbable gleam of joy
lighting his pinched TEXTURES but his former
if to forbid his nearer approach, saying, as he
did SO: ~ will not hold communion with a
thing like you. Did you not love thy money
| better than her who ought to DO your wife
but you suffered a stranger to carry her away,
and now the accursed thing is dearer to You
than yourself, though you have neither child
| nor kin to whom TO leave it Away! touch
| me not!"
Another trial came still later, and it was the
| hardest of all. portly dame, elderly, but
still fresh and comely-looking, and with fair
| the streets of Marselles. They seemed to be
new arrivals but the elder one was evidently
| no stranger, for she pointed out to her daugh-
ter various changes which had been made of
late. Jacques Guyot looked earnestly at the
| girl, for her features brought wildly to his
mind those of the object of his one lovedream
| and as he came near he beard her mother call
! her Madeline. Another glance, and he recog-
nized the elder female as the Madeline of his
youth. Though 80 many years had gone over
| his head his pale face was in n moment flushed.
| Again he forgot the curses and the stones daily
showered around him the vision of the bright
eyed child, with the little treasured pitcher in
| her hand was before him, and he too was for
| On instant young; bot for how brief an in
slant! Madeline, even in her distant home,
had heard of the niser Guyot, who heaped up
wealth, though with none to shore it, and de-
| MED even the smallest aid to tho miserable,
though surrounded with gold. Even at that
moment, too, she heard the taunts Of The
around her, as thoagh his very touch would
poison, she swept by with such q look Of scorn
4 as rooted the miser to the spot, and brought
back the sense of his loneliness more terribly
than ever.
Though no inhabitant of Marseilles ever en-
tered the miser's dwelling during his life, YET
I know he never entered his silent, comfortles.
home without feeling that his heart woulc
leap with joy to hear o friendly voice, or if hs
bosom. know that, in spite Of insults, re
, proaches, and taunts, his heart teemed will
: loving kindness to his fellow-creatures, ant
|
, ! smile, and murmur :" 1t is because they know
me not; for one day these curses will bsturne'
? to blessings"
: to take the food needful to prolong his life un
q til the object should be accomplished TO
which no had given up all that could tend Z
n coarse fare and know, too, that after eacl
h more biting proof of scorn from those arount
v him, he asked from the same Almighty source
h strength to q endure to the end"
| A oil JaCuua9 (SuvOt whSl
| the end came, but he met it with JOY and hope
. for he had lived long enough to finish his self
) imposed task. Stretched upon his wretche'
l. pallet, he smiled and talked to himself "Ah
,. jacques" said he they will mover more cal
. thee accursed. The last stone has been cast a
/ thy worthless carcass, for worthless it ma
VI we'll be He'd, since the worms will
X scarcely be able to banquet on the scanty GOV
s ering of thy old bones. But, oh, what joy t.
,, think the miser has not lived in vain! An
q thou too" said he taking in his hand Made
lines little pitcher, L" we'll hast thou performe
u thy part. Though but thing of clay, til
~ sight of thee has reminded me each day an
< hour that, having giving up her to whom tho
II didst once belong, no greater sacrifice could b
10 demanded from me; and more than that
- ever brought before me the memory of the on
sr pressing want which inspired the resolutio
10 God has in his goodness given me strength t
+ fulfil. l will indul sc just one weakness, an
"a "a having taken my last draught FROM thee, n
10 other lip shall touch thee" SO saying, b
70 drank the water it contained, and gatherin
II all his remaining strength, shivered II to atom
~ One hour after and the mlSer lay DEAD. Ohl
O. lifeless clay, senseless that shlvered by h
" last act, now remained of jacques Guyot.
H. As soon as he missed from his dali
) haunts, the propriety of examining bis dwell
u ing suggested itself to the townspeop!e, fe
O. there were many who would not touch hiI
~ while living, who would gladly have acted a
ar his executors. Fancy, then, the crowd aroun
Gu the door-the forcble entrance-the curio'
ransacking each room till they at last stoc
cd beside all that remained of the object of the
es bitter loathing. The authorities of the tow
1,lk = exu fnOI of n q
at paper which Jacques ere he lay down to di
ut had placed in q conspicuous position. 1t WI
or his will, duly executed, and contained the
q words: Having observed from my yont
that the poor of Marseilles are i'll supple
or with water, which can be procured for the
ur only ut a great cost, have cheerfully Lahore
ne all my life to gain them this great blessin
81 and bequeath all possess to be spent
or building an aqueduct tor their USE"
eT Jacques had told the truth. Tho ours
al turned into blessings, and his death made
ut city full of self-reproaching mourners. Maj
ne a man has won the name of hero by one gala
lis deed but he who made d conquest of a CT