The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-08-30

eyes, all. Your parents, to yet their for
giveness Aubin-that good Aubin-to make
him happy"
"Apd Armelle-"
"To see her your brothers happy wife,"
"True; that is part of the peuance."
"And then"
EYES, then" i
"Then you shall leave Saint Aubin do Cor
mier, and go to Morbiban. Go to the Able of
Thymadeuc, and ask to see the Abbot of La
Trappe. Tell him everything speak to him
as openly as you have just spoken to me, and
ask to be received lay brother. You will
be able to make q confession of your whole life
before them all, and to realize the lon ing yon
have just expressed-that of living with holy
men acquainted with your sad history
lyon are saving meH exclaimed Yves
~ have shown you a safe harbor, but one
which is not without its labors and storms.
There will be every kind of hard penance-
every thing to subject the flesh to the spirit:
absolute si!ence, trying fasts, wearisome
watchings. There will be every thing to tear
the heart from earth, and fix it on heaven
every thing to confound human wisdom, to an
nihiate the will, to break the heart. to exalt
the soul by hnm5ling it, and to purchase eter-
nal happiness at the price of daily martyrdom.
That will be your life, and it is a hard one"
"The innocent and good accept it. Shall I
complaint"
From that day Yves was different man.
The future, which had been terrible because
it was vague and underlined. lay before him
now in tangible shape. His thoughts dwelt
on that severe life of labor and penance with
love and longing. To live by dying daily
that was the life for him.
The army returned to France and Yves got
his discharge. Tears were in his eyes when he
took leave of the Able Florent, promising to
write to him. Then he started on foot for st.
Aubn du Cormier. Two comrades were with
him, who belonged to neighboring villages.
Yves Was decorated, and wore q medal for each
of his glorious campaigns.
When the three soldiers reached Renues it
was night but Yves was anxious to get on
and as his friends would not leave him, they
continued their march across fields and com
mons. Suddenly, heavy dark masses swept
across the sky, then lurid red ones the air felt
| heavy and sitting. =" It is a fire." said one of
the men. They set off running in the direction
of the flames, crossing fields, ieaping hedges
aud bitches. AS they approached, they conld
distinguish the burning buildings, the crack
| ling of the flames, and the fall of masses of
wood
The FIRE had begun in barn, and the terri
fed inmates were surprised in their sleep.
I" Come on, my lads I" cried Yves " it is not
worse than the fire of battery. Follow me,
heroes of Pekin and the Tchernayaw
Just as they dashed into the burning house,
people were talking of helpless old man who
slept in shed adjoining apigeon-house, which
gave admission to the FIRE through numerous
openings, and of some Who had climbed on
the roof to get to the old man, and been seen
no more. No one knew who he was, but all
said he was a gallant feilnw, aud that no doubt
he would lose his life in his generous attempt.
1t was n strange and horrible confusion !; tn g
lamentations of the poor people whose prop
crty was being destroyed, the wailng of
children, the sound of axes, the creaking of
the bucket chain, water was drawn from the
WELL minglng with the shouts of the work
men aud the vociferations of the crowd.
Yves had climbed up to the pigeon house
and gone in. On the threshold, close to the
staircase, which the flames had all but reached
lay two bodies-two coIpses, doubtess-suffo.
Gated by the smoke.
Yves lifted up one-the odest--seized the
other by the hand, and so, laden with this
double burden, carrying one, dragging the
other, be struggled, painting, up the quivering
staircase, blinded by the smoke, enveloped in
flames, aud feeling as though he were drinking
draughts of fire. At the top, he sank dowr
with his burden, family murmuring "Tenn
/ The three meu-none could tell whether they
were hving-or dead-were carried, senseless
burnt and blackeoed TO place of safety wo
men threw water on their faces and tried tc
, revive them.
The Abbe Kerdrec approached the group
} The old man remained iusensible the man who
had been the first to hasten to his rescue wac
slowly recovering.
"Aubin, my son~ cried the priest.
The young man tried to rise.
T " Ar4helle! Tell Armelle and her children
ave have sent for her. and the poor ole
; man is beginning to come to at last"
! %, thank God Ny head swan, and mad,