The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1874-12-13

besoems not your handmaiden, noble damsel
it is sufficient reward to me that have been
enabled to dispel the gloom Of death from your |
| SOUL"
"Accept this title, my beloved Maria F.; I love |
you tenderly. And has not yo1r brother |
Adolf been brought up with mef Has not my
father given him to me as q brotherf Yes, we
| belong to one family. Alasl pray the live
long night that the holy angels may shield
Adolf on his dangerous journey. He can yet
comfort me, yet cheer me. But what do 1
heart Can my prayer have been answered
Yes yes, that is your beloved brother"
She stretched forth her arm, and remained
standing motioniess, pointing towards the
| street. She stood like q marble statue, and
seemed to listen eagerly to distant sound.
Maria was terrified she thought the maiden
! had lost her Senses As she was about to reply
| she heard the echo of horse's hoofs in the
| street; and then the meaning of Matilda's
words flashed upon her, The same hope filled
her breast, and she felt her heart beat with re-
| doubled energy.
! After both had listened awhile in silence, the
noise suddenly ceased; and already was the
glad hope deserting their hearts, when the
door of the chamber was violently thrown
| open.
"There he isl there he is n cried Matilda
God be praised that mine eyes have seen him
once more1'
She ran eagerly towards the knight, and
Adolf as eagerly hastened 70 meet her, when o
sudden emotion overcame him, and he we'll
nigh fell trembling to the ground.
Instead of tho youthful blooming maiden
whom he expected to see, he beheld before him
q worn and wasted figure, with hsggard cheeks
and sunken eyes. While yet in doubt whether
this shadow could be Matilda, q cold shudder
ran through him all his blood rushed to his
oppressed heart, and he turned pale, pale as
the white robe of his beloved one. His arms
dropped, he fixed his eyes intently on Matilda's
, wasted cheeks, and remained as one struck by
thunderbolt. A moment he remained in this
attitude, and then suddenly his eyes fell and
hot tears rolled down his cheeks He spoke
Z. not word-no lament, sigh escaped hi,
r lips. He would probably have remained ye
8 longer in this stupor of despair for his hear
o was touched with too keen pain to admit o
his finding alleviation in words,-but his siste
t Maria, who had hitherto remained in the back
r ground out of respect to Matilda, threw her
self OH his breast and the warm kisses whic
q she imprinted on the lips of her beloved bro
# ther, in the intervals of the most tender words
= soon aroused him from his stupor.
b The noble maiden behed with emotion thi
l. outburst of sisterly love; she trembled, and
deep trouble filled her heart. The paleness c
l Adolf's features, the CONSERVATION which ha
Of 30 visibly seized him, said to her, "Thou 81
Of ll-favored, thy wasted cheeks and thy dimme
10 and lustreless eyes inspire fear and abhorrenc
he whom thou hast called thy brother ha
n- shuddered at thy look of DEATH" dark d.
I'd spair overcame her; she felt her strength d
sert her only with great effort did she sucoee
d, in reaching o couch, and then sank down fail
and exhausted. She hid her face in her hand
la as though TO exclude from her view q spect
rs that appalled, her and thus remained still ar
~ motionless. After q few moments all was qui
70 in the room; che heard no more, and though
Id that che was left alone in that dreadful sol
70, tude.
But soon she felt hand which pressed her
", she heard a gentle voice which spoke to her
m sorrow and in sympathy:
matilda! Matilda! o my hapless sister !"
of She looked up, and saw Adolf standing b
If fore her, weeping. The tears fell thick 81
fast from his eyes, and his look expressed tt
I'd warmest affection, tho profoundest compassio
cb al am ugly is it not so, Adolf :" she sigh
MT forth. "You are shocked at me You will
nd moro love me As in days that are pastW
ev The knight trembled at these words;
an looked at the maiden with a strange and sigI
,p. fcant expression, and replied:
Matilda, can you entertain aodoubt of L
ma affection o, then, you wrong me much. Y
In are, indeed, changed. What illness, what 81
CHI ferings have brought you so low, that the ros
AL have thus withered your check ha
nv wept and have been alarmed indeed; but it
to from sympathy and compassion, from the de
anguish which your hard lot has caused II
ep Ever, ever will remain your brother, Matilt
re- l can comfort you now with joyous tidings
can heal your sorrows with a message of gls
,ei ness"
OTIS Gradually feeling of joy and consolati
,ob stele into the maiden's heart. Adolf's vo
ich exercised q wondrous power over her, and 8
,ur replied, with cheerful animation:
bar "Good tidings, do you say, Adolff Go