The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-07-28
HOW ACONVERT WAS MADE

young nor old, though widow of quite
number of years standing. She had no
children: and since the death of the
knight, her spouse, had led retired life,
without other company than that of SER
wants kept at proper distance. She was
correct in her life handsome in person,
and took interest in nothing except the
administration of her estate and the prac-
tce Of religion. A Capuchin, whose con-
vent was about mile distant was her
chaplain and confessor and came every
morning to the castle to say an early mass
for her ladyship and her vassals
This had been going on, no one can ex-
actly say how long, but at any rate for a
very long period, when Of an evening, after
the drawbridge had been already taken
up, voice was heard outside the gate
saying in loud tone, intermediate be-
tween speech and song
"God bless the owner and all the in
habtants of this castle and may poor
travelling friar receive hospitality in it to-
night for the Lords sake !''
"Who is there?" said the gate-keeper
looking through the interval beween the
lifted bridge and the gate-post.
GA Carmelito brother, who is on his
way from one convent to another, fears to
be overtaken by night, and asks the lord
or lady of this castle to allow him to spend
here tho night on a bundle of straw, for
the love of Cod" was the answer, given in
voice this time approaching nearer to the
tone of conversation.
81 will so and ask my lady," said the
gate-keeper.
So he went, leaving the friar standing out
side of the ditch, entered the room, bowed
before the lady, ard delivered his message.
The lady heard him with that air of re-
pressed impatience which was not uncom-
mon among the pious people of that time
in receiving the visits of monks as monks
were so many. Then she said with an air
of resigned condescension,
"Tell the reverend father that he is
welcome. Show him into the beggar's
room near the gate. Bring there candle
stick, bundle of new straw, pitcher of
water and loaf of bread, and bid him
goodnight on my part"
The gate-keeper bowed, and slowly left
the room. AS soon as he had gone, the
lady was on her feet, and walked rapidly
towards the balcony which overlooked the
draw-bridge, in order to be in time to see
what kind of troublesome monk her guest
was.
Contrary to her expectation, he was n
tall handsome, ell-behaved young Car
melite friar neatly dressed in a brown
tunic and snow-whito wooden mantle, his
head freshly shaved with the exception of
large crown of beautiful vigorous brown
hair, forming a perfect circle, emblem Of
monastic perfection. He was at the most
twenty-one, was not yet priest, but had
just completed his noviciate, and was trav-
cling from the convent where the novices
were trained to one of the ordinary con-
vents. Just at the moment of going in
he CHANGED to lift up towards the balcony
pair of large, deep blue eyes, surrounded
by long, magnificent eye-lashes but per-
ceiving the lady he at once dropped down
his eyes with monastic modesty, at the
same time acknowledging her informal
presence by the most imperceptible bow,
which she returned in the same manner.
He disappeared through the gate, and the
lady went back to her apartment and rang
the bell A servant came.
"Go," she said, to the room near the
gate, and present to the reverend father
there my humble requests. Show him to
the bedroom Of honor and place at his
disposal all that he requires to prepare for
supper. Tell him that the lady of the
castle will have the honor of his reverence's S
company at supper"
1t was done as the lady had desired, and
at supper-time the young friar was ushered
into the dining-room. The lady went to
meet him at the door, knelt before him,
kissed his hand and his scapulary, express
ed to him how much she appreciated the
honor which his reverence did to her and
TO her house by his visit. The young
friar stammered a few modest words and
was shown to a seat at the table. There
were but two,-that of the lady at the
place of honor, and that of the friar on her
right hand. He sat after she had done so,
and then dinner began.
Through the first dishes the conversation
was rather slack. The hostess and her
guest were evidently studying each other +;
but what slackened not was the interchange
Of courteses, in which they We'd with each