Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-04-01
THE IRON MONK.

into the tiny lakes and rivers in the
sodden gardenbeds. Through the open
window comes the faint, sweet smell of
the damp earth-that moist, spring like
odor, which nothing else resembles. A
soft twittering comes from under the
leaves, where the happy little feathered
lovers-who yesterday were flying about
IN the sunshine, building their wee
house have taken shelter. Under my
window a great black snail is leisurely
promenading. In the kitchen Jean is
whistling (all out of tune) some popular
air. Lisette has been scolding him.
Good stupid Jean stares at her, says
nothing-and goes on whistling. These
good people love one another; but
Lisette is quick, eager, self-reliant-
Jean is slow and plodding. HE has
no thought" she says sharply, in her
quick, brisk utterance. Jean smiles
doubtfully, and goes off to his work.
speak of his goodness, his kind heart,
and Lisette's black eyes filed with
tears.
Yesterday, L found two slender sprays
OF the fragrant lily of the valley-the
wood will be full of them soon. They
sway about in the soft air, their tiny
waxen cups filled to the very brim with
sweetness. My grandmother dreamed
of them the day she died, waking sud
/ denly, with an exclamation of delight.
"What is it?" 1 asked. "Ah mon
enfant," she answered, with sigh, II
was gathering lilies at the old chateau. Z"
The last disappointment in life of
sorrow Do her hands gather their
sweet blossoms in the gardens to which
she has now gone? 1 hope SO, in
deed.
i am not so young as was, and this
quiet life suits me. When the heart is
content, it needs little to give us plea
sure. 1t is happiness to breathe the
sweet air, and listen to the soft patter
of the rain. How steadily the drops
fall on the gravel, and with what petu-
liant laughter they splash out upon the
stones. What a day to be lazy in
Jean can not possibly ask me to-day.
If Lisette will but let me alone-she
looks with an evil eye on those long
quiet hours of dreaming. An, me my
fate is coming; / know it in the firm
decided sound of the advancing foot
steps.
"Will Mademoiselle please enter the
salon ?"
Once there, listen patiently to her
ordinations of horror over the dust,
and the filmy webs with which genera
tions of spiders have bestowed the old
pictures. At last, 1 am brought to con-
fess that Jean is idle to-day, and con-
sent to his dusting the dirty faces of
my ancestors, if it 50 pleases him. 1t
does not please him-but it pleases
Lisette, and 1 am released. L'sette is
| happy. A ladder is brought-brnshes,
clothes. 1 retreat in dismay, carrying
with me the remembrance of a face
which, it seemed to my fancy, looked
reproachfully down upon me. A man
in the prime of life, with bold, naughty
features, an eagle eye. and firm, proud
mouth. He is in full armor, over which
hangs a monks robe, and in his mailed
hand he holds a crucifix, grasping it
| like sword. The "Iron Monk" he is
called. The face haunts me fiery pas
sionate, it accords i'll with the humility
of the monks habit. "What history
that man has - say to myself. My
eve falls upon the little leather box, my
grandmother's words recur to me "In
it you will find the life secrets of many
of your race" Why not that of the
Iron Monk9 open it eagerly. Under
many others, 1 find paper in my grand
mothers writing; the ink is faded, but
1 read the title, and joyfully draw forth
my prize. The rain is still falling gently.
L settle myself back in my chair and
begin
THE LEGEND OF THE IRON MONK.
There are many legends concerning
the Iron Monk in which truth and error
are so mingled that it is almost impos-
sible to separate the real from the false;
but this / have tried to do, thinking
that some one besides myself may
wonder over the strange story of this
unfortunate man, SO deeply sinned
against.
Once-I do not know the year-there
were twin brothers born at the chateau.
Their father, proud and fiery, was slain
in some fierce quarrel within a month
after their birth. His gentle wife soon
followed her lord, leaving her children
to he guardianship of a distant relative,
then in Paris. Ten years passed. He
brought his motherless daughter to the
chateau; after that he seldom left it.
Crafty, subtitle, he soon saw that with
the bold Victor his influence was little.
The young lord knew his power, and
vas jealous of interference. His proud
lips would curl with a contemptuous
smile while listening to the commands
of his cousin, not one of which he ever
obeyed. From the first they hated and
mistrusted each other. Meanwhile,
over the gentle Louis the guardians
power increased day by day. With
passionate sorrow, Victor saw his
brother drawn farther and farther away
from him. Weak, easily fiattered.
Louis soon yielded himself heart and
soul to his willy kinsman- And Victor
too proud to complain, yet suffering
intensely-lavished his warm love on
the little Antoinette. Four years older
than she, he was the protector as well
as the playmate; brother changed to
lover and life smiled once more on the
young Victor.
The cross was raised, and the earth
shook with the tread of armed men /;
bugles were ringing, pennons flying,
and from every hill and valley came the
shout, "For the cross For the cross J
With the blood of mis- race leaplng hotly
in his veins, Victor prepared to JOIN his
countrymen. He was OF age, none
sought to stay him, and it was In the
soft ewes of Antoinette alone that he
saw grief at parting. Proudly, coldly,
| he bade adieu to the home of his faith
ers. With firm step he crossed the
court. His brother started forward as
if to throw himself into his arms, but a
hand detained him; a few whispered
words and he stood motionless. VIC
tors hand was on his horses bride, his
troop was waiting, when a light step
sounded behind him, and Antolnette
flung herself sobbing on his heart. A
dark scowl settled on the face OF Louis,
Tenderly Victor soothed her, as with
trembling hands she fastened rlch