The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-02-01


"you wish to be of use to us?"
mean, if l could come and sit with Herr
Lowenberg, and read or write for him, while
day, and it must be lonely for him"
That is very kind of YOU" she answered,
looking at him in calm wonder; sit is true he
has no society, for the little girls hardly
count"
Has he any books p asked Holcombe. "Be-
cause have plenty. and they might amuse
him; and 1 have English newspapers. too.
He understands and reads it but you are
stranger, and why should we place our bur-
dens on your shouldersf ~
"Oh! you must not mind my way this sort
of thing is a mania with me, you knows
1t Is mania seldom found, ," oroaked out
the old man.
me to leave you. How can I thank you Mr..
Holcombef Perhaps, when you leave my
friend here, you will stop at the next landing,
and 60 OIL; IN and nd see my father"
hurry"
The ice thus broken, many visits followed,
and at night, when Maheleth was at home,
Henry road to the family in the little plain
room that was so beautiful in his sight. More
than once had he again seen the girl in the
cathedral, always standing. and separated from
anxious look. One night he noticed a certain
constraint in the fathers and daughters man
ner, and Lowenberg was less cordial to him
than usual. After that, Macbeth seemed yet
He asked old Zimmerman if he knew of any
fresh trouble in the family, but he could learn
nothing from him. Rachel, who always an
swered the bell, detained him one evening and
said:
II would not go in to:night, if were you.
Don't be offended, mein Herr"
why, Rachel, what is the NATTER
"FIaulein Lowenberg went to the Catholic
Church last night, and her father found it out,
and he says it was your fault"
Well, .ciH go in all the same; 1 had moth
inc tn n wit IL nd cr,a 1,a
angry with his daughter"
Lowenberg was alone, and the room had a
tossed look about it, very different from the
cosy aspect it usually wore. The invalid lay
on a couch, with discontinued expression on
his dark, thin face.
Are you worse tonight" gently asked
Holcombe.
Gay, worse indeed, and you must add to my
troubles after had treated you as q sonw
II! My friend, do you think that of me :
Don't you know me betterf"
to deceive me. You know 1 have nothing left
to care for but my daughter, and you have
been trying to convert her, know ,chy, too,
but you shall not see her any more"
You wrong me, Herr Lowenberg. I have
never spoken to your daughter about religion,
because did not know whether it might be
agreeable to her or not, and she never started
the subject"
You know she goes to your church 7"
"Yes, have seen her there several times !;
she never saw me, however, and 1 never limited
You speak very fairly about it /; but know
how INSCRIPTIONS you Christians can be in this
matter You would think it grand thing to
Undoubtedly. if could do it by sheer con-
viction. But you should know ME too we'll to
believe would do it by any undue or secret
influence"
"You do not know how dear she is to me !;
you do not know bow her detection from our
ancient faith would break my heart; how
should haveto renounce her for my other chill
dren's sake!'
"And how you would stain your soul with
the BLACKLIST ingratitude, Herr Lowenberg, if
you did " interrupted Henry exeitedly.
who she is, and how such thing would be 30
objectionable in her that no consideration
could influence me. l never told you before,
is the descendant Of martyred rabbis, and her
race il as pure that of the old Machabees
We are not Germans. We are Spaniards, and,
though ruined, our family pride is as great as
1T ever was-as great, too, as our love for our
faith"
How long ago was it you were ruined ~
"Only year and two months, and 1 fell ill
six months ago; my wife died almost soon
as we came here, and my Maheleth has earned
our daily bread, and taught her sisters, and
managed e d the housekeeping, all alone 1t is
Hush, hush !" said Holcombe. "Yo do not
blessings to thank him for"
And the best and only ono you are seeking
to take from me-"
az swear to you that much as should wish
and pray for it-for that 1 will not conceal
from you-yet have never Influenced your
child in any way"
you have, because you love her."
Henry was staggered at the suddenness of
his words.
"You cannot deny it," continued the invalid.
"No,n answered the young man have no
desire to deny it, but your daughter never
heard it from my lips, and never would"
"Never would ~ echoed Lowenberg, firing
up. And do you, too, despise her for her
race-she that is as far above you as you are
above your lowest peasant"
God forbid |" said Henry, solemnly "for
think of her as of ono Of whom am not
worthy. But my faith forbds our union, and
love her though L shall to my dying day, my
love should never cross my lips to stir and
wound her heart"
"You shall see her more; you have seen |
her too much already; if you love her, as you |
say, desist at least now"
" Do you mean that she knows-perhaps re-
turns-my loveP
81 have said enough, and shall not crafty
your vanity. But promise me you will not see
her again. and will even believe that you did
not try to proselytize her."
No, cannot promise that. circumstances
might arise under which it would be death to
keep that promise, aud yet should have no