The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-02-14
aaernIng Star and Catholic MESSENGER.
FEW ORLEANS SUNDAY FEBRUARY H. iS'',

and he could not Ii ght bis cgarctte' iio io
il strange, for the wind slept ana the n'SN'
was clear. Put what was bis astehi'hn'on'
when. n moment after, turning to LOOK paoN'
he saw the lamp lighted and bnrning more
BRIGHTLY than ever. Recognizing III TINS
solemn warning from God-tonched ana ro-
penting Of the proclamation he had dohe-ho
made n vow to punish himself by never s'ii'h
ing another cigarette in his life; ana, SITE
added Pedro, in a grave voice, " he mas h'p'
it."
Pedro paused and for a moment all rename"
silent.
aTbs il. an OCCASION presently said Maria
"to amply the saying, that when whole com
nav, "a silent Mt once, an angel has passed by,
and the breath Of his wings has touched them
with awe"
"Come. Uncle Pedro" said the muleteers,
s'let MS hear tie rest of the story"
"Wel,. sirs," proceeded Pedro, in bis former
iocose tone, lyon must know that inc lamp
inspired me with great respect mingled win
not little fear Is it well, said to myself 10
homo here and trille under the very beards OF
the blessed souls that are suffering ana eHPia
ting their sins I And assure you, that Hght
= which was an Offering to the Lord-which ap
peared to watch and to recoId-and seemed 10
be looking at me and rebuking me, was an
object to impose respect Sometimes 1T was
aad and weeping like the DE lrof"nd'S, AT
others immovablo like the eye OF the dead liked
upon me and then the flame rose, anu bent,
and oickered, like n threatening finger of fire
admonishing ire.
"One night, when its regards appeared more
threatening than ever before, n stone, thrown
nv an invisible hand, struck me on the heaI
with such force that it left me stupeiicd 4; ant
when ! started to run, though ! was, as yo'
NAV say, in open field, and running as fast a
l could, instead of coming to my house, cam
TO quarry and fell in"
"Unclc Pedro, - asked the mnlctcer laughing
"was that the cause of Your remaining es
tranged''
"No," said Pedro, eight days afterwards
armed myself with courage and returned t
the grating, but Maria would not open til
window"
"Aunt Maria did not want you to be stone
to death, like Saint Stephen, said the mn'
teer
sit was not that, boy; the truth is, thu
Miguel Ortiz, who had Just completed his tern
returned to the place, and it suited Maria
forsake one and take up with another who
"Was not afraid" interrupted Maria, :"
talk, with good intentions, to a girl in II
ueighbor hood of a consecrated object; for,
YOU suppose that all the souls were spinsters
81 think SO Maria, because the married pa
their pnrgatory in this world--the men, b
cause their wives torment them, and Il
women, through what their children eau
Them to suffer. Well, srs, took the matt
30 much to heart that could not stay in Dc
uermauas when tho wedding was celebrate
and went to Alcaln.'
"Whero he remembered me so well, that
came bnck married to another
sit is true, for have always thought it lie
when one king is dead, to set up another"
"Ah Pedro! everlasting talkcr," said Mar
getting up, let us go"
.Ycs, let go; for the sun is as hot as if
he were dying away from the clouds, n
think it will rain
"God forbid" exclaimed Maria, "give
Abe sun and wasps, though they sting -
"Why should it rain, since We are in March
put in the muletccr.
"Aud don't you know, JOSIE" replied I'm
Pedro, "that January promised lamb
March, hut when March arrived the lau
were 80 fat and fine that January would |
fulfil the promises Then March We,
and said to him,
With three days left me of my own
Aud three friend April will mo loan
I'll put Your sheep in such state.
You Il wish SUu paid mo " hon too late.
Sand 40 let us be off. Good-by, gentlemt
"What n hurry you are in, Aunt Maria = s
the muleteer. Are you afriad you shall t
root p
mo, but these asses of ours do not go
yours, jose"
'sThat is So" said Pedro rs he assisted NJ
to mount with us, all is old-the he
woman, her squire, and the steeds My a
80 iudicious that she cannot make up her II
upon which foot to limp, and therefore Ii
on all four and that of Maria so old, tina
she could speak, she would say thee and t
to MS all. Well, gentlemen, yonr commar
"Health and dimes to you, Uncle Pedro,
Our travellers took the road again, and v
they reached Alcala, separated to attcn
their respective affairs.
An hour afterward they reioined each o
I,,.G l.; a ,,gxI,t