New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-23

loub ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS PAisSisu PoAAoPS
and high church; but that is better thar
taking horse and going to clubs, as most Of
the young me1 do nowadays"
Paul, tor his part, had little dreamed OF
a wife in planning his visit to Rome. In
deed, he had been strongly imbued with
the idea that celibacy was the best for the
clergy, and all bis thoughts were OF affairs
and rood screens and vestments and altar
cloths and the usage of the primitive
church. His aunt, Mrs. Despard, had mar
ried an American. and he had not seen her
since he was d child. His beautiful cousin
he had never seen at all. So when Mr.
Despard died, and the two came abroad. It
80 happened that they met in Rome, and
Cathie's beautiful face, her sweetness. her
fresh, genial nature did the work. Paul
fell madly in love. The church retreated
into the backgrounds; the celibacv OF the
clergy was rag OF popery. Paradise
opened for him at once.
And Cathie accepted her fate. She liked
her cousin; she cared for no one else, and
her mothers felicity was complete. No;
that Cathie was pOOr-she was quite little
heiress in her way, besides being worth
million for herself-but then Mrs. Despard
argued. lone can't have too much OF good
thing, and it was such a comfort 10 have
dear Cathie SO we'll provided for
Mrs. Grants very pleasant rooms were
filed the next night with medley OF peo,
pie which one could hardly bring together
anywhere but in Rome. There were two
or three long haired German artists, who
gazed entranced through their epectacies at
the pretty American girls. There were
some short haired young ladies. also Ameri-
cans, who studied art in Rome-most OF
theM plain looking, for the gods do not gift
many with intellect and beauty at once.
Mrs. Grant had a taste for lions: go most OF
the people present had mission III lie.
They were workers, whether they worked
to a purpose or not.
Mel Stanley stood with the rest. locke,
on, but he did not rouse to much interest
till he saw party of three enter, and then
he made his way near the hostess and ia
CURED about them. "Oh, Miss Calhie Des-
pard and her mother" said Mrs. Grant.
'.You zee put her first, as she is pre- emf
nently sweet and good. The grave ckiDs
young man is her cousin Paul, to whom She
is engaged. But l think just now he is
getting into the snares Of the scarlet woman,
and the sooner he leaves Rome the better.
AT these last words the party presented
themselves to greet the hostess, and Mel
was introduced at once, and found himself
uttering commonplace to them while the
words engaged to him" kept ringing like a
knell through his mind. Cathie was
dressed in pale lavender Grape, with some
cream white flowers in her hair. 10 the
artist who had been painting bronze hued
Roman girls so long she seemed a vision OF
beauty from another world--oEe OF Fra
Angelico's angels.
The strangers will soon be leaving
Rome, suppose" he said, with a curiosity
to know how long they were intending to
stay. Next month Mrs. Grant could hardly
bring together such party as this
"No. perhaps not" answered Cattle;
| always have a fancy for seeing more than
other people, and SO few strangers ever
know anything of Italy in summer. I've
read that the luxuriauce OF fruits and
towers, the beauty OF the skies and sunsets,
are something wonderful"
you are talking to an artist said Mrs.
Grant. laughing. "who understands it all.
Tor he has spent summer here. Where did
you 90 last summer, Mr.. Stanley"
ITO Perugia first; afterward among the
Alban mountains.
so Won went through the gates and en-
cred paradise :" Cathie said.
Yes, en- donkey Mel replied laugh
Ig.'
Really, now" interposed Mrs. Despard,
sho had finished her survey of the room,
:th,+ was charming-to 90 into the out Of
he way places, ana see the habits of the
PEOPLE, though they do say they're very
iirty in their homes, which I'm sure one
AN see even in the palace of the Caesars,
where they have such grand frescoes, anG
BEDROOMS like dog kennels
Did YOU visit Assisl!' Mr.. Paul asked,
apparently reused to sudden interest.
'Oh. ! thought that would bring you out,
II
aw the wonderful cathedral, with it's old,
lin arches and wonderful trescoes. telling
he story of the life of St. Francis. Paul is
perfectly daft about st. Francis, and be-
ieves all about the thOInless roses, and his
reaching to the birds, and all his miracles.
lie went to look at the loom where he used
o live as reverenriy as i. II had been
brine. The monk who showed us about
old US wonderful legends OF the saints, to
which Paul listened so devoutly that lie
ook us for the faithful, disclosed all the
iches of the sacristy-aDd there is as much
there as in a brides trousseau-
md then invited me to do some work of the
ame sort. shall! never forget that
,rother's blank look when | told him We
we're Protestante."
Il protest against that name" Paul said.
"Oh, don't let us get into church discus
ried Mrs. Despard.
Yes" archly replied Cathie, don't for
.et the significant line in 'Betsey and are
ut;'H
The fust thing We quarreled about Was suthiu'
about heaven
ir. Stanley, what are you painting now
IAN you put the Italian sky on canvas, and
III those domes and towers quiverlng in the
,olden air -
81 have just painted the little boy in
heep skin, who offers violets on the Span
81 steps. He devoured chiccory during bis
fittings; and l supplied him. When he
;nished the chiccOry, he finished bis Sit
ing
ooh, he's charming little fellow Do
-ou-- am very unconventional, but l
should like to see his portrait
"Do honor my den, them" Mel exclaimed,
With secret joy for which he could find no
eason, and ne found card with his ad-
lress, which he handed to Mrs. Despard.
do you ever paint church interiors;
.sked Paul, who stood for some minutes
With preoccupied air.
No: | wish l could. Whatever knack |
lave is for faces" Mel answered.
In your own country there can hardy be
much to inspire in the way of church
now, is there! All is new; it
must be terribly bare and meagre, inquired
Paul.
Yes, ! suppose it isl said Neil. 81 am
Lshamed to say | have rot reflected much
.bout it
And then dance was commenced, and
Ieil and Cattle were partners. Paul did
Tot dance, but his eyes followed the young
resh face and figure with gloomy fire in
hem; then he turned abruptly away and
vent out on the balcony. There was a
trlfe going on within him, love and duty,
" what he believed duty, and he was tori
md wounded in the conflict, which was as
lead!y as the one waged in that quain OLD
book of Apollyon. Poor Paul CathIe had
orgotten him for the time, in the pleasure
he found in her new partner. Neil had
youthful buoyancy of spirits which some
men keep through all the shocks of time,
Ito pa,,l Lad