The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-12-31

getting thoroughly spoilt with Mother Aun
1ney give her all sorts of titbits, make mp fire
Mt TO burn the house down, and scof and
sneer at You and me, to set her against us
That Cecilia is never at home and goes on a.
though money grew on your back,-thats al
the widow's doing; but the hypocritical SO;
laying ont money on . venture that they
cent?
"Bat, Tbys. Mother Ann is poor. At her
husbands death she could barely raise the
money to pay for his funeral; to- be sure she
would needs have an oak coffin, and four mass
es said for him; aud now you talk of money,
extravagance. and laying out on a venture. 1
don't understand you"
See, Uncle jan, replied the other, with
~ell-feigned grief. 81 oau't be silent any
already. And besides, my affection for you,
my benefactor, obliges me-"
.'Wbat does this strange beginning mean
You make me quite tremblo.',
Aud we'll you may, poor Uncle Jan. Listen,
ard IN tell you something that will astonish
you. Bat, for heavens sake, keep cool and
calm; Tor, if you were to be too much grieved
and put ont aoout IL, l should never forgive
myself
Well, theuf well, thenf"
You know well enough, Uncle Jan, that
Mother Ann has q con-"
g Yes, to-be snre.-.ittle 3 art Bartholomew :;
know himweil enough,-the Uhieyish young
rascal that used 10 come stealing our apples
before this garden wall was put to rights. IL
ue u Iosu L euu on Ine R3IIoW5, " ny, neither ne
Dor IL will get their dues"
Yes. Uncle Jan, but that was q long while
ago; before l was here. Bat now the child is
young man. He has other tricks now,-dif
ferent enough, but not a hatrs-breadth better.
Every holiday, aud many other times besides,
when he might be doisg something, he's off to
the ale house, drinking, dancing, singing,
laughing as who but hei Wherever .Bsgone
dull care is being sung by a dozen roisterers,
depend upon it, he's one of them.'
a Well, we'll, he's jnss going on as one might
hsvR-expecred from his beginning. But what
says Mother Ann to all thisT
"Oh, she's one of the same sort, and is as
sweet upon her precious if his name al
ready stood 10 tne calendar! And now do you
see why it IS that tEey make 20 much Of Ce-
ella mp at the Chapel farm, al way have some
thing uiee ready for her, and. in fact, do al
they can to make her of Themselves, by
turning her TO their own dainty, niuntiDg, ex.
travagant wRysf'
"Why, prayf
Why, that the widow may get up a match
between her lad and your Cecilia, to-bs-suIe!
Do you see it now, Uncle Jan 7"
The old man shook his head with a thought
ful air, as though in doubt and unable we'll TO
see his way in the demonstration.
:" understand we'll enough" at last he said;
ID but what is there in this that need Tighten
portion when she's married!'
My poor good Uncle Jan y cried Thys in q
:one of compassion, your just and generous
heart cannot understand so much craft and
'elfshness! 1 will speak more clearly, then
Mother Ann is poor, and her son too. You are
ich-"
whats that you ssyf" interrupted the old
nan, in o tone of horror, such as might reason |
'bly have been called forth by some terrible |
"richf 1 richf Who has put !
uoh wicked Islander into your headP
"Softly, Uncle Jan! I'm not speaking for
myself. 1 know only too we'll what nard |
hift we have to make both ends meet. What
I'M talking of is Mother AIMS calculation SO |
low; for moment, let me epeak as the widow
hipks-ail at random. Shes poor. you're
'ver you may leave. If then the widow can
,nly get her snugly married to Master B art,
hese spendthrifts will one day lay their hands
Ter then that they don't mind running in debt
or the present to draw the poor girl on they
Grejust sinking capital on post obit for some
thousands per cent at your death"
O.d Jams eyes opened wider and wider with
'aoh word Tnys spoke, ard be shook in every
imb; whlie the latter regarded his COMPANIONS
growing dtstur bance with In ward satisfaction,
md hastened 10 follow up the impression he
lad made
. Look you, Uncle Jan the swindlng pack
AVE quite made up their reckoning tn at you
von't live much longer. And then, the moment
he old miser-that's what they call you-is |
Selt nnder the turf-why, then, my service to |
GU, jolly life they'll have cfit' pretty |
.uZzliug there'n be then, and fine times for !
3art in the ale-Eousesl Aud so, with all sorts
# extravaganza and abomination, they'll |
quander the little that you've had so hard "A
truggle to scrape together. And then, alas
he worst of the Whole is, that at the end of
he game our poor Cecilia will find herself a |
'eggar, and most likely will have nothing for
{ but to curse her folly to the end of her Gays
Bat let us hope that Gods providence VIII or
Ter it better for her!"
A long and distressing fit Of coughing for |
'ome time hindeIed the old man from coming |
% speech and then unearthly were the |
'0unds that broke from his laboring chest as |
hey re echoed in the vaulted chamber.
Thys had left his seat, and held o wooden |
BOWL with water to the Sufferers lips with one
hand, while with the other he gently patted
him on the back. To see him one would have
said that he bore true, boundless affection
10 his aged friend: his voice was so gentle
and compassionate, 3D. caressingly did he at
END the old man in his need. A loving son
could not have had more anxious care for a be-
loved father,
AT last the cough ceased, and poor old Jan
could once more draw his breath freely.
Trembling sti from the violence Of the at.
tack, be grasped Thys by the hand. and, in g
tone of the urtermost despair, while food of
tears rolled down his hollow checks
" Thanks oh, thauks, my good friend :" he
lyon and you alone have compass
sIon on me. All the rest wish mo dead.