The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-04-16

Ia Il DOC4NU Glts CO " pA1 al 1t
the Inhabitants. This continued for perio'
of twenty days, the army containing that mum
Der of divisions.
Colico was the first territory of the duch,
that these demons invaded they then thre'
| themselves On Ballano from which they en-
| tered and spread themselves in the Valsassi IA
whence they marched into the territory o
Lecco.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Here among those wko were expecting thu
We find persons of our acquaintance. He wht
did not behold Don Abbondio on the day wher
the report was sprerd of the descent of the
army, of its Near approach, and it's excuses
feeble mind. All sorts of reports were afoat
Thoy are coming-thirty, forty, fifty thousand
men. They have sacked Cortenovs; burnt
Primaluna; Plundered lntrob6io; Pasture
morrow they will be here. Such were the
statements in circulation. The villagers as
| sem bled in tumultuous crowds, hesitatinG
whether to fly or remain, while the women
| lamented aloud over their miserable fate.
Don Abbondio, to whom flight had imme.
diately snggested itself, saw in it. nevertheless
What shall DOR cried he !; :" where shall
gop The mountains, without speaking of the
difficulty of ascending them, were not safe the
foot soldiers climbed them like cats, if they
the waters of the lake we're swollen; it was
blowing violently; in addition to which, the
| greater part Of the watermen, fearing to be
forced to pass soldiers or baggage, had tsker
| refuge with their boats on the opposite shore
| the few barks that remained were already hlieC
with people, aud endangered by the weather
It was impossible to fnd q carriage or horse
or any mode of conveyance. Don Abbendit
did not dare venture on foot, mourning, as h'
| would, the probability of heiog stopped on thu
road. The confines of the Bergamascon terri
tory were not 30 distant, but that he could
| have walked there in a little while but q re-
port had reached the village that q squadron
| cdppelietri had been sent in haste from Bergamt
to guard the frontiers against the German foot
soldiers. These were not less devils incarn at
than those they were commissioned to oppose
| The poor man was beside himself with terror
| he endeavored to concert with Petpetua SOM
plan of escape, but Perpetua was quite occu
| pied in collie citing and concealing his valuables
with her hands full, she replied, Let m'
place this in safety; we will then do as othe
| people do" Don Abbondio desired eagerly t
| discuss with her the best means to be pursued
but Perpetua, between hurry and fright, wa.
less tractable than usual "Others will do tbs
| best they cau," said she, and 30 will we
Excuse me, but you only hiuder one. Do yor
not think they have skins to save as we'll al
| wei"
Relieving herself thus from his importuni
| ties, she went on with her occupation; the
poor man, as i last resource, went to window
aud cried, in pi :eous Tone to the people who
were passing, Do your poor curate the favor
to bring him horse or q mule; is it possible
no one will come to help met Wait for me al
least; wait till can go with you; abandon
me not. Would you leave me in the power o.
these dogs Know you not that they are In
therans, and that the murder of priest Will
seem to them a meritorious deed I Would you
| leave me here to be martyred 7"
| Bot to whom did he address this appeal t.
men who were themselves encountered witt
the weight of their humble movables, or dis
turbed by the thoughts of what they had beer
obliged to leavebehind, exposed to the ravage
of the destroyer One drove his cow betor
| him J.; another conducted his children, VIII
were also laden with burdens, bis wife perhap
with an infant in her arms Some went OF
their way without replying or looking at him
others merely said, "Eh, sr, DO as You can
yeu are fortunate in having no family To thinl
of; help yourself; do the best you can"
"Oh, poor mel! cried Don Abbondio, oh
what savages! they have no feeling they Civ
not thought to their poor curate" And h
went again in SEARCH of Perpetua.
"Oh, you are come Just in time" said she
" W here Is your money |"
"What shall we do with itf'
"Give it to me; 1 will bury it in the garde
with the plate"
But
But, but, give it to me; keep few penc
for necessity, and let me manage the rest"
Don Abbondio obeyed, aud drawing hi
treasure from his strong box, gave it to Pei
petua. " / will bury it in the garden at tn
foot of the fg-tree," said she, as she disaI
peared. She returned in a few moments wit
ono, which was empty into the latter she pr
a fe " articles of clio hing for herself and maste
" You must take y mr breviary with you
said she.
" But where are going ~
Where every OF Use goes. We will &
into the street, and men we shall hear and St
3 what must do"
1 At this moment Agnes entered with sma
basket in her hand, and with the air of or
1 about to make an important proposal.
n She had decided not to await the approach
y the dangerous guests, alone as she was, al
with the gold OF the Unknown in her posse
9 sion; but had remained some time in dou
J. where to seek asylum. The residue of Il
e crowns, which in time of famine would ha'
l. been great treasure, was now the princip
o cause of her anxiety and irresolution as, und
Il the present circumstances, those who h
% money were worst off than others; being e
e posed at the same time to the violence
. strangers, and the treachery of their col
d panions. 1t is true, none knew of the veal
If which had thus, as it were, fallen to her fire.
y from heaven, except Don Abbondio, to who
she had often applied to change a crow
l. leaving him always some part of it for tho