The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1876-02-17
had the artistic dialect nv heart.


at last broke in Lois with an accent
| Of profound horror. "How could our
Lord marry her when he was a baby?
The Bible says nothing about it, Mr..
'Haynes''-to Bernard; Indignantly
| "it is'down right impious!''
ut is one Of the Roman Catholic
legends, Miss Lancaster" Sir James
explained.
"But it isn't true, and it isn't right"
said Lois. 1T is wicked to say such
things of our Lord, and they are not
in the Bible"
"These old legends and saints his
tories have given us some Of our no.
blest pictures" Sir James apologised.
cart would have perished hut for
them."
ut had better perish than men
paint what isn't true, and is blasphe-
my into the bargain persisted Lois.
II reckon nothing of thing that has
to live as you say, Sir James Aitken,
by such means. Give me the Bible
and nothing else.''
"Well if it offends you we will go
to another" Sir James said good-na-
turedly. II can understand your dis
like, if you are not accustomed to
such things"
This he said to stay the current of
gir]ish disdain that had set in, and to
| give Lois reason" before her superior
companions.
,'"No, indeed, she answered little
proudly, as if she was boasting Of
distinction; Il am not accustomed
to such things, as you say, Sir James
:Aitken, ard I don't hold with papis-
try anyhow"
"You will have to enlarge your
borders if you 60 on to the Continent,
I fear!" returned the host smiling. -
"Every step you take, and every place
you visit, will shock you else.''
II don't want to 60 among the pa
pists, Sir James," said Lois. II am
a protesting Christian, and don't hold
with outlandish ways anyhow
"Bernard said Maud in a low
voice to her brother. "How could
you allow mamma to invite this girl
here to disgrace US with her ignorance
and common manners in this way p
What can Sir James think p
Bernard threw back his poetic
head.
"Do you not see any beauty, Maud,
in the loyalty of simple nature, a
childlike creed p he asked, his heart
belying his reason. "There are two
ways of looking at everything: why
not take the more beautiful as we'll as
the more charitable?"
because I like common sense and
reality" said Maud disdainfully, also
flinging up her head, but falling back
tojoin the party. Contemptuous of
poor Lois as she was, she was not in
clined to let Sir James Aitken see too
much of those glorious eyes, which
| men seemed to think superior to learn
ing or department.
Perhaps conscious that she had
made rather random shot in the
matter of an Old Master, Lois dis
creetly held her tongue for the re-
mainder of the tour round the gallery:
perhaps too she was not inclined to
testify, as there was nothing of so
purely legendary character in the
pictures after this unlucky marriage
of St. Catherine; though one or two
where the drapery was Of rather a
diaphanous quality and of scanty
quantity, made the blood come upin
to her fair face hotly, and lowered her
eyes with shame. How ever could
they ?. she thought, wondering at the
ease with which the young ladies
stood before these undraped represen-
tativa of humanity: it was down.
right indecent and before the gen.
tlemen, too! But her evident BASH
fulness only had the effect of making
everyone else uncomfortable and con-
scious !; where, had she taken her les
son in art without wincing like the
rest, they would have been perfectly
at ease and with no thought Of evil.
"What horrid girl y said Maud
in sacred conclave with Cora and
Edith. did you see how she be-
haved when we were looking at that
Venus 7 She made me feel so un-
comfortable, for I am sure Sir James
noticed her BY the way in which he
hurried On, and the same when we
came to St. Sebastian and the cupid"
''She must be very indelicate to
think anything" said Edith; but
Cora suggested kindly, "Oh, she is
so countriied, you see; she has seen
nothing, and I daresay it would
shock anyone not accustomed. For
after all these undressed creatures
are not very pleasant to look at for
the first time!'
"Cora, how can you talk such non-
sense p cried Maud. "You will
soon be as bad as Bernard"
"Poor Bernard" cried Edith
laughing.
"Oh! he is dear boy, as good as
possible" answered Maud briskly:-
Edith must not laugh at him or be-
lieve him to be despised at home.
"But he is an awful goose sometimes!'
she added pleasantly.