The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-02-27
~. & Star ano Catholic Messsnge;
NEW ORLEANS. SUNDAY. FEBRUARY 81. 1876

moving on the Hood, or II he couIu NOV, ny
listening hear the sound of oars clenving the
water; but he saw he heard nothing. Ii II
had been any stream less than the Adoa, no
would have attempted to ford 1t, ont thlS ne
we'll knew to be impracticsbie.
He was uncertain what pan to pursue: 10
lie down on the grass for the next elk hours,
and wait until mdrBiDR, exposed to the north
wind and the dsmps of the night; or ." con
tinue walking To and fro. 10 protect BIN SELF
from the cold until the day should dawn
neither of these held ont mnch prospect Ut
comfort He suddenly Iecoilected to have seen,
in neig hboring parto the uncuitivated & eh' D.
q odscnOHO this was the name gwen oy Tue
peasants OF the Nlapese to the cabins covered
with straw constructed with the trunks and
bran ches of trees. aud the crevicns filled WIN
mud, where they were in the habit of placing
the crop, gathered during the day, unti!a more
convenient opportunity for removing it; they
were therefore abandoned except at snch
seasons. Reno found his way tbither, pnsbed
open the door, and perceiying bundie OF
straw on the ground, thought that sleep, even
in such place, would be very welcome. Be-
fore, however, throwing himself o. the bed
Providence had provided for him. he kneeled,
and returned thanks for the blessing, and Tor
tho assistance which had been this day offered
him. and then implored forgiveness for the
errors of the previous day; then gathering the
straw around him as some defence against the
cold, he closed his eyes 10 sleep but sleep was
not so soon to visit our poor traveller. Con-
fused images began to throug his fancy; the
the host, Ferrer, the superintendent, the conf
peny at the inn. the crowds in the streets.
assailed his mag instien by turns then came
the thought of Don Abbondio. Roderick, Lucy,
Agnes, and the good irar. He remembered the
paterua counses of the latter, and reflected
with shame and femoFse on his neglect OF
them and what bitter retrospection did the
image of Lucy produce! aud ARnes! poor
Agnes! how i'll had she been repaid for her
motherly solictude on his behalf! an ontcast
from her home, solitary, uncertain Of the
future, reaping misery from what seemed to
promise the happiness of her declining years
Poor Reno! what night didst thou pass I!
what an apartment! what q bed for matrmo
NAL couch! tormented, too, with appreh ensions
of the future! 81 submit 10 the will of God, ,
said he, speaking aloud, ito the will of God I!
He does only that which is Hht; l accept it
all as "a Just chastisemsnt for my sins. Lucy,
however, ia so good! the Lord will not long
ai1ct her with suffering"
In the meantime be despaired of obtaining
any repose; the cold WAS insupportable; his
teeth chartered; he ardently wished for day,
and measured with impatiepce the slow pro-
gress of the hours; this he WAS enabled to do,
he heard, every half hour, in the deep
silence, the heavy sound of some distant clock,
probably that of Trezzo. When the time had
arrived which he had fixed on for his departure,
half benumbed with exposure TO the night air,
he stretched his stitfened limbs, and opened the
door of the CdScinOtto looked out to ascertain if
any were near, and finding all client
around, he resumed his journey along the path
he had Quilted.
The sky announced a beautiful day; tho set-
ting moon shon. pale in m Immense field of
azure, which, towards the east, mingled itself
lightly with the rosy dawn. Near tho horizon
were scattered clouds 1T various huen and
forms; it. was, in fact, the sky of LomblTdy,
beautiful, brilliant and calm. If Renz3 had
had mind at case, he would 80 DOUBT have
stopped to coutem plate this spieu did usherIug
in of day, SO dItfereuJ from that which lie had
been accustomed to witness among his noun.
tains hut his -thoughts were otherwise occu-
pied. lie reached tho brow of tho precipice
where he had stood the preceding night, and
looking below, perceived, through the bushes,
o 6sheImap'S bark, which waa slowly stem min 2
the current, near the shOre. He descended the
precipice, aud standing on the bank, made a
sign to the fisherman to approach. He in
tended to do this with careless air, ~ If il
were of little Importance, but in spite of hun
self, bis manner was half supplicatory. The
fisherman, after having survey cd the course OF
the water, as If tn nscerta in the practicahility
of reaching the shore, directed the boat to-
wards il before it touched the bank, Reuz1,
who was staEdingon the W al er's edge, awaiting
it's approach, seized the Prov, and jumped into
it.
"Do me a service, and will pay you for il, =
said he; II wish to oToss to the other shore"
The fisherman having OWNED his object, had
already Turned his boat in that direction.
Reno, perCeiving another oar in the bottom of
the bark, stopped 10 take it,
Softly, softly" said the fisherman. Bat
seeing with what skill the young man man
aged the oar, "Ah! All !" added he, you know
the trade"
"A very little" replied Reno, end he con-
tinued to row with Sigor ard skill hey oud
that OF mere amateur in the aIt. With all his
efforts however, the bark moved slowly; the
current, setting strongly agniust 1t, drove il
continually from the line OF IT'S direction and
impeded the Tapidlty of its course. New per
plexltlcs prosecuted themselves TO the mind of
Keno; now that the AIDA was almost passed
he began to fear that il might not at this
place, serve for the boundary between the
states, and that, this obstacle surmounted there
would yet be others remaining. Ho spoke to
the fisherman, aud pointing to the white spo5
he had noticed the She night before, and which
was DOW much more distinct, lis that Ber-
gamoW Eaid he.
" The city of BergamOf" replied the fisher
man.
"And the other shore, does it belong to Bsr.
gamo"
cit is the territory of st. Mark"
Long live St. Mark criea Repzo. The
fisherman made no reply.
Tho boat reached the shore at last Rene
thanked God in his heart as he stepped upor
it; and turning to the fisherman he took from
his pocket q berliRga and gave it to him. TIL,
man took 1t in silence, and with q significant
look, placed his forehnRer on his lip; and say
ing, "A good journey to you" returned to hil
employment
In order TO account for the prompt and dis
Greet civility of this man towards n perfec
stranger, we must inform the reader that M