The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-09-10
0lsrnIng Star and Catholic Messenger.
BEFORE THE DAWN.
philadelphia Catholic Record. /


place in this world to dwell on a marble ia
let, under the words, "Ip memory of =
and it's power was at an end, unless, indeed,
left behind some loving heart, which migt
thrill and send up ready tears at sight of
there. So had death dethroned it for all bu
love. Did say all but Lowell Nay, there wa
one place where the rich mans name la
written, ready to exercise for one more critica
time it's sway of old one little place, not nea
30 large as that accorded to it on the mai bl
slab q place ct the foot of document to b.
found hidden away in n welsecured safe, and
when brought to light, mighty to change tn,
current OF one young life, and to send mira
ole OF JOY to othere This the rich III an I
will.
"Inexplicable
"AmaZiDg"
"No one would have thought it,
Something under it,"
"Wiliam Noble never did that without rea.
son! !"
"They say his niece offended him at the
end"
"Of course people don't go and disinherit
people without good cause"
Well, he took her from the lowest poverty
and these things never torn out well -
"Lucy Westfort must have been guilty of
something awful to be left 80 entirely out of
his will -
These and more of the same kind were the
comments of an "enlightened public" on that
last act of power which the rich mans name
had exercised with Ruthless accuracy. You
surely recognize the peculiar style of logic on
which they were based, you gather from
them the fact that Lucy Westfort in the esti
nation of the speakerA-they were legion
should have been the rich mans heiress, but
unaccountable, unless by the supposed COM
mission OF some unworthy act, was not. That
the rich man should have committed any fdvr
pas whatever by which the mysterious stale of |
affairs was brought about never occurred to |
one of the legion. So it grew to be quite a |
settled and Understood fact that Luoy Westfort
was q person to be avoided, to be held in con.
tempt, and 80 immaculate is the world itself to
be placed outside the pale of it's social incl
ure. For had not William Noble been rich
man and just man 7 Had he not "done eve
rything" for her, and given the world to un-
derstand he regarded her as his own daughter
and was not that enough She must, perforce |
nave committed some great misstep. And if it |
had only been made public what became of
the property of 1.-The late" William Noble, the
world would have been satisfied but that re-
mained mystery. Beyond the fact that his
valuable library, with it's many valuable fix
lures, and it's cabinet of curiosities, was be-
qneathed TO the University in his native city
AZ which he had been educated, nothing as 10
the disposal of his wealth was known excent
TO his executors and the disinherted' SO on I
went the wonder till the customary "nine
Gays had expired and then the world turned
1ts attentlon 10 something else, and plunging c
Lucy Westfort into the obscurity to which sus- :
Picion and poverty had consigned her, forgot t
ner there. Let us penetrate its shade v
The family vault was beautiful, with vines
climbing over its graceful marble pillars, and ,
blossoms attempting entrance at its inimitably n
carved gate, which represented two angels in a
the perpetual act of barring out intruders a
Alas alas the silent ones, who were admitted "
oroug MT an effectual permission to pass the an.
Sellc barrier-sone not envied them, nor vet -.
considered boon. To this gate every dav -
lnce William Mobiles mortal remain ma had found I
nat ingress there, came, with soft football n | ~
hight figure, draped in black knelt where the .
noveless angels held their white bar; dropped a.
ome quiet tears, unacconpanied by any over. f.
covering show of grief; laid with ge> ture of lin
nd shining bar the angels held and giving n
Tistful look behind, HlIded away with sten W us
1ore like spirit than anything mortal. So 't
he rich man evidently had some one to nlaca | -.
1ve's Offering at the shining gate. There was ~ ~
ne faithful neart over which the name soon W W
Q be cut in marble, would own tender power, y
here was one left to mourn his death one a.
'untaln OF gentle tears to keep his memory W.
reen:" Well, this was, strange to saw, Lncy W.
'estfort Did not the world, which had been II,
eciding on her position, hear of itH on Won ~ ~
now. that part of the world which sits in W
1ch Judgment, even in spirit, avoids the CITY I
death. That Is a spot of earth 1t naturally hr
Snores till compelled to recognize its existenos " M
o 1t did not hear of this watch of love around ="
1e rich mans grave kept by the disinherited: w;
nd less did 1t know that word, unheard ~,
y earthly ears, hut echoed loud in heaven H
mere it's full meaning could alone be under. -,
ood, fell daily from those other wise silent w,
Ps as they were pressed to the bar. That to
es in the present simple story. nv
One day there was n silent spectator TO her of,
net visit to the family vant. This spectator 1i,
oProached the place quickly, but, at sight of 81,
III, z
g on her as If she were some apparition. He me
as man in his prime with a keen business NC
ce, the hard lines of which softened percent. "oc
ly as he looked, and the piercing gray ewes " q
which lost their habitual sharpness of glance he,
the palpaole amazement, mixed with pity do,
hich rose to them as they rested on her She det
ood up to go, and he quickly turned away Hf
ID walked in an opposite direction from that g
ken by her, reaching the family vault by a ,be
uch more clrcutous route than he had in Tn,
nded originally. He stood for some moments ~, ~,
here she had knelt lost in thought, and then "a
ok up one at least of the worlds cries by Ella ko,
lating in q short, dry tone; =" ned Hei
' 'Inexplicsble!" Cai i
Then, turning on his heel he was about to AN. AN.
th IL nictaS a. "a unUy Ivy RioVe iylng on his wr
opts with gentle look, then smoothed it out tbi
Thi. - - r ,,,,, or
t is impossiblew Ses
then he placed it carefully in his pocket. nae
"a, alter calling one of the workmen about fsn
Q place, and giving him some directions, he -
to follow the footsteps of Lucy der
illiam Noble;s a~sopto,o 9Iepnens' one OF 80