The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-05-27

meat and baskets of bread. made tbei
appearance ,s 81 the bsrnd03rs Sn.S whSr
baskets were emptied with the utmost celebrity
| The former, no viewer, were. for the most part
only pntronized by the Protestants of tb'
party, Dor abstinence In all its rigors had once
again set in for the Catholics. The greater
| portion refused even q pieoe of meat to carry
home, and shook their heads and ate theiI
bread with nm honest heartiness that delighted
Mande more than she could have expressed.
II have had o Gre lighted for breakfast
ma'am, in my ladys boudoir,' said Mrs.. Bar
| ton, 81 they re-entered the house. Every
less, thought you would be more comfortable
mp there" 1880,
"why, have OF seen ityet" -
wanted to take you in yesterday; but, Miss
Maude, darling, You must not be angry with
mel would not let him, We wanted you
how was afraid it might upset you !; for one
thing. because there Is lovely portrait OF
your mother banging there q portrait so like
her that 1t is almost life itself. Bat will
take you there now shall 1p
Msude needed no second invitation, but fol-
owed the old housekeeper up-stair. to q small
white door, on the gallery, very beautifully
and which, being opened by Mrs. Barton. ad-
mitted them into "my lady's boudoir." It
was o some what small bat very elegant apart
ment 90 elegant, indeed. that it had evil
bride, in the first fush of his happiness,
without reference either to trouble or ex penss.
So delicate were the gorgeous hangings, SO
web-like the texture of the lace drapeIies. SO
heavily gilded the cornices and furniture that
nothing short of the almost daily attention on
the beloved spot by Mrs Barton could possi-
bly, have saved them from decay: As it was,
time had not been altogether cheated of his
due, for the gliding was tarnished in more
plscea than one, and the carpet and hangings
had faded from their original splendour, while
the dainty lace was only held together bv
network of almost equally dainty darns. Bat
80 carefully was the light tempered to hide
the rayages aud dents wrought by the old
mans sickle, 80 carefully was every fold of
drapery arranged, that only n very close OBJ |
server could bave noticed either one or the |
other. As to Maude, one object, and one OBJ |
Ject only, met her view. and that was her |
mothers portrait. The old hous9keeper hay
ing placed chair for her mistress, withdrew.
and for nearly half an hour Maude gazsd on |
the lovely and speaking oountenauoe before
her, lost in tumult of contending thoughts
and emotions At the end of that time the |
door opened very softly, and Mrs. b Arton, now
rs neat and prim as q new pin, again presented |
herself. She had hoped that by this time |
Mands ,!!i would have gro wn calm, and was not
. little startled when the young girl threw
herself into her arms, and with passionate
burst Of tears, implored her to tell her all
'he could about her mother. 1t weuld have
" Welcome to the good old woman, who obeyed
With sparkling eyes, beginning with the day
when Lady Neville had first arrived among
hem bright and blushing as Sir Mocars
imagined, au old Irish Catholic but the
laughter of an English farmer a Methodist. l
Who believed, and had moreover taught his
children to believe. that everything connectsd
With 'RomanisLn' must necessarily bs bad
She described to Msnde the deep dstrust
With which she had regarded the young BRIDE
,ut coon wert on to tell(h how Lady
'evllIe's Gentlepess had won her heart and {
o~. from loving her, she began gradually to
hink about her religion, then to s'udy is,
hen to admire,it, and tnally to embrace it :
.t this point of her narrative Mre. Barton rose &
rom her seat, and signing to Maude to follow
err crossed the room owards u curtain the I
oung girl had not hitherto remarked, and |
'hich, being drawn aside, revealed an exq1is
'atue of the Virgin Mother And then Mrs
arton told her how Lady Neville had taught a
Or her prayers at that very altar; and how z
om that time forward she had always Joined ,
at night; and how after her depart q
re, and more than ever after her death. it had
'en the one happiness of her lonely life to t
eep into that quiet corner, so rsplets with t
'ly memories, and pray for her who had 8
sssed away. h
SO much did the old housekeeper find to i
y, that it WAS not till ten o'clock resounded d
rough the house that they moved from the b
'sition they had occupied during their con. l
rsation, and then iG was only to move still f
arer to the little altar. bsfore which they g
lel6 uoWn spontaneously, side by side. at 8
ngth Mrs. Barton rose, and taking some f
oks that wero lying on the altar, she placed q
em in Maude's hand, and walked uitely out
the room They were books of Catholic de- a
tion, bearing evident marks of long and v
quent use, and Maude, ON opening them, q
nnd her mothers name inscribed in each, in
,itlng fast turning yellow with age. Con- C
sively the young girl pressed them to her d
IS and heart, hardly able 10 realise her hap il
ness in possessing them, when o sound ont. il
ie the room warned her that q servant was A
out To enter with the breakfast, and she re- j,
aoed her treasure on the altar, drew back k
. curtain, and resumed her seat The mo. Il
ent after Mills hustled in, smiling all over b
tn the pleasure of unexpectedly encounter q
K his yonnG mistress aud Maode IA she
rred the fire into q blaze, and sat down be- | q
'e 1t to await tho rest of the break fast-psrty
'ked rohud the room for the first time iE a
'med, she thought to realise to her III nd all 81
ut the boudoir of an idolised wife would be. o
the soft frslight nickered and reflected it.. II
{ IN u hundred angles of the polished CRATE 2
the broad mirrors, aud among the silver O.
d china of the break kfast-table, and AS q soft i.
rfnme waited from the flowers with 81
'toh the skillful hand of O'Keefe had 81
orned every corner where flowers would ID
ow, II seemed impossible to connect such u
Of with Il form long since moulderiug in Ii
. grave, Tho whole apartment, on the con- o.
Y. AZ A.NIa tn g.. la