The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-01-28
THE MORNING STAR AND CATHOLIC MESSENGER SUNDAY JANUARY

tender good will OF Bart and his mother, nor
against the uDdisturbed serenity OF her daily
soffering gradually disappeared; and while
habitualiy quiet and even reserved in manner,
yet che would ever and again light mp into one
Of those fairy smiles which can only proceed
from heart at peace within itself
Cecilia worked at dressmaking for the neigh
bors, at which. being an uucommoDly skilfnl
o little TO her gratificstlon and to the encour-
agement of Bart and herself in their ambitious
hopes and plans for the enlargement of the
farm. True, the saviDgs-box received but q
few etivers o week sometimes indeed even
nothing ct all, but sometimes, on the other
hand, piece of silver. Still it's contents in
creased; and when Bart came to his mothers
cham Der and merrily shook the box which held
the collected saviugs of their love and indus
try. the sound it gave was pleasant to the ear
AID foil of promise to the heart.
The young lover had made il bis especial
business SO TO dress and decorate his mothers
house as to render it q pleasant home for its
beloved guest; and for this purpose had task cd
to the utter most his powers both of Invention
and execution. In the little garden behind
the little yard he had laid ont little beds,
divided by little footpaths and edged in with
ever-dowering thrift. Q1ite behind close by
the hornbeam hedge, he had put up a treliis
aud over it trsined bower Of honey uckle
aud clemstis, with bench on either side-one
for his mother and Cecilia, thu other for Wanna
aud himself-where Sundays after service
they would all come and sit together, and sing
and tell pleasant tales, and rejoice in calm d!s-
course over the sweet Tranquility of their life
and Gods manifold mercy and goodness.
In the garden grew all kinds of flowers; not
Only the VI eil-loved lowly plants tbs are native
80 the heaths and thickets Of The kawpen Cor
Campfire, extensive moory district in the
neig- bo,hood of Antwerp bnt also many of
those which have been nsturalizsd from other
regoDs,-the last preeent 70 Bart from Frank,
the under gardener at the Manor. house.
Against the honse itself buDg several bird
cage,, from which incess sanity resor nded the
sharp, clear notes of their Inmates; and pigeons
tame that they would come aud take their
food DOT OF CecllIa's hand nad tier houses
the roof, aid strCL.ed with p,uung breasts
along the paths. at tie corner OF the
beds wers planted upright sticks, bearing on
their points hide mills which tuTuett with the
VINO. or figures Of fencers in attitude game
keepers tasIDG slui, whose weapons ever point
ed in the direction from w hlcn il bleH: all OF
them matters which Bart had devised and
executed for Cecliia's pleasure and cut OF love
for her.
Wanna had her foil share in the common
happiness, which she entered into with the
careless Il hearted ness OF child, like child
too rel ,iciu in the felicity of the rest.
AS for Mother Ann, she over whelmed
with attentions and demonstrations of affec-
ton and as she saw her chlldrea's eyes beam
ing pleasure upon her at every glance. she
certainly would not have changed her lot with
that of the lady of the Manor. In fact, the
POOR little cottage of the Chapel farm q
very paradise upon earth.
Very different was the state of things aS'the
gloomy abode from which Cecilia had been ex-
Pslsd, and which since her departure had
been 50 solitary and 50 silent, 80 deathly still,
that il stood there among the trees like some
fased building smitten with the curse of
heaven. Sometimes for two days together
would the laborers who were at work IN the
fields about not once the door open. The
mysterious house, with it's creviced walls and
broken wiudow-panes, inspired all the will q gers
with an uneasy fear; it was only the most
courageous among them that wouid willingly
after n'ghtfall have taken their way through
its vicinity.
And How, for the last two Sundays Uncle
J m had not even been cut to church, aud
fhys, when asked after him had replied that
be was confined to his bed with the govt but,
though 1t was very well known that he had
occasionally Suffered from this complaint be-
foze, yet, coming from Thye, this explanation
hardly obta ned universal credit. Ho ~ever,
old Jams Iserly way of life had made him So
uupoPular that no seeme2 t. trouble him
self ATTY turtaer about hin--no one bat only
Cecilia, who lad "ept bitter tears at hearing
Of his liluess,
80