The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-02-25
tContinued. |
CHAPTER ".

~.
1t was still early the next morning when I
colonel and lieutenant were riding along t
serpentlne ~lndiDgs of the road across t
heath of Moll
Already the sun stood in all it's glory in Il
oIue SKY, and drew up from tho wide expap
OF ssnd hoVeribg mist which gave tho be II
much the appea arance of an immense hear,
with col"'less Il anne 6lckeriug over d. Tt
pecunar aroma OF the heather, and especiall
that characteristic ecent of the heat beray tur
fuel which under favorable circumstances {
W1nd and weather indicates the neig b borhoo
OF these mooTs to a very ccnsiderabls d Istanc,
ana whlch no one that has inhabited thos
countrles could fail to recognise, ho wev er Ion
aosent, filled the air /; the grsssboppers chirpe
Cnelr lnohot"AGns song, aid thousands of litsl
creatures heSldss played among the heather
lowers; Evidently the colonel was strongt
aneoteo. In Just euch an atmosphere had b
passed the falreat years of his youth; ever
thlng down to the scsnty grass itself, Gale,
up In MIN recOllectlons, ah how dear Hi
head deeply bowed upon his breast, he rode OF
6efore his onpanlon, letting the reins hanl
loosely on bis Lorse's neck.
For more than an hour the young lieutenau
respected his coioners silence. At last, how
ever, with touch of tina spur he brought III
consolation.
"Come, colonel" said he, in a sympathizine
tone, don't he so down-hesrted, after all. ]
can quite understand that Won lor o. to see von1
child again but a man like YOU that las .
thousand times looked death and tie enemy in
the face without blinking, shouldn't let himsell
An ordinary SORROW do you call it 7" aeked
the colonel. 'And yet in truth il is an ordiuarv 9
sorrow, Adolph. but not for that the less deep.
just see, my friend in my whole life have
never loved but one woman Mere DeasaDt-oirl RI
as she was, the thought of her has never Ieft
me, not even in ths hottest of the field She is
dead, my poor Barbara, bnt she left me this
child, which she gave ma at the cost of her Ii fe
And now I must foa- that this sole relic Of INV
happy days Is wandering about as bpggar
that she is actually suffering hunger AND
thirst while arl il, tossegsion - th, int,,'s nj
giving her every comfort of life: I have TO
think of BIrbara % caltipg ME 10 acn,rr- f..r
her child's lot"
"Come, come, colonel ~ iuterrre etc3 the lieu
tenant, "you Il. g he matter to i,yel,
but that - not the way- L ease ynur -Dri.rinv
Look at thin. 3 "A little cnyl!r. A soldicl ruusr
have se!f-comIrand enough 10 bear up ,Lter y
misfortuue, even ke7e 1t eti1 p1entrr man
yours
do you think, tbcn my dear Adolph, it is
as easy to cover Tho ueart with steel as if ia
the body I If YOU do sou are much u,jst,k.n
1 know you flAtter yonrsei you We said good .by
to feeling of every kind and proud enough Won
seem of it too though ten to one, yru're onlu
deceiving yourself after all. 1t 10 six wears
since Won Il fG your village; is il not; VIII II
at this moment yonr old mothers cottage we're
to come in view in the farthest horiz2n: what
then e.
For few moments the lieutenant was silent
At last, with downcest eyes and a look of come
he replied:
"WelI colonel, that would cost ME some |
oars.
"Then it can't be 30 very Gifficult for yon to
,on prebend my giving myself for q W bile TO |
the joyful hope OF finding my child again, aud
hat am ready to break out iuto tears OF ioy
,hould God brig her once more into my arms
have neither father nor mother, brother nor
ister-not even an uacle aunt, or cousin The |
,nly being in the whole wide world to which |
.m bound By any tie of blood is this child:
md, when my poor Barbara died she laid it in
ny arms and her last words were AM love
alwaySH'
These lcs- 5orCtS II tered IL a low a,pctbc,.S |
,o;oo .F.o+,1 - | I
tS ,
ult u III MS l"iSS, ana zen beulDG WltnOnt
mother " oId, Presently, kO TtVer, the colonel |
otlced tins, reiLed IN MS sorae too till they
'ere IN Ilue with one another again, auu
dded, in tone OF deep emotion:
AuoipH' IL YOU were 10 iay your hand on any
cart y on WoHiu 1eel now THICK y 1t IL beating.
10 not be SURPRISED at seeing nv ewes moist !
In Won Unr6pr ,,ohla hook nSno,,. y
II 80, 0HS
ibipof -D1Sbts . Wy the Dfnth' nab tfco heafd
Hte1 "o1I is VI Ioro; ; Snuor @ tuHG iollSge g
tno.a nc 80, tny otT lere;
IuipS NJ" Io kia' ., uToUn, oAopA Spu
ee, greeC hie IN eioquen1 1!i GUN nDness. Let us
% On mere sno3i9 @ lihe 10 see II my name n
i1 ;G Ratoa 80 "nich Aoh0e CUT Ia the DSl x are
IA a LneLo. 4,o. ,,., a;..,,
buSy DOCu dlOHOuub0u anu leo |