The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-04-01

happy smile beamed on his face as he me
the questioning glance of his daughter, ant
| answered firmly:
II loved my brother, Lenora but I loved
You. my only cnild, much more. Fhe sacr,f, j.
demandtd of me by his creditors insured
misery for your mother and for you"
| Ob, Gou oh, God !" sobbed Lenora.
| 90 one eide my heart was dis rscted by
| this dreaoful thought, while on the other war
assaiied by the despair that was present in the
| haukrupps chamber hut generosity cong uered
| in the awful trial, arc aG daylight sought
cut the pruc pal creditors and signed the
documents that saved brosber's life and
Thank God" gasped Lesora, as If she had
been relieved from horrible nightmare.
g Bless you, bles. you, father. for your noble,
generous conduct"
She rose from Ter seat, and passing her arms
around bis neck, gave him glowing kiss with
as much sol. mnity as If she mad been anxious
to endue this mark of love with all the fsrvor
and sacredness of o benediction.
An! but caust thou bless me, my child"
said he, with eyes full of gratitude. " for an
act that should implore thy pardonT
MY pardon, father p exclaimed Lenora, with
surprise on all her features. "On. had you
done otherwise, hat wond not have suffered
10 don biting the goodness of my parents heart
Now, now, love you more than ever. Pardon
you. fatherf Is it crime to save a brotnsr's
life when IT is in your keepiDgf'
Alas, Lenora, the world does not reason
thus and never foreives us for the guile of
poverty. Reduced to that we suffer hnmilia-
lions which any one may observe in the lives
of mnititodes of our MOBILES. Yes; society
regards poverty rs q crime, and il treats Ms
like ootcssts. Oar equals avoid ne in order
not to be oonfounded in our misery; while
peasants and tradesmen laugh 1t our misfor-
tune as II 1t was q sort Of agreeable revenge.
Happy, hsppy they to whom heaven has given
an angel to pour comfort and consolation into
their hearts in bours of want and de lection
Bot listen, my ohildi
Ny brother was saved, and concealed
most carefully the assistance 1 had been to
him be left the country and went with his
wife to America, here ever since he has
worked hard and gained hardly enough to
support q miserable existence. His wife died
during the voyage. Aud, as to ourselves, we
no Longer possess any thing, for Grinsslhof and
our other lands were mortgaged for more than
borrow from gentleman of my acquaintance
four thousand francs upon my bond.
When your mother h. ard of the sacrifices
to which was forced TO submit, she IN de no
reproaches at first she folly approved my
Conduct But very soon We became necessarily
So Jected TO privations under which your
moGners health declined, TILL without a sigh
or complaint, she began to fade away slowly
from earth. 1t was u dreadful situation for,
to conceal our ruin and save our ancestral name
from contempt, we were forced to part with
the last onnce of our silver to Fay tho interest
On our debts Gradually our horses and ser
wants disappeared the paths that led 80 our
oeiRhbors soon becaue grass crowd; and we
declined all social Invitations, avoid
The necessity of returning the compliment. A
RI NOR about ns began 10 spread through the
village and among the noble families that had
formerly been terms of intimacy with us
and scaud al declared that avarice lad driven
1s to q life of meanness and isolation! We
oyously accepted the imputatiou, and even the
it; it was a veil with which society
.houghS proper to cover Us, and beneath its
odds our poverty was safe from scrutiny"
ITO be continued.)