The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-04-05
THE
POOR GENTLEMAN.
iContinued . |

"But am approaching scenes, my child, hi
recollection of which almost unnervss me
MY story has reached the most paint fol momen
of my life, and I b-seech you to hear m
calmly.
Your poor mother ~ssted away to skele
ton her tupken eyes we're hardly Visible IL
their deep sockets; livid palor 81 fused be
eheeks. As her fadDg,-fadinR.-th
wife whom had loved more than iife,-As
ga1ed on those deatb-strUck feaiurss and sau
she fatal evidences each day clearer and
cloarer,-I became nearly mad with despair
and grief"
Lenora sh uddered with emotion as ber breast
heAved convnlsively under the sobs che strove
20 repress. Her father stopped q moment
almost overcome by the recital; but, rallying
lis courage quickly, he forced himself to 20
on with his sad recollections:
Poor motheri she did nothing but weep
Every time she looked ct her chiid-ber dear
little Lenora-tesrs filed her eyes. Thy name
was always on her lips, ss IL she were forever
addressing prayer for thee TO God in heaven
At lnst the dreadful hour arrived when she
heard the Almghtys voice summonipg her
above. The clergyman performed the services
for the dying; and yop, my child, had been
taken from her arms and sent out of the house.
whose 10y lips bad already imprinted on mipe
their last sad kiss. My heart bled. oh, God |
how wretohed-how wretched-Were those
parting hours! My beloved wife lay there be-
yet trickled do an her hollow cheeks, and she
atroye to inter your name with her expiring
Azeath. Kueeling beside her, i'm plored Gods
mercy for her passing hour, and kissed away
the sweat of agony that stood upon her brow.
Suddenly / thought perceived an effort to
speak, and, bending my ear to her lips, she
called me- by name, and said, 1t is over, my
love. it lie over; farewell! 1t has not pleased
the Almighty to assuage my dying hour, and
70 with the conviction that my child will suffer
want aud wrstchedness on sarthp
81 know not what my love inspire 4 me to
say in that solemn moment; but called God
49, ina 4 haNu al e.
that your life should he happy A heavenly
aynile illuminated her eyes. and she beIiev ed
my promise With au Effort, she lifted her
thin hands once more round my neck and drew
ny lips to hers. Bot soon those wasted arms
fell heavily on the bed my Margaret was
gone thy mother was no moreW
De Vlierbeck's head fel! on his breast. Le-
noras bosom beaved eoavulsively Is she took
hsB hand without uttering word /; and, for u
long time, nothing was heard in that sad con-
Tessional but the sobs of the maiden and the
sighs of her heart. broken father.
Whist l have yet to say" continued the
gentleman, T." 10 not 30 painful as what havo
already told you: 1t concerns only myself.
PeFhaps it would be better If said nothing
about 1t bat need friend who Possesses all
my confidence aud can sympathize with me
thoroughly In all have undergone for the last
ten years.
Listen. then, Lenors. Your mother was no
more; abe was gone; che who was my last
staff in life! | remained at Grnselhof alone
promise made to God and TO the dead! What
should do to fulfill itf Quit my hereditary
eatatei wander away seskIng my fortune in
foreign lands, and work for our mutual SUP.
poTtf That would not do for 1t would have
devoted You at once to the chances of
Wretched uncertainty. / could not think of
such course wi any degree Of satisfaction;
nor was it till after long and anxious re election
that ray Of hope seemed to promise us both q
81 resolved to Disguise our poverty more
carefully than ever, aud to devote my time TO
the most elaborate cultivation of YOUR mind
God made you beautiful in face and person.
IenorH; but Your father anxious to
initiate you into the mysteries of science and
art, aud, while he endow ed you with n know
ladRe of the wortf to III AXE you virtuons pious
and modest. / desired to make you an accom-
plished woman, and hoped that the nobility
Of your blood, the charms of your beauty, tho
treasures of your heart and intellect, would
RDmpensate i'll society for the portion that was
aenied you. Thus was it, my child, that |
thought in time, you would make q suitable
alliance which would restore you to tho posi-
zion you hold by birth For ten YEAR,, Leuora
thSs has been my occupation aud my hope
What l had forgotten or never learned, l
1tudied at night to teach you ne Xt morning; |
Aahored hard that L migut not only iustruct
yoa wTeely bat that you might acquire easily;
AZ d. at the same time, struvs hy every honest
means tn conceal from you everything Luat
conld give hint Cause a suspicion by
which yUuI life might be shadGw wed. Oh. Lee
HoTS,-hbab | confess II II have suffered
hunger and undergone the most cruel priva-
tjons; have passed half my u'ghts neudiuE
NY clothes. working in tho garden, studying
and practising IN the dark, rs ~ hide orr
poverty ICON you and tho world Bat all that
was nothing; in the hileucc of uicht l was not
forced to / Csh before any one. BY day l had
30 eucountsr all kinds Of Insults, and, with n
bleeding aeaT;, swallow ahront aud humllia-
zion"
Lenoya locked at her father with eyes moist.
sned by compassion. De VlIeIhpck pressed
her hand, and continued:
" Be not sd, Lenora; II the Lords hand in.
aloted deep wounds with every blow, he be-
slowed q balm which cuTed them. One it'll.
Smile of thy gentle face was sufficient TO make
me pour forth an ejaculation to Hsaven: you
yon at least were happy, and in your happlnes'
saw the tnihlment of my premise
AT length thought that God himself hat
thrown in our path one who wonld save yoI
from threatening danger. A mutual in clinatiot
arose between Gustave and you, and p mar
rage seemed the natural consequence Cu6e
these circumstances l aPpVised Monsieur Do
0ecker, during his last visit, of the deploFanl,
condition Of my Affairs; but no sooner did
make the disclosure than be geremptorily re
fused his consent to the union. As if thii
terrible blow, which withered all my hopes
had not been sufficient to overwhelm me,
learned, almost at the same time, that tut
friend who loaned me four thousaud france
with The right to renew my obligation to hin
every year, had died in Germany, and that hi
Nara l,.I he ma NJ no