The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-06-24
THE LADY
NEVILLE COURT.
Il TALE OF THE TINES.
(Continued.)

tConttnued)
Miss Neyilles letter was g short but very
kind one from Father Donovan, and enclosed
| another worn in every fold that Mando
could hardly open it. She succeeded ut LASS
and, with e.range wild wonder, read Z
through. She felt very grateful that che had
received 1t there, where the little twitterirg
birds and the busy bees were the only wis
nesses Of her emotion. For nearly On hour
olssped over the old letter that seemra 10
have come to her like voice from the grave.
Hitherto Maude's election for her mother had
ken had she ever possessed Of that mothers
| love for her. Now all was changed for she
held in her hand 9 proof how deep chat love
very last and batt.ed even with death. That
most touohipg of all scenes to On orphans
heart-s mothers death bed-seemed to rise
before her eyes, and she almost faneied shat
bless her. Again she read the letter, and then
s question stole into Der mind that, strange to
say, had never intruded there before. Was
and Mrs.. Barton had spoken to her Of her hap
| tism by Father MGrsth; bat 80 little had abe
considered the sacrsmental effects Of that hap.-
that it had made her. before God, Catholic
for ever. Now she realized the fact, aud with
thrill Of delight saw herself no longer Q
stran ger seeking the right road, but child on
it's Fathers own domain, striving to get claaR
from the brambles and bFuehWood OF thickee
into which 1t had unconbclously etraye6. She
sat lost In thought, until the sun, hRYspg
found b: way INTO her corner. began = keas
she rose and walked towards the htnss,
when. having gained her chamber unpoE.
ceived, she locked her door and sank sobbing
on the bed, a. though her heart would break
with its burden of new.found happiness,
Very different had been aunt Barbara,s
epietls. AZ rule, her correspondence Wa
eOldly she had taken the letter from Josephis
hand. Bot not SO quietly had she Recognized
the approximation, not so coldly had che 4
Perused its contents. A low eCstatie cry
time she had read half way through she ooold
proceed no farther, but Get, With flushed
cheeks and glistening eyes. unable to realise
n nsr haPginess. ~ wsS o letter from the Rev.
fore, for few days hospitality ct the pa9son-
age QhouRh even that would have been bliss
untold), but-o joy Of all joys ever imagined
or described Ito ask her to be his wife.
Uncle Edward too had received letteF, and
very mnoh startled his niece at luncheon by
informing her that, probably within . very
would take both her and himself to London.
He endeavored to hide from her the reluctance
he felt TO 1t. but Maude perceived IL only too
well; and though her heart thrilled with Joy
at the thought of seeing Mrs.. Carew, she only
her regret thst he should have to
suffer Inconvenience on her account How
sincerely she wished, in her sweet generosity,
that all could be his, aud that the duties Inn
posed upon bin by his ONCE ~ executor
night be for bis own benefit instead of hoE1
Bat seeing her inability either to altar the Law
If entail or to regulate the duties of such an
'nice, she could only kiss and pet him by way
If sympathy.
But If Mr.. Neville had startled his niece.
lunt Barbara startled him very much more.
For after luncheon she requested On interview
With him in his study, and laid Mr.. Giles's
etter before him with joy and triumph she
ried in vain to conceal, and asked bis adVics7
1t. Why or wherefore nobody
NEW, least Of all, perhaps, Mise Barbara for
although Mr. Neville, with Q disiDterestednons
Tnly heroic, advised her by every argument
n his power to refuse her sutton point-blapks
Hiss Barbara adopted o course 80 diametricRlly-
opposed 10 his advise as o course could well
%, and wrote and accepted David Giles thst
yery evening.
- No fool like an old fool I" cried the world
when it heard Of the projected match and
his same shrewd old world was probably
light. 1t reads black hearts and black secrets
very day, and IL must have understood better
han aunt Barbara the motives that prompted
man of 6ve-and-thirty to WOO woman Of
ixty-thTee endowed with ample means. IeBs
he world was probably right, IS 1t nnfcRtu-
ately 80 often is in its judgments and yeti
movable as was aunt Barbara, and little
minded ynlgaTiSn as was. the objecs Of her
hOice, there wss still something AluiOss
eautiful in this remnant of a Womanly Inn
Mise, craving 70 love and 70 be loved, fhas
ed survived the desolating Influences, what
yer they may have been, that had STRICKEN
'IEbaTa NeVillo's character with hardness and
aEshnesS. Az far aa any cue kneW, this was
be dRSt offer Of marriage that she had ever re-
alyed. Had . di6eE1ae man eP0ksl tbs Ga19
TOras thirty years before, tu0t6ad % Q drnE0n
= dieqgsds nnpt Nleqa aza Eligha heyo beca -