The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-01-21
NUMBER so
M 1 S : : r
HENDRIX CONSCIENCE.
lContinued 1
CHAPTER v,

CHAPTER v.
AS though Cecilia had been the angel whoae
presence had brought a blessing upon tlss
Chapel farm. all its joy and gladness had vAns
ished from it with her
AS for Bart, the Joyous. spirited Bart, yen
would not have Recognized him % the snsn,o
person Day after day, and all day long, ke
remained sunk in u mute reverie; his haais
bowed down with q perpetual sorrow, stoopaf
forward upon his chest; on his psls and IFS
less countenance might be read Sofo sufsslm&
and deep despair: All his songs were foseotteas
yet bis movements were slow and unsteady. RI
OF one whose thoughts are wandering far Gv1ai
from what bis hands are executing. HAedk
was his attention to external things snfa cieutss
awake to return q short aud unsatisfaoto4y ars
swer to his mothers occasional attempts q
consolation.
Aud thus in less than two months time Ell
happy, cheerful cottage had bsoome 90 still, 81
lonesome looking, and as melancholy 80 thsi
msers dismal abode. 1919
That which go grievously oppressed thss
Young mans heart was not, however 40 muca
the mere absence of Cecilia as the total iRrlr.
rance in which he was as to her lot Many q
varied spectacle of terror did his imaginafao&
copjure up before him; he saw hef pinlnfR
away and weeping, he heard her wsiling AM
lamenting. And even as his waking life, 90 his
sleep also was full of sudden suggestions az
frightful import, which tortured him with per-
Petual and wearying unrest. Especially WMaq
this manifest whenever and anon over his woFaEs
he would suddenly begin violently to tremble
or would grind bis teeth fiercely together, eF
again, would cast mp look Of anxious suppis.
cation toward heaven.
And then, too, the feeling of his total i0sp.
b1lity to help her knawed like o worm ~ hlB
heart. Cecilia had SO earnestly implored him
seen In her look that 1t was some secret Rn{F
terrible power which coerced her into submin-
sion. Probably he would only have rendered
her position stiil more unhappy by seekinG
vengeance upon him to whose evil influence he
attributed all this misery. This last considers.
ton It was which alone restrained him frea
open hostilitiee against Thys, and that noe
without dimculty, for theTe were moments
when the boiling blood heated his brain we'll
nigh to madnosS.
From weeks end to weeks end Cecilia news
stirred out Of her uncleS house; not even dlG
9he show herself In the door way of that scmhxa
b bitation; but every Sunday she accom- panIoA
the old man and Thys to church. For three
successive Sundays had Bart taken up his etar
ion at point which she had necessarily g.
pass on her way, and each time, so soon 8s ffOua
ltAr CD she could discern him, had she c0sa
Town her eyes and passed without eVon
1oticing his alutstion. Bat If Cecilia passoA
aim by unnoticed, her uncle on the other hard
'ast at him looks of bitterness which seemed
o convey terrible reproacbes. Thys, too re-
.arded his Young enemy with q side.glance of
he most provoking nockery,. while with the
most loVer-like smile he could make mp upon
lis countenapce he held CccilAs arm locked In
lis, ostentRt O1sly affected to whisper in her
ar, and, in fact, altogether comported himsslE
uthoTIzed something moro than mere ordinary
similarity.
To express how deeply this sight wounded
he young mans heart 10 quite impossible. Tia
slenesH of Cecilia'S cOuntenSnce, the tsARa
which he fSncled he traced upon her cheoka.
EeTe more than sufficient TO pierce bis heart
nth unuttersble anguish and the mAliRuane
corn 81 TbyS dropped poison into the wound <
'hich aggravated his SuffeEiDRS teDfOId.
Three times had he thus stood beside tba
hurch. path, and three times bad he returned
rom the encounter to weep his ill unseen m
or cover of the hr-treos bot % greatly hi
ach OF these dreary meetings affected him,
bat he bad since ceased to seek them, and now
My watched from afAr of and unnOticed the
'ming and going of the object Of all his
IoughtB.
Jan the msSOn's widow was the only one vho
'uld occasionally throw q ray of coDSolation
5hWaEt the gloom which dRrkened her younn
eDefactoPs soul. She was &C no loss to accoun6
r the Utmost cause Of all bis suffering, and
Ter and anon found means with Wei-tiuBea
Incubation 10 touch the chord that stirred hts
art with a momentary thrill Of pleasure.
Oldly at last che spoke oct to him the magic
ord lore, compelled him to lSy open to her the
cret of his RTiefs, aud thus acc oired she riRhs
offering him consolation without disguise,
constantly speaking TO him of Cecilia, and
isiDg in him hopes that the absent loved one
ershed for him in her bosom o feeling noe
ssmilaE to his for her.
Indeed, since CeciliA's separation from her
ends at the Chapel farm the poor beRgnr-
imam bad exhibited an activity that might s
called quite Surprising. From early In she
,rning EIll the last thing at night were ere
d her little Mieken ont and about No nOunog
% Bart st his work in the 6slds than fmn,e-
.tely she was at his eidS' With WCRd u
Mort Suggestive Of happy pEospostss haa ID
oW 1aQinense en- aEe1ns 70 rotllEl N Rcle @
Q aftegwaE& wish fEtsh doPe ~ cqTep