The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-06-17

I u
can tell you. ALI know is, that ever since
the world began women-ay, and men too
have tattied about their neig bors; aud 50 il
will be. depend upon it, until the end of
time"
But what did you dof-what did you say
| to them, Father Donovan ?" asked the doctor,
onoe again seating himself. but still looking
quite Rghast.
What did do I why, nothingl Fighting,
yon know is NOS my vocation besides, the
Offenders were ladies'" said the priest smiling.
Aud what did sayf In one place told
them, in the polites5 m amer could, to mind
their own business Z; at another l waited till
their remarks were finished, aud then let drop,
| In the course of conversation, that DR.. o Mara
was of my most intimate and valued
! friends. Tnat was Punishment enough for
| some of them, can tell you"
The doctor was thunderstruck. In all his
relations with Maude the one detention of lis
heart had been SO pure aud SINGLE that the
possi5 ility of misconstructiOn had never en-
| tered his mind. The life. moreover, that he
had hitherto led bad, from its unobtrusiveness.
been 80 unmarked by the world, that to find
himself suddenly talked about was fact too
| ftartling for him to realise.
at has been a question with me-" contin-
ned Father Donovan. after pause, :" whether
| to mention all this to yon or not. have de-
cided on doing so, however for one or two
| reasons the chief one, that thought o word
! in season might put yon upon your guard for
the future. By q curious concstenation of
guidance I have traced great deal of this
| tattle to the old LADY stopping at the Glebe
House SO beware of her."
The reply was a burst of adjectives by 10
means fiatteriDg to Miss Barbara to which Bat.
reused from his slumber, added few deep
growls, doubtless by way of assent, for Bat by
no means favored aunt Barbara.
tongue of this individual" continued she
priest, q" was not my only intention in mention
| ing the subject to you. Richard, my boy, will
You let very old friend give You fe" words
An unmistakable assent beamed in the doc
tors face, and the priest continued.
"No man living knows better-I may per-
haps say we'll as do-the purity aud un-
! sehshness of your motives with regard TO Miss
Neville, nor the perfect singlehesrtedness that
| has marked all your relations with her ; but
| the world, Richard, will judge you by another
code. do not say it denies the existence of
honorable sentiments, but to say the least, 1t
| regards them rarissimG ares, the greater
part of which took wIpg long ago, with the
| other bright and beautiful attributes of chiv-
| airy. Now the world knows that Maude Ne
Vile is rich, talented, beautiful aud an orphan;
and knows, on the other hand, that a certain
young doctor in her neighborhood talented,
| agreeable, to q certain degree good-looking,
aud las is commonly the case with most of his
professon) no richer than he need be, is fire.
| quently in her company. This much the world
| either sees or hears, and this much 10 true,
But next comes it's construction and it is of
this 1 wish to speak to you. Nor ia this q new
desire on my part. 1t is snow two or three
months since first felt that, even in our own
little circle here, you were misuud erstood; and
though l never expected to hear structures
upon your conduct rs coarse as those of Miss
Barbara and Der friends, felt sure that in
some form or another, sooner or later, some
| thing would be said"
He paused, but the doctor made no reply.
You must not take what l am saying too
casting as he spoke glance of the tenderest
sympathy at his friend. Remember, Richard
OMeara is not the first man who has had his
actions misread and his intentions misinter-
MI n
yet to have forgotten your Catechism and the
Eight Bestitudes; and if SO, surely it isn't
| your intel tion to turn your back on q blessn &
! at the first go off r
| Toe doctor smiled sadly. Il suppose am a
coward, bnt l think may say that, if the
| world had oulye attacked me individually,
won id h ave borne it's calnmDies with patience"
"Ah, tut: not q bit of Il" cried Father Don
| ovan laughing. Don't hatter yourself that
| all your sensihilities are aroused on behalf oil
Miss Neville! OF course You are grieved that
| she should have her name banded about; but
l think the charge of scheming and fortune
| hunting brought against somebody else is not
| wholly without a stlng-ehp
| Indeed it il not" cried the doctor, shrug
ging his shoulders aud shivering as he spok O.
as though with cold .Still, If it were not for
her," he continued, rising and pacing the room
hurriedy, 81 would continue to act as have
hitherto acted, and live down this q hun
dred such calumnies. But for her sake"
For her sake" said the priest gently, " all
must be altered. Miss Neville will soon be OF
II aye, ADu IL 0Nlueubly LuOoU W uO ncL
duty as q landowner. She will very soon come
into possession of her estates, and purposes
then to take up her residence at her aneestrs
home. She is q woman of high principles and
good common sense, and so determined that
justice shall be done to every one, that in my
opinion Your promise to your father aud his tc
Lady Neville fulfilled, and whatever ia
terest you may benoeforward take in the affart
of tho tensntry, it will be from inclination not
from duty. AAd you will rejoice at this if YOU
will only look at matters they stand, from
q rational point of view. just think for one
minute how many times lately you had had in
terviews with Miss Neville upon one piece o
husiness another, and then tell me il yor
are surprised that the world has canvassec
your motives. Now for the future, if you are
wise, you will only meet her as her other friend
do. occasionally, and you will find that thu
world will see it's blunder and cease its chatter
thoroughly ashamed of having made it. Yot
will be no longer misjudged and, what is o
far more consequence, Maude Neville will b.
no longer misrepresonted," He paused, ant
for a while nothing was heard but tho Low
growt of distant thunder, and the rushing o
the soft summer rain as it battered heavil!
among the trees outside. care you angry
with me = he asked at length.
Angry! What, Catholic angry with hi
own parish priest because he says word o