Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1879-11-22
NO. 2l.


thou art foolish" cried the other. :" D,dst
thou not see the purse of gold in his
hand, when he paid thee for the violets1
he would have given thee more, II thou
hadst not looked SO prim and sour, thou
wilt never learn wisdom though, idle
talk hurts not, but thou art always SO
shocked, as much as the good st. Eliza
beth would be, that thou pratest SO of.
wish had been in thy place, my hand
had then been crossed twice by the gold,
1 am the wiser My grand dame says
old Julie, thou knowest old Julie at tho
end of the lane, old withered tootbless
Julie Grand dame says once she was
young and handsome, as handsome as 81,
and at q fair she sold two kisses to
a gay student for livre apiece, HU.s
apiece, think thon Of that-ssButs what
use to tell thee, tor thou hast no spirit,
and knowest not when the Saints cast
luck in thy path" And Fifine tossed
her black braids back, as though indig-
nant that the luck had not been cast in
her path. But Marie shranlz trembling,
and with an unavoidable feeling of loath-
ing from her giddy, bold companion,
All God," she sighed, "'Tis even hard
to try to oe saint"
The winter of Marie's sixteenth year
was harsh and severe, man and beast
suffered alike, and in many cots, the in
mates with the faithful brutes that served
so we'll would hudle together for mu-
tual warmth. eco, my child," said
Josette one cold lowery day.. " and carry
this jar of broth to old Michael, tho old
man is Ill, and has no good child like
thee to tend him." ard giving Marie the
jar of soup, the old woman seated herself
ut the spindlo. Having accomplished
her errand, Marie proceeded on her way
homewartl, but had only travelled one
third of the distance. when she deserted
the form of Father FRANCOIS the village
priest, and her old and firm friend ap-
preaching, the old man was tottering
feebly forward, staff in hand, trying to
stem the keen wintry gale that whistled
down the mountain side. Marie hasten
cd to his side, and anxiously inquired
why he had come forth in such a stormy
evening. "Ah! my child," slowly an
swered tho aged pastor, my work calls
me forth when duty calls, must prove
| no laggard, this evening must ascend
the mountain to baptize the child of
Maitrc Raoul'. But the way is long, and
see, already the snow has commenced to
fall, return, my father RETURN" urged
Marie. And is it thou. my child"
asked tho old man with n mild look of
wonder in his faded blue eyes-@is it
| 4
homeward nay, not to save my old
decrepit body must the soul of the little
one be lost. Were the way ten times as
long or the night even mora tiorcely
threatening must go on. My child
when one has put ones hand to the
plough there must be no drawing back
At length, finding her entreaties were
of no avail to change the old mans pur.
pose, Mario determined to go on with
him to Maisre Raours cot, which lay
t some distance up the mountain side, no1
conld the aged priests remonstrancet
alter her determination. Silently they
walked forward, the snow fall increasing
D at every step, and tho whirilng WING
| rushing kecnly down the mountain. 'Ah
: how cold it grows mumbled the old maj
: finally, stopping to wipe the icy mis-
:: from his eyes, and Marie trembled as sh
o saw the flakes of snow falling thicke
C and faster, and urged her companio
S forward, at each step it grew worse, ali
o the girl saw with dismay, every land
mark disappearing under the fast heal
" ing drifts. A few minutes more an
ie they were houndering in the drift then
r selves, SO quickly had it accumulate
~ TO return was as dangerous as to go fo
10 ward, with words of comfort she sougl
th to cheer her aged companion, but SO.
j. what was her horror to find that the co
I'd and exposure had affected his mind,
n would plunge forward in tho drift al
or then stopping suddenly, move his arr
nd hcavenward, and gesticulate franticall,
et words were thrown away. for he seem
as. to have lost all sense of comprehensive
I'm and cry out that he wanted % lie do,
ss and sleep. Too well, did Marie knt
he what that growing lethargy portend
tie she felt it herself creeping over her nun
lcr ed limbs, but striving against it and pra
he ing pitcously to the virgin for help, s
nd urges the old man onward In vain,
IFS. falls dragging the half frozen creature
,l. his side downward. Hastily taking
,,r the shawl from her own shoulders, Ma
css envelops her companions head in it, a.
rcd chafts his paray yzed hand with finge
nd that moncntarily lose their power, S
in feels the lassituGc seizing her, and tr
n to stand erect. but falls in the DIR
ch again, her bcnumbed limbs can no Ion
ed or support her. And faster the W h
rur.- .,nn,nc 1lnun ctnir1lnss wind