The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-12-20
THE ANGEL OF THE CHAPEL.

Will tell the story as it was told t,
me by one who had often been a vel
come guest beneath tho roof of ,Jeal
(Plessis) Lamont.
During the early part of the reign OF
Louis Philippe, Jean Plessis was trieC
at Chatlllon, in the Department of thu
Cote Dor, for highway robbery, con
victed, and sentenced to death. At the
time OF his trial the prison was under
going repairs, and what cells were fit fol
use were so entirely filled that the pre-
feet was obliged to consign Plessis to an
old chapel of the Marmont Castle. Or
the evening previous to the day appoint
Ell for the execution, our malefactol
was visited by the Abbe st. Augustine
Almond, who had come to pray and
exhort. The able was a good man; q
genial great-hearted, self-saorificina
man, who was at all times ready to dc
and to suffer for his fellows. And this
the prisoner knew.
"Stopl" said Jean Plessis, when the
abbe had begun an exhortation. "l must
ask you to listen for little Time to me.
Will you do so?''
The prisoner was earnest, and appar-
cnCly slncelo. lie was a yonng, good,
looking man; with a bright, keen eve,
and an intelligent face. The abbe bow.
cd assent and Jean Plessis resumed:
"Abbe, have done many evil things
and there are many evil things which |
have never done; l have Never taken
money from the poor. l have never
brought shame where the flush of con.
sclous virtue might have been but for
me-neverl DO you remember the poor
mender of roads whose wife you visited
III her last sickness? Did she not tell
you of the friend who had given them
food when they were an hungered; and
who paid their miserable rent when
they were in danger of being turned out
of doorsp Itywas Jean Plessis who did
that. But ask no favor on that score,
Able. only mention it that you may
know am not all evil-not all bad,
"ADbe st. Almond, l wish to reform.
| have seen enough of suffering-enough
of tue evils of SHINING. could not ask
to live, if intended to go on in my evil
course. But, could be saved now,
would reform, and devote the rest of
my life to deeds Of usefulness and good.
i would, at least, work evil no more.
l think, Able, 1 never was a liar.
When l was at my worst, Iabominated
liar. So, what / tell you now you can
depend upon as true.
Nov, Able Saint Almond, will you
go to your pillow tomorrow night, feel
ing that you have given poor Jean
Plessis up to his death2 Will you live
all the rest of your life knowing that it
had it had been once in your power to
save poor fellow creature to a life of
reformation and peace, and that you re-
fused him your aidp Answer me-"
The abbe k ew not what to say. lie
was lost in astonishment; and he finally
told the man that he must be more ex-
plicit.
"Abbe, it is in your power to save my
life. l feel that the angels are calling
upon you to do SO. Or, will not you be
the angel to set mo free2"
The abbe shook his head. He did
not understand yet. Then the prisoner
pointed to small window, away up in
the gable; and said he:
"Abbe, you are a strong man. If
you were to stand up against that wall,
and suffer ME to stand upon your shoul.
dcrs, / could reach the crossbeam easily.
Once upon that, 1 could gain the ledge
above, and pass out through that win
dow. There is a large tree on the out
side, the branches of which brush
against the glass when the wind blows.
DO you understand me now?"
The good father understood; but he
was not convinced that 1t would be well
to do as the other wished him to do.
81 can say no more," the prisoner
murmured, with mournful shake OF
the head. "If you will not be the an
gel to help me-to save me--to give
back to virtue and honor an erring son
of sorrow,-if you will not be that
angel, 1 have sued in vain?"
1t was enough. The heart Of the
good man was touched, and he yielded.
lie closed his eyes, and stood up against
the wall; and when he next opened them
lie was alone. He and the candle were
the only things in the old chapel that
had life.
BY and by the jailor came In, and
found the abbe sitting like one in q
trance. He went forward end shook
NAN by the shoulder.
"Abbel Abbel where is the prisorerp'
The abbe looked up, and rubbed his
eyes.
where is the prisonorpo
''Tell me rather" replied the able
sDlemnly, "whcre is the angelo
heard the prisoner speak as with a,
angel. He called him all angel. M,
eyes we're closed. When [ was permit
ted to open them saw the man goint
ont through that window. All els
g., was as you see 1t now, save my conster
Aation." >..'.
This same story the abbe told to TIN
protect and to the officers Of tho court
and it come to be belief throughOu
the Department Of the Cote Dor tha
a miracle had been wrought in behal
Of Jean Plessis. The Able St. Armon,
had gone in to pray withliim, and Will
the holy man was engaged in prayer III
angel entered the prison and bore tn
malefactor away through hole in tn
roof. Naturally the able came In for
large share OF the credit and honor II
this wonderful affair, for it was gener
ally believed that his intercession ha,
caused the angelic visit.
After these years passed away. loui
Philippe had been forced to flee from
his capital and from his kingdom; La
MARITIME had been President Of tn