The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-08-08

In easy circumstances
Good Mrs. Grimes is now at rest,
She'll rest through endless ages;
Inc sun IL set, her work is done,
She's gone to claim her wages.
"A. T., in the Century.
THELEGENDOF THE ABD0TS GRAVE.
More than q century ago the site of
the actual Establishment DIES Bains of
Dalmas di Tenda was occupied by a no.
bic and spacious B%enedictine monastery
embosomed in an extensive park or for
est of lordly and broad branching chest
nut trees, such as the one under whose
shadow we are now seated. At the
point to which l am referring, the Su-
perior, or Lord Abbot, as he was gem
orally styled, was a somewhat remark
able specimen of his race; 40 less from
the nobility of his birth and breeding
than from the rigid ascetlc rule of life
to which he voluntarily subjected him
self. Not a single idle or superhuous
word was ever known to escape his thin,
compressed and bloodless lips; nor did
either semblance of smile or shadow of
a scowl ever rest on his marble pale
cheek, or broad, high-arched brow. His
features and carriage alike attested
patrician origin and lineage, which the
loftiness OF his stature, equally tall and
commanding, in perfect keeping with
his rank and station only served to ex-
press and emphasize. His eyes, over
hung with black bushy brows, wore
that concentrated, inner look Indicative
of a mind habitually absorbed in it's own
reflections, and regardless of the super
hclal world OF men and things around
him. As he paced the cloisters of the
abbey, which frequently re-echoed to
his slow but firm and measured football
during the mid-most and darkest hours
OF the night, not one of the respectful
brotherhood who CHANGED to come in
contact with him, aver saw the eyes of
the Lord Abbot lifted even for an in
slant from the marble pavement on
which they ware %habitually %riveted, save
%perchance when the starry skies shone
with unwonted splendor; and it was
whispered, that, at such an hour, he
would fix his dreamy ABSTRACT gaze on
one bright particular orb which seemed
to possess a sort of mysterious attraction
of affinity for him. and which, with
hrows slightly arched and a look of
painful absorption, he would contem-
plate for IN hour att time; then heav-
ing a long, deep sigh and seemingly
recovering his lost consciousness, again
resume his former monotony of attitude
and walk. Occasionally, too, a brother,
more iuquisitive or ~clairvoyant than his
fellows, would whisper. below his
breath, how he had surprised the Lord
Abbot in the act of drawing from his
bosom all object suspiciously resembling
q locket or miniature portrait, which,
pressing convulsively to his lips, he
wouldhold it a while in his wan and
tapering fingers, and then quickly re-
place it with q scarce audible sigh,
while-this was eve hinted-his blood
less, half-closed lips were heard to
syllable the name of-Marie. This
circumstance, however, admitted of a
simple and natural explanation from
the fact of the Lord Abbots special
devotion to the cult and invocation of
the Madonna, who was, besides, the
sainted %patroness and guardian of the
"Now, you must know that this island
was ever a ~favorite retreat of the soil
tary. contemplative Abbot, whc passed
whole summer nights in medit ltion, and
it WAS surmised-holy offices Of
prayer and praise, at the foot of this
very fountain which now refreshes us
with its music and spray. Nay! tradi-
ton AYERS that on this same NOISY knoll
where WI are o lonnging, was the
stately, silent Abbot often wont to re.
cline his attenuated frame, while watch
ed, with strenuous and %unflagging fxity
Of gaze, the graceful, sylph-like fountain
playing above the site of yonder mound.
II SAID the site advisedly for the
mound itself was not then in existence.
some of the younger friars would even
tell, with faltering acce nts, how they
had once intruded on the
privacy of the awful superior, and
surprised HIM, meekly bowed on his
knees, like any other simple child of
sin and sorrow, or PROSTATE with his
august face earthward, in the midst of
a bed of roses, such as that which lies
so bewitchingly in it's summer bloom of
fragrance.
Whatever the reason might be, it
was certain that the fountain and it's
Il r1uundings exercised a mysterious and
irresistible fascination over the spirit of
the Lord Abbot. 1t was even surmised
that his ardent Imagination exaulted by
contemplation and fasting into the pre-
dominance of a fixed idea, might, at
certain seasons, have identified the spir-
it of the fountain with the invisible
shape and presence of her who was be-
licved to be the object of his souls spec
ial love and alteration. The sequel of
my tale will show whether this were the
true key to the enigma.
Years passed away, noiselessly and
uneventnally, over the lives of the sim.
pie, secluded community, only spiriting
away one and another OF them by turns,
into the land of souls beyond this
sable Shore AT last, one morning,
Just as the convent bell had rung for
mathis, an awful whisper spread from
lip to lip that-the Father Superior
himself had that very night obeyed the
i~rrevoce.ble IN of the angel of
death-the inevitable Azrael! It was
too true. The Lord Abbot died, and,