Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-08-01
THE EGENDO 1 HE lBB s GRAVE.

LII lii hWUUl " :WlhAt TIE
More than q century ago the site Of
the actual Etab basement des Bans Of
Dalmas d Tenda was occupied by no.
bic and spacious Ben edictine monastery
iembosomed III On extensive park Of 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 Z am referring, the SUI
5perior, OF Lord Abbot, as lie was gen
orally styled, was q some what remark
able specimen Of his race; no less from
the nobility Of his birth md breeding
than from the rigid ascet1c rule Of life
to which he voluntarily subjected HIM
self. Not.&a single idle or superhuons
word was ever known to escape his thin,
compressed and bloodless lips; nor did
either semb lance 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 mind habitually absorbed in it's own
reflections, and regardless Of the super
fetal 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 ona Of the respectful
brotherhood who CHANGED to come in
contact with him, even 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 all hour, he
would fix his dreamy ABSTRACT gaze on
one bright particular orb which seemed
to possess q sort Of mysterious attraction
of affinity for him, and which, with
brows slightly arched and a look OF
painful absorption, he would conte1n-
plate for an hour at a time; then heav-
ing q long, deep sigh and seemingly
recovering his lost consciousness, again
resume his former monotony Of attitude
and walk. Occasionally, too, brother,
more iuquisitive on clairvoyant than his
fellows, would whisper, below his
breath, how he had surprised the Lord
Abbot in the act Of drawing, from his
bosom an object suspiciously resembl bling
q locket or miniature portrait, which,
pressing oonvulsively to his lips, he
would hold it while in his wan and
tapering fingers, and then quickly re-
place it with scarce audible sigh,
while this was even hinted his blood
less, ha1f-c1osed lips were heard to
syllable the name of--Marie! b This
circumstance, however, admitted Of q
simple and natural explanation from
the fact Of the Lord Abbot's special
devotion to the cult and Invocation Of
the + Madonna, who was, besides, the
sainted patroness and guardian Of the
community. tsS = & .s54 Ill. Fl
Now, you must know that this island
was ever a faYorite retreat of the soi-
tary, contemplatiye Abbot, who passed
whole summer nights in medit ation, and
/ 1T 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 messy knoll
where We are pow lo,1nging, was the
stately, silent Abbot often wont to re-
cline his attenuated frame, while watch
ed, with strenuous and nnfagging fxity
Of gaze, the graceful, lph-like fountain
playing above the site Of onder mound
a T said the site advisedly for the
mound itself was not then Ii existence.
some Of the younger frsars would even
tell, with faltering acce nts, how they
hal once intruded u,lamares5 .on the
privacy Of the awful superior and
surprised him, meekly bowed on his
knees, like any other simple child Of
sin and sorro ", Or PROSTATE with his
august face earth inward, il the midst of
d bed Of roses, s,1ch as that which lies
so hewitt chingl ID it's summer bloom OF
fragrance. .;s sS
Whatever the reason might be, il
was certain that the fountain. and its
sur1 oundings exercised mysterious and
irresistible fascination over the spirit of
the Lord Abbot Ii was even surnaised
that his ardent ina gination exatilted By
contempt ion and fasting into the pre-
dominance at q fixed idea, might, at
Ger tain seasons, have identified the spir-
I n ~ fh,tBB ffaT1n fai4, with kha invisih1n