Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-07-09
the glass, laid it upon the bed. and sat


down trembling.
Sister Celeste, without glancipg at
the mirror, laid one hand upon it, and
shading her eyes with the other hand,
Tor moment was absorbed in silent
prayer. Then she picked up the glass
and held it before her face. The watch
ing nun. in an agony of suspense and
hardly breathing, waited.
After long, earnest look, without a
shade passing over her face, Sister Ce-
leste laid down the glass. claspcd her
hands, and said:
''God be praised! now all is peace;
never, never again will my face bring
sorrow to my heart.
The watching nun sank sobbing to
her knees, but as she did SO she saw on
the face of the stricken woman a smile
which, she declared, was radiant as an
angels robes.
With the return of health Sister Co
leste again took up the work of mercy,
and for few months more her pres
ence
WAS A BENEDIcTIoN
to the place. At last, however, it be-
gan to be noticed that her presence on
the street was less frequent than for
merly, and soon an unwelcome rumor
began to circulate that she was ill.
The truth OF this was soon confirmed.
Then. day by day. for several weeks,
the report was that she was growing
weaker and weaker, and finally one
morning it was known that she was
dead
lady of the place, who was great
beneficiary of the hospital, and to
whom Sister Celeste was greatly at
tached. was permitted to watch by the
dying couch of the glorified nun. OF
the closing moments size gave the fol-
lowing account:
For an hour the dying woman had
been motionless, as though hushed in
peaceful sleep. When the first rays of
the morning sun struck on the window,
lark lighted on a tree near the win
dow, and, in a full voice, carroled his
greeting to the newborn day. Then
the sister opened her eyes, already
fringed by the death-frost, and, in faint
and broken sentences, said:
"A delicious vision has been sent to
me, Dio Gratias? In the vision, every
act meant in kindness that have ever
performed had become flower giving
off an incense ineffable These had
been woven into diadem for me.
Every word said in comfort and SYM
pathy that have ever spoken had been
set to maryelously sweet music which
voices and harps, not of this world,
were singing and playing while l was
being crowned; every tear of mine had
become flashing gem. These were
woven into the robes of light that they
drew around me. A glass was brought
and held before me; from face and neck
the cruel sears were all gone; to eye
and brow and cheek the lustre and en-
chantment of youth had come back,
and near, all radiant"
The eyes, with i look of inexpressi-
bly, joyous surprise and happiness in
them, grew fixed, and all was still save
that the lark outside the easement once
more warbled his morning song.
Among the few effects left by Sister
Celeste was found package addressed
to the lady who had watched through
the closing hours of her life. This was
brought to hcr by the mother superior.
On being opened, there was found with
in it another package tied with a rib
bon of black. This, in turn, was OPEN
ed, and a large double locket was re-
vealed. On one side was the picture
of a young man in the uniform OF
FRENCH COLONEL.
From the other side a picture had
evidently been removed, for there we're
scratches on the case, which seemed
as though made by too impetuous
use of some sharp instrument. On the
outer edge of the case was half-round
hole, such as bullets make, and there
were dark stains on one side of the
locket. Below the picture, in the deli
cate handwriting of woman, were the
words: "Henri. Died at Magenta. y
The lady showed the locket to the
mother superior Tears came to the
faded eyes of the devoted woman.
Nov God be praised!" said she
''Three nights since, rs | watched the
poor child, heard her murmur the
name in her fevcred sleep, and | was
troubled, for feared she was dream
ing of the youth she nursed back to life
in the hospital. 1t was uot so; her
work was finished on earth; she was
nearing the sphere where love never
brings sorrow; her soul was already
outstretching its wings to join" the
poor nun stopped. breathed short and
hard. and incoherently began to tell
her beads
The lady, on pretense ON looking for
the last time on the face of Celeste,
slipped the locket beneath the folds of
the winding-sheet, and left it conceal
ed on the pulselcss breast.
The whole population of the place
were sorrowing mourncrs at the obse-
quies of Sister Celeste, and for years
afterward, every morning, in summer
and winter, upon her grave a dressing
OF fresh flowers could be seen.
On the day of the funeral the miners
made up purse and gave it to Mrs.
De Lacy, the consideration being that
every day for year the grave of the
sister should be flower-dressed. The
contract was renewed yearly until Mrs.
DE Lacy herself died. In the mean
time, wild rose and a cypress had
been planted at the head and foot of
the grave, and they keep watch there
still, and shield the lowly couch from
storm and sun. One who passed there
last year heard, from under the rose
bush at the head of the grave, mourn
ing dove calling her mates, and the an
swer came back from where the trees
grew dense little way off; and the
call and the answer were low and sweet
and plaintive, as though there linger-
ed still around the spot q tender sor-
e.. 4