The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-06-18

Lne taSk grleVOuS II painful in the
extreme. Upon these occasions the
board would be spread more plenti-
fully than usual, generous wines and
even liquors would be handed round,
and the pleasures of the table were apt
to be long drawn out.
"lf then hard for a company of iovi-
al fellows to behave like mntes at a
funeral when faring on potato soup
and haricot beans, washed down with
water from the fountain, a 1t not
outrageous, even irrational, to expect
them to be downcast and monosylla-
bic when hidden to a sumptuous ban
quet.
"The Superior might frown and look
GUINNESS itself. as he tossed off his
anal glass OF ripe old Burgundy or
sparkling champagne. The brothers
made plteous attempts to put on q
rueful countenance and restrain the
too ready tongue. All in vain. Eyes
spanked, lips curled upwards, cheeks
glowcd, as one good story after anoth-
er elected roars OF laughter. The SUI
perior ut last could bear it no longer.
Calling the elders of the fraternity be-
tore him, he demonstrated briefly and
tartly.
"Really, we'll, really, such Estate OF
things was passing belief. High spirits
and uproarious mirth were pardonable
among q set Of schoolboys on the
eve Of breaking up, but the
case OF men vowed to q religious voca-
ton was QUITE different. Really
ahem-in fact, Che long and the short
OF the matter is, that unless a decor
,1nS SrhrJnf1, of Iop,oorNr y. OF o,,,o
strlven after andattained, all celebra-
tlons that have hitherto taken the
shape OF a festival must be stopped,
and lasts, even sterner notifications
OF the flesh, be substituted for such
lnduiIences as the canons Of their or.
der not only sanctioned, but encour-
aged"
"The crestfallen delegates were then
dismissed, and the monks took coun-
sci together. For the they
looked miserable enough. The Supe-
rlor must have been more than salts
fled with such a dcmeanor, could it be
looked upon rs lasting. Not much
seemed forthcomingi in the way OF COM
fort or advice, till, when each mem
Der OF the conclave had said his say,
the youngest OF them all, Father
Crystal, by name, opened his lips.
"This Father Chrystal was quite q
genius, in no common way either. He
vas not only u good botanist, but a
sklllful herbalist and simpler, cogni-
zant with the medicinal properties
and virtues generally OF q vast mum.
Der OF plants. Whenever anyone fell
i'll inside the monastery walls, or met
with an accident, Father Chrystal was
the physician sent for. His balms,
syrups, decoctions and miscellaneous
remedies brought IN quite alittle reve-
nue. to thehouse, being known through
out that quarter OF France.
FEATHER Crystal, with twinkling
eyes and c~orntenance unabashed,
now unIoldei his plan. He had long
been III the possession, he said, OF an
interesting, a most valuable secret, u
secret that, were he q civilian and
able to indulge in commercial specula-
ton, would certainly make his for.
tune. More than one unworked mine
OF gold, indeed, was his, There
was not a monk or l~ay-brother
in the house who hcd not told
him that a dozen times. His
eyewater, for instance! Patented and
sold us a medicine, such q remedy
must bring in handsome income.
Then his cure for seal Is, burns and
bruises-but pshaw! these were mere
bagatclles, tritles not worth thinking
about, ut least, talking about Just
then! A matter much more import
ant had come to the fore.
"Then Father Chrystal began to
quote Greek, for, as we'll as being a
tirst-rate naturalist. he was a fair
scholar. They must all have read, he
continued, OF the wonderful nostrUms
OF the ancient love-philtres, aphro-
disiacs, rs the classic writer's called
them, and soforth. But had struck
out a wholly new line for himself. He
had invented an elixir such as the
world had never yet heard OF, and
which yet in so complex q civilization
as that Of the nineteenth century,
must have extraordinary value. They
were all familiar with the wine that
maketh glad the heart of Ia But
would not the wine that soberel mems
spirits have it's use also?'
".At any rate. it nicely meets our
case, he said. This day sen night is
the festival OF our patron saint. 1t
Will be my TURF to act as steward on
that occasion. Mind and drink every
thing offer you. A light eifervescing
wine | shall hand round pretty freely
is the draught especially to be INDUCED
in. Whilst tickling the palate and re-
freshlng the body. its effect on the
mind is curious and palpable. The
first portion imbibed diffuses pensive
gravity; empty your glass, and the
muscles OF the face take a downward
curve; drink deep, and you become
apparently a prey to intense detection
and melancholy
1.-THE monks hearkened, all atten-
ton, and one and all with the utmost
alacrity promised to obey. True,
their order concerning Father Chrys-
tails elixir was somewhat damped by
the fact that it induced mental de.
preston. That was surely uncom
Portable enough OF itself; nevertheless,
the solution OF a knotty problem
was caught at. What harm, more
over, would a temporary fit OF low
spirits do them? They would, at
least, be spared those for more I'M
pleasant alternatives limited at by the
Superioc-rigorous abstention from
wine, an increase of fast days; and,
perhaps-who could say?-penances
savoring of medieval h%arshness. A
scourge still formed part OF the furni-
ture OF every cell, and though it was
no more used than the ancestral
sword hanging over the mahtlepiece of
an English mansion, well, there it
was!
1.-THE important day came duly
round, and the presence of visitors,
dignitaries from distant houses. lent
additional pomp to the celebration.
at vas indeed an inviting ar appe-