The Irish standard., 1886-09-11

years ago let me pass. . s.
.'Listen to me. st s
mo, no, no; / listened to you too
long-away!''
\ 'Grant me one favor. It may be the
last I shall ever ask-for fear, Else,
we must fy from this place, and then /
can never hope to see you more. Grant
me but one favor"
'sWhat's that-mercy to Hardwin-
kles?'
'sNo, dear Else, but mercy to your
sef-to your own soul dearer to me than
the wealth Of worlds. Here" she con-
tinued, throwing her rosary over Else's
neck, "tell these beads tonight before
you sleep, and as you pray fix your eyes
on the crucifix. -
| "Stop, stop!'' exclaimed the old wo-
man, her face flushed with passion,
while the hood of her cloak. falling
bach on her shoulders and revealing
her gray elf locks, gave her the look of
a maniac. "Stop!" she CALCULATED, re-
plusing the pious and affectionate girl
"stop? 1 can't touch this bl1ssid thing.
Eth, what? God OF heaven! what's this?''
''The image of Christi responded
Mary, ''whose life was one continuous act
of Love. Look at those arms extented
to bless and forgive the whole world,
and tell me, can you behold the image
of that dying Savior, and yet feel so
hard-hearted as to take the life of your
tfellow-creature?"
"Whisht, girl, whisbt," said Else,
sinking back on q chair, as if her emo
tions had completely overpowered her;
sswhist! and tell me, whose rosary is
this?"
"Father John's-he lentit to me when
I lost my mother's.''
ssGood God!" exclaimed the afflicted
woman, covering her face with her hands,
'sthis rosary used to be mine"
| ssYOurs."
"Ay, ay; I brought it with me from
the West Indees, and give it to the ould
priest Gallaher of Gortnaglen, Father
Johns uncle. Augh, hook, It's lucks
ould and worn now like myself" and
the unfortunate woman burst into tears.
II wish it had grown old and worn i'll
your own hands, Else DEAR" said Mary,
sitting beside her, and pushing back the
gray hairs from her wrinkled forehead.
81 wish it had, for then your long
life had been better and happier
"May be So"
How consoling to reflect, in your old
days, you had served God faithfully,
''It's useless to think of that now, al
anna; I'm lost, "
"Lost! O, Coo forbid. Only forgive
your enemies, and God will forgive you.
Think how he forgave the Jews who put
Him to death; think how he forgave
Magdalene and the penitent thief.
tsChi]d," said Else, with smile that
made Mary shutter-it expressed so
plainly the depth Of her despair: ''child,
you speak only of sinners, but I'm dev-
ill.,
''No, no, don't smile and speak to me
so; you are, you are noi," cried Mary,
clinging to her old nurses neck; "you
never could love as you loved me, and
be so wicked. 0, never speak those
awful words again, Else; they terrify
me. No, no, you are not so wicked.
You are not lost; the friend of the poor
orphan can never be lost"
AS Mary was yet speaking, a knock
came, and Roger O'Shaughnessy pre-
sented himself at the door. He had
been engaged, it would seem, burnish-
ing up the old silver salver, for he held
the precious relic under his arm, and had
pushed the chamois leather, with which
he had been rubbing it, into the breast
pocket of his old bottle-green coat.
"What now, Roger? Has Mr.. Lee
returned?'' ,......
"Not yet, PLACE your ladyship, " re-
piled Roger, bowing respectfully. go,
it's only Else Curley." he added, cor
recting himself; "I thought you had
company. No, he's not come back yet;
and I wish he was, for there's strangers
approachin, and not as much as bit or
sup in the house fit to offer them. I
wish to goodness they'd stay at home. !
declare 1 don't know what they want
down here, the half o. rhem.''
Never mind, Roger; receive them at
the door, and show them in"
Indeed, then, 1 won't, plaze yer
ladyship," replied Roger; ''they'll have
to find the way themselves; and if
they're any of the masters acquaint-
ances, you know, they'll not expect any
thing, hem! if you only hint, ahem!
that the butler's not at home.'
every well, Roger; do as you
please
stA,1 ,,o- !, eo;1 NForr +-,~,;,r IN