The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1888-12-01

eds Of pansies, like tethered buiterflies.l
father Colin adored his flowers;s srAAd
leep, Fich-col0red ones he cslled@hts
scontraito" roses, the paisr-hued ones,
ender and delicate, his 'ssoprano''
'oses, and they were sweeter to him
han singing women I know full vel. I
II was the rose time ofithe yesr, and I
Father Colin stood dreaming ia his
garden. The wind whipped his cas-
sock, aud a pink rain OF Grape myrtle
fell down on his white head. He was
tired, and bis black gown WAS .hecked
with white .sPaOtches where sak spray
had fallen on 1t and dried. He had
only Just come from the leland, and
for the life Ut him he could not rid
himself Of the Thought Of those lone
some folk o their barren, their un-
lowered lives. He had been the first
priest TO visit them, and hat found
nothing OF the church upon the place.
Not 90 much as q china image Of the
Blessed Virgin, not so much ssa cru.
cilix, and when he hsd tbelGn1t come
forth TO be christened, Mother Aladdin
had brought . lovely pink sheltIik e
frozen rose to hold tbs baRte0a
= Alters. Why, they scarcely knSW the
sacraments OF the church! They ha6
gapesl 1t the black csssock anda the
prlestly robes In wonderment, but be.
Ing pure Of heart, living away from
the world, they had turned like little
children 10 the sweet infiqrncesI of;thee
church. i93sf Il sss5ss
Poor ones, poor little ffock and 'ths1
had no aowersl Father Colin HE'D
among bis roses, he touched tho royal
yellow hibiscus blo0m, the passive
sweet Cape jessamine flower, the adult
petals of his contSaito roses and i
think that want of the islandoss hurt
him worse than any other. Who
could be wicked, or vile. OF yulgar, In
the presence ut suct sfiowefG ATtey
shall have chapel, aud on The ffsf
day OF service they vhall have all my
roses with q beautiful statue OF the
Blessed Virgin, t00," said the old
priest. And 90 word wasA ssnt 10 the
island 10 make ready Z house that
should do for chapel, and TO prepare
for the coming Of Father Colin.
Early one morning Father Colin and
Joseph set sail from La Chapelle,
bound lof the Island. The priest had
rIded the rose garden, and the boat
was boat Of roses, like . floating
leland Of pink and white bloom drift
log down the bayou and OUT thneAgh
the winding rpassss towards the t9y.
The perfume of Ashoee thousSudS OF
flowers WAS sweeter than incense.
Father Colin sat 10 the rear holding
the beautiful image 81 Mary Tho
Mystical Rose Of Heaven, anil therS
trsiied over fhe edge or the boat long
thorny sprays Of rose vine, while the
waters all about were dotted with n
fairy craft Of petals rs IL all the deii.
cate shells Of the sea had come up to
ride on the waves. As the day wore
on one of those terrible southern
storms came up, such = hungry, how
li0g storm as when whole islands are
eAtea away, and Father Colin and
Joseph knew that the boat of roses
would never reach shore. q IN 10 o s.
Joseph dropped his oars. 81 can
pull no more" he cried hOarsely.
"Oh, Holy Mother!" and he fell on
his knees before the old priest and the
Image uf Mary, "Be not afraid,
Joseph" said Father Colin smiling,
and with one hand he gathered his
southern rOse-his climbing falcon of
. SOPRANO rose-to his breast, aud with
the other he made The siRn VI the cross
over Joseph's absolved heart. Then
came y mighty rush Of waters, acrash
OF broken boards, the sound of the
sea singing requiem on the pipes OF
her silver-green rushes, great cry
from Joseph, fainting call Of ''Jesus'
from Father Colin, and then-not hing,
| When the storm went down The
Islanders found him lying in the
rushes-a sweet, peaceful old man
asleep In God. The white rose vine
sttN chung to his cossock aud over him
the remorseful waves had cast pail o
rose-petals. They carried him-Mert
Aladdin at the head and 'Toinette and
Marie at the feot-to the little teal
cabin that was 10 have been ihsil
chapel, aud there with their shells u,
spades they dug him Z. grave Ovel
the lonesome mound they f1eaped sth,
bruised treasures from that far-oK rose
garden, and al the head ri it they
planted the ,horny spray of vine.
"YOu think that vine will grown
tell you non," said Marie: aMsis oui,
answered old Mere Aladdin. "H,
brought 1t In his arms God left it TO,
his grave; mails oui, mes 4enfsnts
| You shall see that little over wif