The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-11

CHAPTER XVL-CoNTINUED.
Once more the Able, with the cotton,
Sried the anointed parts, and slipped the
little tuft into another of the comets.
Then monsegueur, descending to the
closed mouth, through which tho faint
breath was now scarcely perceptible,
made upon the lower lip the sign of the
cross.
"Per istam sanctam unctionem, ct suam
rnssirnam misericordiam, indulgeat tibi
bominus quidquid per gustum deliquisti."
This time it was the pardon for the base
Qualifications of taste, greediness, too great
q desire for wine, or for sweets; but espe-
cially the forgiveness for sins of the tongue,
that universally guilty member. the pois-
oner. the inventor of quarrels, the meter
tn wars. which makes one utter words of
arror and falsehood which at length obscure
aven the heavens. Yet her whole mouth
wascnly a chalice of innocence. She had
never had the vice of glCttony, for she bad
taught herself, like Elizabeth, to eat what
ever was set before her, without paying
great attention to her food And if it were
true that she lived in error, it was the fault
of her dream which had placed her there,
the hope of a beyond, the consolation of
What was invisible, and all the world of en-
cbantnaent which her ignorance had created
and which had made of her saint.
The Able having dried the lips, folded
ebit OF cotton in the fourth white cornet.
AT last. monseigneur anointed first the
right and then the left palms of the two
little ivory-like hands, lying open upon the
sheet and cleansed t0em from their sins
with the sign Of the cross.
per istam sanctam unctionem, ct suam
nussinnam misecicordiam. indulgeat tibi
bominus quidquid per tactum deliquisti"
And the whole body was purified, being
washed from its last spots-those of the
touch, the most repugnant of all. Pilfer-
ing, fighting, murder, without counting
other sins of the breast, the body and the
feet. which were also redeemed by this unc-
ton, All which burns in the flesh, our
anger. our desires, our unruled passions,
the snares and pitfalls into which we run,
and all forbidden joys by which we are
tempted. Since she had been there, dying
from her victory over herself, she had CON
ouered her few failings, her pride and her
passion. as if she had inherited original
sin simply for the glory of triumphing over
IT, She knew not, even, that she had had
other wishes. that love had drawn her to-
ward disobedience. so armed was she with
the breastplate of ignorance of evil, so
pure and white was her soul.
The Able wiped the little motionless
bands, apd putting the last puff of cotton
five papers into the fire at the back of the
stove.
The ceremony was finished. Monseigneur
washed his fingers before saying the final
prayer He had now only to again exhort
the dying, il placing in her hand the sym
boiic taper, to drive away the demons and
TO show that she had Just received her bap-
tismal innocence But she renamed rigid,
her eyes closed, her mouth shut as if dead.
The holy oils had purified her body, the
signs Of the cross had left their traces on
the FIVE windows of the soul, without max
lug the slightest wave of color, or of life,
mount to her cheeks.
Although implored and hoped for, the
prodigy did not appear, and the room was
silent and anxious. Hubert and Hubertine,
still kneeling side by side, no longer prayed,
but with their eyes fixed upon their darling.
gazed 50 earnestly that they both seemed
motionless for ever like the figures OF the
donataires who await the resurrection in a
corner of an old painted glass window. Fe-
licien had drawn himself up on his knees
and was now at the door, having ceased
from sobbing, as with head erect he also
might see if God would always remain deaf
to their prayers. Was it then a mere lure !:
would not this holy sacrament bring her
back to life.
For the last time, monseigneur approached
the bed, followed by the Able Cornille,
VINO held already lighted the wax taper
which was to be placed i'll the hand of the
young girl. And the bishop, not willing to
Acknowledge the state of unconsciousness
in which she remained, determining to go
even to the end of the rite, that Goa might
have time in which to work, pronounced
the formula:
'Accipe lampadem ardentem, custodi
unctionem tuam, ut cum Dominus ad
judicandum venerit, possis occurre Ell cum
omn bus sanctis ct vivaS in saecula saecul-
orum.n
Amen" replied the Able.
But when they endeavored to open Angel
ique's hand and TO press it around the
taper, the hand, powerless, as if already
dead, escaped them and fell back upon her
breast
Then, little by little, monseigneur yielded
to agreat nervous trembling. 1t was the
emotion which, for long time restrained,
now broke out within him, carrying away
with it the last rigidity of priesthood. He
dearly loved her, this child, from tue day
when she had come to sob at his feet. SO in
nocent, and show ing so plainly the pure
freshness OF her youth. Since then, in his
nights of distress, he had contended cuiefy
against her, to defend himself from the
overwhelming tenderness with which she
inspired him. AT this moment she was
worthy OF pity. with this pallor or death,
with an ethereal beauty which showed. how
ever, so deep suffering that he could not
look at her without his heart being secretly
overwhelmed with distress.
lie could no longer control himself. His
eyellds were swollen by the great tears
Which at last rolled down his cheeks. She
must not die in this way; be was con
quered by her touching charms even in
death, and all his paternal feelings went out
toward her.
Then monseigneur, recalling to mind the
numerous miracles of his race, the power
which ad been given them by heaven to
neal, thought doubtless God awaited his
consent as father. He invoked Saint
Agnes. before whom all his ancestors had
offered up their devotions, and as jean V.
dhautecnur prayed at the bedside of those
smitten by the plague and kissed them, so
now he prayed and kissed An ,elique upon
her lips
IF God wishes, l also wish it."
:. immediately Anselique opened her eye
nus. She looked at tho bishop without sur
Prise as sne awoke from her long trance.
ana, her lips still warm from this kiss,
smiled upon him. These things were not
strange TO her, for they certainly must have
peen realized sooner or later, and it might
De that she was coming out of one dream
only to have another still; but it seemed to
Ier perfectly natural that monseigneur
should have come TO betroth her to Felicien,
since the hour for that ceremony had ar
rived. In a few minutes, unaided she sat
up y, IN the middle of her great royal bed.
Ikr.aN l..