The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-07
CRIST0VAL.

morning. nj Madrii. Il young woman en-
veloped In her long rantlia entered the
church Of Notre Dame d'AtOcha holding
nv the hand a little child Of rare and won
drous beautv. At the sight OF this httle
NIGEL. with his mass Of golden, tumoled
%ripnlets. his eyes black as night. MS
checks rosy and dimplcd us a cherub's,
nil Che devotees kneeliug upon their mats
Of PUSHES ceased their prayers 70 LOOK
upon him with a tender smile, the elder
ones from memories that crowded upon
chem Mt the sight Of the child, the young
senoritas from presentiment.
The voungw woman, the good and beau
nm rosqrio de Soils, had come 10 thank
tho Virgin for having saved the lie Of
,bis. her only child. The face OF the
mother was pale and thin, her eyes en-
circ,.d with dark rings; for many long
and anxious nights had she passed. OF ia'e
nv The bedside OF the poor little soul.
Shall | tell You u tie noble nature OF
mi. Donna Rosario de Solis2 No; it Is
unnecessary. for all the world knows the
story Of her life and sacrllces, ana that 10
save g diving father from the pursuit OF II
ferocious creditor she had given herseIf as
Il HOSTAGE and married the creditor herself,
Don Andres de Soils, the fiscal. Rosario
wa beautiful, but with a beauty that
sculp,o7s and painters were powerless 70
depict; Il lay in her eyes, III her smile, IN
the serenity Of her brow, the grace ana
s-upplenoss of her swan like neck, the
purity and loyelness Of the soul i'm
printed upon her perfect features.
In the meantime Rosario, on her knees
before the Miraculous Virgin sparkling
with precious stones and Carrying ia her
arms an infant Jesus, gave thanks 10
heaven. while the child regarded won
deringly q sun that made a Glittcring au-
reole about the head ol the holy mother,
the tapers that burned before the altar,
the flowers aud fountains with their jets
of water. All at once his eyes fell upon
the steps leading 10 the chapel grating,
and he perceived CrouChlng there IN BE.
tatters a horrible Old beggar woman hold
Ing toward him q black and withered
hand. supplicatiug and repulstve, but be-
hind the woman aud gazing at him with
appealing eyes the little Cristoyal saw
tie head Of another, a little one like him
self. brown, pitliul, emaciated, who
seemed to beckon him 10 approach Ler,
and TO complain TO him that she was hun
CRY.
"A poor little beggar, mamma, " laying
his hand upon Rosario's sleeve; she
cries with hunger-see her-there!' and
he pointed TO the wicket, through which
stu came the wall for bread. Hungry
a babe like that-Rosario shuddered.
go at once, my precious one, y placing
Il piastre in Cristoval's fingers, go at
once and carry her this aims from Cod
Little by little the soft hymn OF the
ORGAN rose in the silence Of the chapel,
rising. falling, filling the nave with a
volume Of sound more and more power
ful. the chant Of the priests followed II,
and the souls of the devotees in the
body Of the church rose to heaven upon
the wave OF sacred harmony Suddenly,
in the midst Of the ieryOr Of her prayers,
II seemed to Rosario that the Virgin to
WHOM she knelt looked upon her with "A
frOwning eye, as If denying or refusing
10 listen 10 her petitions, Il strange, in
explicable fright took possession OF her,
a feeling Of dread. Of alarm. And where
was Cristoval' She looked about her,
turning her eyes from corner 10 corner
.: the shaded chapel lie was not beside
her, nor, IN fact, IN sight, neither in the
church itself nor in the court before the
door. Was he lost, impossible. He was
hiding from her, playing upon her ma
ternal terrOrs, concealed, perhaps, IN the
lcges or in the folds Of the curtains.
Nevertheless, her voice was hOarse and
strident as she demanded of "a woman
kneeling near her Have you seen my
child, my little CristOyal''
The little one with the silver but
tonss" responded the dame. NO, seno-
rita, but doubtless he j. yOnder by the
pulpit of ST. Sebastian seeking 10 startle
you"
Perhaps" said Rosario, darling in the
direction OF the pulpit, and feeling, peep
ing beneath it and pushing aside even the
altar cloth in the ardor and energy of her
search. The child WAS not there. Could
he be az homey Had he tired and wall
dered through the streets alone In his
efforts TO RETURN Shiyering, trembling
under her mantle, her brain throbbing
with agony, the poor mother turned to-
ward her dwelling. Arrived at last, she
entered breathlessly. IL, too, was empty,
silent. mournful. AT the top OF the stair
case she encountered her husband, Don
Andres. Where Is Cristovaly" were the
questions that crossed each other. All,
where indeed' She answered nothing;
Don Andreas also was dumb with grief.
Fiscal though he was, he was still n
father, and held TO humanity by love for
his child
Rosario sought TO retrace her steps, 10
descend, TO run, God knows where, Ia the
felds, in the thoroughiares, III all the
alleys and by WAYS OF the city; but her
legs bent under her-she WAS unable TO
stand.
go thou" she cried, pushing her hus-
band from her; seek Cris,oval, find him,
80 at once" and Don Andres obeyed.
Alas, however, the child was seen no
more; he had vanished completely, abso-
lutely, as il the earth had opened and
swallowed him.
From that day on Rosario, a heart
broken woman, went no more 10 the
chapel Of Notre Dame d'Atocha, where IL
seemed 10 her she must always see the
child so cruelty taken from her, and whom
she still hoped would one day be restored
70 her. And upon the palace itself what
somber night had fallen; no noise, no Joy,
no merriment in the silent household; no
childish lips 10 laugh and prattle behind
the thickets OF the GARDEN; no flower beds
trampled by reckless feet; no tiny hands
20 Join In prayer, and an ever present
vision M CriStOV0l her hqhy how stnm-