The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-22
THE DREAM,
BY EMILE lola.

AUTHOR OF "LAssoMMo1R," "NANA,"
HIS MASTERPIECE" ETC, ETC.
[Englished by ELIZA E. CHASE, and Entered
according to Act of Congress in the year
1888. in the Office of the Librarian of
Congress at Washington, by S. S.
MCCLURE.l
[AH Rights ReserUedl
CHAPTER l.
During the severe winter of 1860 the
river Disc was frozen over and the plains
of Lower Picardy were covered with deep
snow. On Christmas day, especially, q
heavy squat from the northeast had al
most buried the little city of Beaumont.
The snow, which began to fall early in the
morning, increased toward evening and ac-
cumulated during the night. In the upper
town, in the Rue des Orfevres, at the end
of which, as if enclosed therein, is the
northern front of the cathedral transept,
this was blown with great force by the
wind against the portal of Saint Agnes,
tle old Romanesque portal, where traces of
early gothic could be seen, contrasting its
ford ornamentation with the bare simple
ity of the transept gable.
The inhabitants still slept, wearied by the
festive rejoicingS of the previous day. The
town clock struck 6. In the darkness
which was slightly lightened by the slow,
persistent fall of the flakes, a vague living
form alone was visible; that of living
girl, 9years Of age, who having taken
refuge under the archway of the portal,
had passed the night there, shivering and
thetering herself as well as pos ible. She
wore a thin wooden dress, ragged from
long use, her head was covered with a torn
silk handkerchief, and on her bare feet
we're heavy shoes much too large for her
Without doubt she had only gone there
after having we'll wandered through the
town, for she had fallen down from
sheer exhaustion. For her it was the end
Of the world; there was no longer anything
to interest her 1t was the last surrender
the hunger that gnaws, the cold which kills
and in her weakness, stihed by the heavy
weight at her heart. she ceased to struggle,
and nothing was left to her but the instinct
i've movement of preservation, the desire
Of changing place, of sinking still deeper
into these old stones, whenever a sudden
gust made the snow whirl about her
Hour after hour passed. For a long
time, between the divisions of this double
door, she leaned her back against the abut-
ting pier, on whose column was statue
OF Saint Agnes. the martyr of but Ii
years of age, little girl like herself, who
carried branch of palm, and at whose
feet YVES lamb. And in the tympanum,
above the Intel, the whole legend of the
virgin child betrothed to Jesus could be
seen in high relief, set forth with n charm
Ing simplicity of faith. Her hair, which
grew long and covered her like a garment
when the governor, whose son she had re-
fused to marry, gave her up TO the soldiers;
the flames Of the funeral pile, destined to
destroy her, turning aside and burning her
execuuoners as soon as they lighted the
wood; the miracles performed by her relics
Constance, daughter of the emperor, cured
OF leprosy; and the quaint story of one of
her PAINTED images, which, when the priest
faulnus offered 1t very valuable emerald
ring, held out it's finger, then withdrew 1t,
Keeping the ring, which can be seen at this
present day. At the top of the tympanum,
IN halo of glory, Agnes is at least received
INTO heaven, where her betrothed, Jesus,
Marrles her, so young and so little, giving
her the kiss of eternal happiness.
But when the wind rushed through the
street, the snow was blown in the chlld's
lace, and the threshold was almost barred
by the white masses: then she moved away
70 the side against the virgins placed above
The base of the arch. These are the com
panlons of Agnes: the saints who served as
her escort three at her right-Dorothea,
VINO was fed in prison by miraculous bread,
barbe, who lived in a tower, and Gene
we've WhOSa harCicO1 caUa1 Paris and
three at her left-Agatha, whose breast was
TORN, Christine, who was put to torture by
aer father, and Cecilia, beloved by the
angels Above these were statues and
statues; three close ranks mounting with
the curves Of the arches, decorating them
win chaste, triumphant figures, who, after
tne suffering and martyrdom OF their
earthly life, were welcomed by host Of
winged cherubim, transported with ecstacy
INTO the celestial kingdom.
here had been no shelter for the little
wall for long time, when ut last the clock
suGck and daylight came. The snow,
mad she not trampled it down, would have
zone to her shoulders. The old door be-
nlnd her was covered with it, as If hung
Win ermine, and it looked as white as an
aVar, beneath the grey front OF the church,
80 bare and smooth that not even single
make had chung to il. The great saints,
IL VAC SAppAnB law oniVNssA'Jf
clothed IN it, and we're glisreRing In purity
rom their feet to their white boards. Stlll
higher IN the scenes OF the tympsnum, the
outlines Of tho little saints of the arches
"efe designed most clearly on dark back
una, and this magic effect continued
Vlu the final rapture at the marriage OF
nsIes, which the archangels appeared 10
celebrating under a shower OF white
,y'es. Standing upon her pillow, with her
Ifh ~ hsassg ssh ~
tue virgin child had such purity In ths
mes OF let body OF Immaculate snow, that
sle molioness stiffness Of cold seemed 10
e5nseal around her the mystic transports
~, victorious youth. And at her feet the
'lef child, NO miserable, white with snow,
also grew 30 stan ami pale That ~
niel NJ Il she were turning % stone, and
l.a scarcely bo distinguished from the
b'.al Images above her.
81 iasi 70 one " tho long line Of houses
"Ileh MI seemed 10 be STOPPING, the nose
"S" TIE drawing up Of blind made Lef