The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1889-10-31

The altar with its velvet hanGtngs, ts
imn,ensc bn,sloir full Of enerva,inR per-
fusnsss, with the sOft radiance OF tta swing
ing ianIp:. snnRly and my.ssrsosl.Iy sne::
9s,stive OF some superhuman love. had
.envelopcd her senscs la the charm Of its
pomp. III felt sooshcsi, .fiatterrd. ca
; Sd;r;d al, ssr"'.f Sc ner v s.s" ecssaIn p pni"ne
suosssncss la tho feeling of her own ANAL.
nes~ Immersed In the Immense heatitulc.
ic,. cd ny the harones~ that morning came
from the gaping mouth Of the Register that
SENT it: warm breath mp thros,ah hcrskirts
st"ckines; She had a kitten,s appreciation
of warmth and comfort. She was softly
welding ." " feeling OF drow"y """h"c"".
The wears storm wa still raging. He
had plunged the entire congregation into
the boiling oil Of hell.
IL you refuse tai hear my voice. which Is
the very voice of God. you will some day
hear your homes crack with anguish yer
burn on hot GOALS. then You will cry hut In
vain Pity, Lord. pity, am r"psntantc
s 6%. !, w and b" sis sSG h late ioo S" viii yin r. says Il.
you into the bottomless pitt"
There. was "a thrill through the whole
was dccidc.iiy falling a-iscp with the
warm air through, her skirts, smiled
vaguely. She knew the vicar quite init
night before. He had a perfect passion
for lats.s al trufiicd SALMON, and Bur-
gundy was his favorite wine. He was as-
snrs.tlly % h~nc-lookinR man. rs or ~. dark
hair and eyes, and 10 complexion that u
dairy maid might have been proud of. A
pcrfcet man al the world withai gift OF
synhpathctic to most women, the, baroness
adorsd him. He bad such "a way Of saying
tn her: "Ah. madame. i'm that dress you
would damn IA saint"
hut he managed never TAI damn him
self. He said about the same things to-
nl.x. A.. -n .As.s
of his other .penitents. so he became n
spoiled child tn them all i'm u way. When,
on Thursday. he din.si with the, little bar
oness. slle cared for him with the tender
ness with which one watches a. nursing
whom the slightest drauRht may affect, or
s 1;,, M ;nsa1;, Si,,ysn.nR ,mprris".'S !" ,Sa
library his arm chair stoHDh in the corner
of the hearth: nt the meals the waiter
attention.. to serve him alone q certain
brand Of Burgundy, about twelve years
old: which he slipped with half closed eyes
and the same exprcssion Of fcrvor thai he
wOrs. at counmunion.
The wear WAS such a dear. good man.
While from the heiRh at the pulpit, ie
spoke at homes thai were cracking limbs
tlst were roasting. the little baroness in
her half state could sce him Mt
Smile, and hear hin, saying:
"Herc is "a bisAIuc my dear baroness,
that would bring you favor before Saint
Peter himself. IL before hand your beauty
had not assured you - place i'm hcaven."
When the vicar had exinustetl thc per
s'Iasivc means OF threats and indignation
ual tatics. He fell IN his knees, rs IL
stricken down with grief. occasionally
nrrssing, his handkerchief to his eyes;
then with IL brtSquc and rN.bslliOis iHl-
pulse he spraing To his feet. and raising
his arms and dropping them heavily he
Weep. weep he sobi&i. the words dy-
ing on his lips. "Wcep for yourselves,
weep for me: weep for God :"
This Was the finale, the last orchestral
burst of harmony, tho thrilling scene of
the sicuOucineut.
The little baroness was sleeping sound
~. with both eyes open. The heat, the
incense, and the. growing shadows had
completely bcnunnisd her. She had
iicio"s scnsatioms, and Was siyly drsa,nimg
a, number Of delightful things.
Near her in the chapel OF the Holy
semiinr "a group of youths with white
wings am their backs. They wcrs. smiling
with the expression Of entranccd lovers.
and in their knccling attitudes they
invisible little How elor-
ions they w.rS with their smooth TsI.
worst Of IL WAS that one of them was the
living image of the young Duke de- b:
to wondering in her drowsincss how the
duke would look that way-with wings on.
Then she Thought the tall. fair chernb
dream took u hold ON her mind. and she
NIGH have sworn that she saw the duke
there, thinly clad. throwing her kisses
from the depths of the twilight
vi.
When the baroness awokc she realized
that the vicar WAS prono,ncinK the final
and sacramento phrase
And this is the blessing that ] wish you"
She was hazcd for IA second. She faI,cicd
the vicar was wishing her more kisses
from the young Duke lc B
There was "a great racket of chairs. The
congregation had begun to dispsrsc. Her
fears were all realized; the couple was
not there. That wretch of "a vicar had
FASTENED over the conclusion Of his ser
mon, robbinY his pcuitcnts of fully twenty
minutes of cCstacy.
The little BARONESS was losing her tenn
per at the door, when the vicar ovcrtook
her. He was hurrying out of the chancel.
with his open watch i'm his hand and the
wild expression Of n man who il about tn
miss ~ rendezvous.
"Ah. my dear baroness. ! am n half
hour late. I am expected at the Countess
BIS. Rather informal, you know. A
spiritual concert, tn he followed 10y a. light
collation.. Please excuse my haste. Al
rcvoir."
ra~. rp>~ark VAHrnA