The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-22
THE SILVER cANpLEs1IcKs or
ST. FRANCIS.
A CHRISTMAS LEdENr.
ny ALICE WILLIAMS BnoTnrKroN.

ny ALICE WILLIAMS BHOTHEKroN.
Deep In the shadow ola Norman wood
stood poor chapel o. the Brotherhood
OF good -. Francis. 10 these monks theii
vow
No 1.-THE Of gold or silver doth allow,
But bids them beg their bread from door tC
door.
Drink water only. sleep upon the floor:
That 10 they may remember at each breath
The lowly life OF Him Of Nazareth.
And for the poor toll even as lie would
Who EVEN, about among them doing good.
Small WAS the chapel. and no gorgeous stain
OF gold and purple dyed the window-pane
Jncarvcd. implanted. the dark roof hung
low
Above dim. time-stained walls. which could
not STOW
Even one poor painting ola martyred saiat.
Or our Lord lourneying cross-ward wan and
faint.
40 organs peal on peal Of ihurderous tore,
The chanted prayer bore upward to Gods
throne,
The shrine was mcanly furnshed--y yet a
pair
OF eanaiestieks, bright silver, glittered
there.
The plous monks sole pride; and day by day
The sacristan. Friar Hubert wiped away
The dust from the quaint carving. buinlsh-
ed bright
The chasing rich, with lingering delight
II was the morn before the Christmas Day.
And. weeping, through the dawning cold AID
gray.
widow came with grief and terror Wild
A robber bani had stolen her only child;
/ Unless ~ weighty ransom she could pay
TO their fierce chiefbefcIe the close Of day.
The boy must surely diet Win sob and
wall
The stricken soul poured forth her plteous
tale
And plead for aid.
"Nay," Hubert answered, "hOw
Can then help thee, daughter? By our
vow
The brotherhood is pledged 10 poverty,
have no gold wherowith 20 succor thee"
with eyes TUNED altarward for help divine.
she -pied the condles'icss before The shrine;
chose . she cried. Father give me these
70 sell
They will bring gold, and All may Yet be
weu'
But that were sacrilege, poor soul!" cried
he
with plying smile. "Thc thought, God par
don thee :"
NAY. Father nay /" the mother s3bbe'.
"Would lie
Who raised the wiaoH's son, refuse 10 ne
This charity? Good Father Hubert, give
10 me This silver. that my child may live 80
In HubeIts heart sore was the stiff, DE
tween
\ yearning pity and The fear ofsin;
And, humbly kneeling long hc prayed for
light
From Heaven TO help him % decide Alright
Then. rising. from the dim-lit altar took
The glltering candleslicks. with hands that
shook
As with "A teriian ague. Forth wihJoy
The mother bore the ransom Of her TOY.
Worn with the struggles weary strain and
stress
The friar sought the convent TO confess
Unto the brethren there. on every side
Deep were the muttcrings; aghast they
cied;
"Profane the holy vcsseisg sathan hence"
"Whai coin the a1af-platc, for paitry
pence?'
Break the shew-breai with sinners?" "By
the roodl'
The traitor doth disgrace -. Fanncis hood
"a second Judas''-"Yea, Iscsriot;
wonder that the crucihx went not'
$40 prison with him straight" cried Abbot
John.
Unworthy is this wretch TO look upon
The light Of day; his pcrlurcd soul is lost.
tof ne hath sinned against the Holy Ghost {
And forthwith, 10 a dungeon underground
They hailed the hapless monk and left hun
bound.
Twas Christmas Eve, whoreon no eye may
sleep,
For on that holytlde all good monks keep
Virsil with prayer and chant I'm memory
Ofhe Kedecmer's birth. All solemnly
And silent chapolward the brethren paced.
Not rs OF yore they pressed with eager
haste
Each dreading to behold the darsone
shrine.
Where their lost treasure neyemore should
shine.
Lol when the legsnri feet the threshold
crossed
A cry Of terror brake from all ihe host.
wondrous, shining light nlIeI all The
place
That shoul nave tesn SO dark upon each
face
Amazement sat, as trembling they behold
Before the shine two candiesticlls OF gold,
From the arched seven branches Of each ono
The radiance Of tall waxcn tarers shone.
Aud from above heavenly voice WIS heard;
WHO giycih 10 my poor-lends 20 ne Lorai'
Much marveins what This strange thing
might mean,
The frightened monks shank backward
from the scene
"Our eyes this day have seen a miracle
SELL Abbot John; and, straight 20 Hubcri's /
cell
And led him forth. 40. We have sinncd."
they cried.
Forgive Us, brothsrl We have learned OF
thee
To-day the lesson of true charity.
Forgive the scorn, the dungeon and tie /
shame
Thu is the true Chrst-spirit-that We share /
All things with others. dccming naught I
too rare
Or precious to be given in lis Name
CINCINNATI, ONO.
IN THE DARK CONTINENT.
Along the West African coast there
are now about goo churches, 50 600 con-
verts. 100 600 adherents. 275 schools.