Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-09-17
An ELOPEMENT.

nlEnt ine ulAu VINO NfOtc W was Ilfoo
ably IS. tall. rod BEARDED and athletic.
When he took OF his hat % a lady neat
little half moon In the top % one % his
ears was made visible lie passed into
the Tar room. swallowed no stingy dose
u dust settler with Col Cummings. and
hen drifie,l 20 the billiard room. Set
ling himself into chair be lighted a
'igar. and vas soon watching with much
interest the progress Of the game
who Is hcy asked bys;ander o.
-ol. Cummings
"Who l. hcy- echoed the colonel
Don't YOU know Padre Tcodorol III
introduce you 10 him presently. ] fni
net him In Tombstone an years ago
Padre. come over here
The rcd bearded man looked up.
smiled. aud walked across In answer TO
the call
Padre said the colonel. "hcrc l. .
newspaPcr man. friend of mine, who
wants to hear your history
Mr. llOuyillc smiled and Answcrc'il
That story u pretty old now. isn't ~"
Its new In this part Of tho country.
si all events
well. there 1, not much 20 tell.
rally" aid Mr. Rouville. Besides.
Cummings knows IL all. and can tell u
better than can Go on. colonel.
"Up 10 iss!," said the colonel. with
out further preface. "our friend here
was the priest % tho Church % Santa
Gcncvieve In Las CasaN Tho Academy
of the Visitation u also at Las Casas i,
Il under the control of the sister. %
Lorctto. Tho young French priest. with
his handsome face and fine education.
combined with his stern devotion 10 his
duties and the principles % his order.
was the idol - every maid and matron
In the dcvout but very feminine and
human little Mexican town. But the
young Jadrc never looked up at faces
that the coqucitish mantillas failed 10
veil The great liquid black eyes never
surprised an answering glcam In the
keen orbs Of the young priest Even the
holy sisters walking IN the garden oi tho
Academy of the Visitation wondered
at his stern sanctiiy. Tho only woman
at all clos o. him was tho morose old
sister superior. with whom be would
hold long conversations bristling with
Latin.
The feast of the blessed 81. Genevieye
came Father Thcodorc walked b-hind
tho image Of the Virgin IN the ccle5rat
ins procession. his head sheltered 10y tho
silk canopy carried by the four wealth..
ct men In las Casas Bchind him fol.
lowed the sibpricsis. and then the maids
of las Casas. all Ia white. each with her
lighted taTsr and her bunch ~ howers
for the sacred image When the proccs.
sion reached the church Father Theodore
turncl 10 pronounce bcncdictiOn The
leader Of the white robcl girls was just
brfore him-Carmelita Villaforcs. Il
years ~ age. and markedly beautiful.
even In the land ~ glorious eyes and
pcrfcct fcaturcs Md this beautiful
girl. with the CREAMY complexion and
cherry lips. was about 90 leave the world
that she had only bcgun 20 scc. aud g.
become. u Col gave her strength 10 per-
seVcrr. one u the holy sisters Of l,oretto
BEAUTIFUL Cafmelita villahorrs. ju-, en-.
iering on her 18th year. was To begin
her noyitiaic on this same day 81 -.
Gcnc,icve Her devoted little heart did
DOT fccl single pang fOr the world that
she was leaving withercd old Madrs
Jo.cia was pleased beyond expression at
her daughters resolution. and even Man.
ucl. her biz. swarihy brother. grunted
his approval from the table Of the yina.
IA - every ono who had any right &c
a say was satisfied that Ia Nina Carmeli.
"a should take the veil To b. sure ther,
was little grumbling Los LAgariiios,
tho liEaris-those idle young men who
had no need Tor work. and whose habit
of hasking In the sun at the street cor
ncrs had gained for them their cant de
nominaiion-swore por Dios that II was
n shame that they should no more foas,
their eyes on her graceful little form
while she passed between her home and
the store
That night tho sister superior was
startled by the priests asking about the
novice. To TO sure lac only inquired Of
the good sister II she thought that the
girl knew her own mind well enough 10
decide rightly on her future life. hut
then the sister could not remember his
ever asking such n question before. Dur
ing her noyitiate Carmelita'' conduc' was
exemplary. She We'd with Padre Tco
doro in religious fervor The evening
before the day that she was To 49, her
final severance Of all that bound her 10
the world at length arrived Her friends
had visited her and the sisters had ques-
toned her. and TO all she made answer
that on tho morrow she WA content 10
tako the veil. AZ length she was left
alone In her room In the second story Of
tho convent Il was late at night and
tho whole convent seemed 10 slumber.
Suddenly the vigilAnt sister superior
started from her sleep. She listened and
again heard the sound that had aroused
her-a football In the garden.
"'Some prowler. ] suppose, thought
the sister; but ! wonder why Chatto
doesn't drive him out
"Chat,o was the great dog that guard.
ell the Academy of the Visitation at
night Presently the sister heard win.
dow open. In moment she was dressed.
and In another moment abe was at the
convent gate. BY the bright moonlight
abe saw the young priest In the garden
catch In his arms the novice rs she
spralg from her window. She saw him.
with his burlen In his arms. hurry 10
the gate and place the girl on saddled
horse. jump up behind her. and then she
saw the horse gallop swiftly pthe road.
Then the sister superior rushed back into
the convent. and soon the great hell was
tolling. This sound at such an hour soon
brought all Las CaSas to the convent
door. Manuel was among the frs; there.
lie had not been 10 bed, and staggered
unsteadily from the aguadiente he had
taken at the tavern. To him the startled
nun shrieked her story, and he cursed
his sister and the renegade priest Soon
the others understood the reason OF the
turmoil. and a rush was made for horses.
In short order they were In pursuit Of
the couple. headed by the drunken Man
uel But the priest had secured q fair
start. and the pursuers never caught
sight OF him until they reached the Rio
IN a.