Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-02-21
CHAPTER TIL

". child Here are half dozen eggs," said one Of the hen wives, and the little cross woman | with the peddler's tray added a waxen St. | Agnes. colored red and yellow to the very | life, no doubt. and the old Cheap John had saved her cage for the starling; and the tinker had cream cheese for her in a vine leaf, and the sweetheart seller brought her a beautiful gilded horn of sugar plums, and tho cobbler had made her actually pair of shoes red shoes, beautiful shoes to go to mass in and be wonder in to all the nejghborhood And they thronged round her and adored tho nlver waist buckles. and when Bebee got fairly to her stall and traffic began, she thought once moro that nobody's feast day had ever dawned like hera
 when the chimes began to ring all over the city she could hardly believe that tho carillon was not saying its "Laus Deo" with some special meaning in its bells of her
 The morning went by az usual. the noiss of the throngs about her like driving of angry winds, but no more hurting her than the angels on the roof of St Gudule are hurt by the storm when it breaks
 Tho day was a busy one, and brought in good profit Bebee had no less than fifty sous In her leather pouch when 1t was over-a sum of magnitude in the green lane by Lse- ken.
 few of her moss roses were stin unsold that was all. when the Ave Maria began ring. ing over the town and the people dispersed to their homes or their pleasuring.
 1t was warm gray evening; tho streets were full, there were blossoms in ell the bal comics. and gay colors in all the dressesI The old tinker put his tools together and whis- pered to her:
 "Bebee as it Is your feast day, come and stroll in St Hubert's gallery, and will buy q la Cyilf heor or @ ribbon. and we can see the puppet show afterwards, chr
 But the children were waiting at home: she would not spend the evening In the city: she only thought she would just meei a mo ment in the cathedral and say little prayer or two for minute-ths saints were 70 good In giving her so many frienda
 People looked after her a she went through the twisting, picture Ake streets, where sun light fell still between the peaked high roofs, and lamps were here and there lit in the brio a-brac shops and the fruit stalla
 Her little muslin cap blew back Hke tho wings of a white butterfly. Her sunny hair caught the last sun rayA Her feet were fair in the brown wooden shoea Under the abort woolen siirts the grace of her pretty hmbs moved freely Her broad silver clssps shone like . shield, and she was utterly unconscious that any ohe looked; she was simply and gravely intent on reaching St. Gudule to say her one prayer and not keep the children waiting.
 Some ono leaning idly over balcony in the street that Is named after Mary of Bur gundy saw her going thuA He lsft tho bal cony and went down his stairs and followed her.
 The sum dazzle on the silver had frst caught his xight; and then he had looked downward at the pretty feet T
 These are the chances women call fate
 Bebee made her salutattons to tho high altar, and stole on ineo the chapel of the Saint Sacrament; 1t was that one that she loved best Il
 She said her prayer and thanked tho saints tor au their gifts and goodness, her clasped hand against her silver shield, her basket on the pavement by her, abovehead the sunset rays streaming purple and crimson and golden through the painted windows that are the wonder of the world.
 When her prayer was dons she still kneeled thsrs; her head thrown back to watch the light. her hands clasped still, and on her up turned faos tho look that made the people say, What doas she seeHths angels or tho deadi'
 She forgot everything. She forgot the charriss at home. and the children even She was looking upward At the stories of the paa1tad panas; slle was listening to the mes Ags cf tho dying sunrays; shs was feeling |