Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-12-13


few days, and when we came back
they told us she was dead. We went
up to the convent in the evening.
There was great trouble there; the
girls were all crying bitterly, and in
the chapel the nuns were weeping and !
praying, and Madame cried, too; but |
\ | was glad
"Glad-why?n
..Oh, because l had been so sorry |
/ for her! My heart used to ache so !
when saw that hopeless look on her |
face; andI knew it must have gone
then. Sister Mary took me into her
cell, and | was right-it had quite
gone. Her face looked very white
and worn and wasted; but the look
had left it, There was even faint
smile on her lips. They had crossed
her hands upon her breast and placed
q cross of flowers oyerher heart but |
took it away and placed 1t low down
on the mattress beneath her feet.
Why should they put a cross when it
had fallen from her for eyermore? So
took it away, and | placed n crown
OF great, white, starry flowers just
over the place where it had lain on
her heart. Sister Mary was kneeling
by the bed crying passionately; but |
could not cry was far too glad.
And, while we were there, a little
robin, which she had trained to come
morning and evening for its food, flew
into the room and perched itself upon
the bed and sang-0h, | never heard
anything like its song betore-it was
so beautiful, so full of happiness and
hope, And l could not help
thinking" Tessa went on, with visit
full look in her eyes, .shat the robin
knew and was glad as we'll
4 short silence, which neither OF
them cared to break, followed the last
words. Tessa stood, with her hands
clasped loosely together and thought
full far-off look on her mobile face,
watching the sunset clouds. While
she had been speaking a change had
: passed over the sky. The vivid blue
had faded into softer gray-green
: tint: the streaks of yermilliou and
!. orange were almost lost in dark
, purple cloud; and clear and dark
against the primrose sky the fr-trees
(, lifted their tall heads. Tessa's dusky
head had caught CLEAN of gold; her
1 face was flushed. her eyes soft and
! luminous.
: Austen felt his heart beat with de-
!, light and wonder as he looked at her.
Even to his practical unsentimental
4 mind there was something very pathet-
I, ic in the picture she had drawn Of
the dead nun lying in her cell, with
a the wreath OF white flowers on the
4 poor heart which had fought and
Il struggled, and found peace at last
II something very touching, too
= ! in the robins requiem. Wa,
: this the girl whom hi.
- sister had called vain and frivolous
~ who cared for nothing but dress anC
- amusements-who thought of nothing
- beyond the pleasure OF the passin!
- moment? She might be all these, ant
yet she had seen what he had failed L
~ see-understood what he had failed t
understand He had lived with hi
~ mother all his life. and day by da
~ during the last seven years he ha
~, seen that look deepen on her face; bu
u he had never understood till now wha
Il. it meant. And he knew that Tess
y, was right-that his mothers hear
= was breaking for her youngest. best
loved son, who had gone from her il
=. to outer darkness-gone with hi
y fathers curse upon his head.
- His face grew hard and cold as b
= thought OF it. Tessa looked at him
surprise.
II suppose auntie must have ha
some great trouble toO?" she sal
md gently. what was it? Her hui
1er bands death?'
"No''-Austen shook his head ar
Sc, his brows contracted-.'it was wor!
trouble by far than that. Shame +,
,ly the living is ten times worse to be;
OF than any sorrow for the dead can b
1ok See, dear, and he took Tessa's lit
fingers gently in his own will te
ssa you now, so that you may understan
'm- and then we will not speak OF
OF again.
tie. Il have brother, much--inde'
sss' ten years-younger than myself. I
en-, was very handsome clever lad, an
up being so much younger than eth
ers Prudence or /, was much petted al
lew INDUCED by our mother. Even as
so boy he was always in scrapes al
ed, trouble; and it required all my mot
The er's ingenuity to screen him and pr
ere vent the stories Of his escapades fro
,ple reaching my fathers ears.
her when he was eighteen he W
she placed in the bank-in the same pc
lear ton that had occupied when his as
and Eventually he would have been a pa
was ner equally with myself, and it was
course necessary that he should und
ave stand the routine OF the work. TIL
the troubles at home began.
rou- mother had contriyed to screen
faults when boy; but that was
Jung possible when he became a man.
and don't much care to recall those da
heir Tessa; they were very miserable for
war all, especially for my mother, VIII
with favorite chitd Antony had alw;
the been. My father was very hi
her Gtprn mamma of tha ettictpSt me