Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-02-07

breath Of its freshness reached the kneel-
Ing habitans. A movement ran through
the crowd as wind sweeps through stand
ing grain Women and men looked up
timidly: children looked around boldly.
Even the priest hastened his utterance, to
finish before the storm should break
Still the thunder rolled 1t had not be-
gun suddenly, but slowly. maiestirally at
first afar of, but ever coming nearer not
sulen roar, not the ill-humored crashing
that some thunder is but awful aud grand
The crowd rose the priests voice was
no longer heard in the noise of the thun
der Perhaps he had stopped his prayers
Then suddenly from the black cloud that
hung directly above the congregation burst
flash of lightning-not the forked light
ming that strikes down dwellings and crops
and men, but great broad flash, so bright
and glorious that all fell again upon their
knees, and hid their faces in their hands
so wondrous and awful that they dared ut
ter no sound, but remained silent aud mo
tionless
Only two stood upright-Felicie and Ed.
moud Feiice had knecled, weeping on
the shoulder of Madame Hamcl, while the
priest gave back to earth all that had made
her life happy. Armand and she had been
betruthed so long their wedding day had
been so near and now Armand was taken
from her 50 strangely and so suddenly. So
while the priest read the sacred sentences
and the people who had loved Armand
stood about his grave, she whom Armand
had loved kneeled and sobbed, hearing not
at all the murmured words Of Madame Ha-
mel, hearing as if they were spoken afar
of the words Of the priest. But now that
even the priest was terror stricken and
covering, Felicie stood up, no longer cling
ing to Armand's mother, and looking up
into heaven, she spoke 10 the thunder.
MY Father she said, or so it seemed to
the lad, who stood almost by her side
And. as if in answer, the thnnder. which
had not ceased TO roll, crashed yet again.
aud the echoes rolled back from the cape,
and died away slowly in the distance, and
all was silent. And Felicie spoke again,
but the lal could not hear what she said,
and she bowed her head.
Again the thunder answered, a majestic
peal, yet not to make those who heard it
afraid But Felicie said nothing more
she stood with her face turned to the dark
sky as if in expectation.
Then came binding flash of lightning.
For an instant only dared the boy look ;
then he clasped his hands over his eyes and
fell upon his knees. But IN that instant he
saw Felicie standing in the midst of the
glory of the great brightness smiling and
above her was great rift in the clouds.
Further than ever before could the lad see
on high then he pressed his hands To his
eyes, aud sank upon his knees, and cried
aloud in terror.
When the lightning had become dim, and
the thunder had died away, came the rain.
In torrents it fell, and all sprang up, for
getting Armand, almost, and Felicie, think
ing only that the drought was broken, and
rejoicing. But when they saw Felicie they
remembered everything, and stood still, as
if abashed.
Felicie stood at the head of the grave.
Her hands were clasped before her her
face was lifted up, and she was smiling.
What she looked at, what she saw, no one
could tell.
The priest approached her almost timid-
". "Felicie." he said, but she made no
answer "Felicie," he said, more loudly.
And again, more loudly still, "Felicie"
As if he feared that she had been struck
dead, the priest laid his hand on her arm.
She moved, and he gave sigh of relief.
"Felicie, come with me- he sait but
the girl moved not, nor made as if she
heard him The people came nearer and
looked at her, almost with terror
At last the maiden lowered her eyes and
looked toward the priest he looked her
full in the face, and his cheeks paled.
"Felicie," he said, imploringly, do you
see me Do you hear me T. But still she
made no answer.
what is this :" murmured the priest,
hoarsely and Edmond, the half witted
boy, answered him;
Father" " he said, touching the priests
ssIT L. fA..l Il lin
speak, and spoken to Him. / do not think,
father, that she can see you or hear you
your face is not br .ht enough for her eyes
to see your voice is not loud enough for
her to hear
The priest turned to the lad suddenly,
and the boy stepped back, abashed; but
the priest held out his hand, and the boy
took it and held it.
My children said the priest and at
his words the crowd knelt in wonder on
the earth, no longer dry and the priest
spoke The Lord hath spoken in the
thunder to Felicie He hath appeared to
her in the lightning. What ears have
heard the Lord, them hath He sealed what |
ewes hath seen the Lord, them hath
He closed what tongue hath spoken with
the Lord, that hath He sienced Not on
earth can those ears hear, those eyes see,
that tongue speak.
Listen, my children Felicie hath heard
God, and she is deaf she hath seen Him
in His glory, aud she is blind she hath
spoken with Him, and she is dumb. But it
is no grief to Felicie that this is so; for
the words of the Lord hath comforted her
in her sorrow, and made all earthly words
unfit for her to hear His glory makes dark
all mortal things to her the tongue that has
spoken with God must speak with no NOR
tai man Blind, then, is Fece deaf and
dumb vet pity her not, my children, for
the hand of the Lord is upon her gently
He hath honored her above all women,
save only one, and today is she in very
truth Felicie,"
In silence the people heard the priest,
and when he had spoken the benediction, in
silence they went to their homes, thinking
much Then old Xavier Hamel and his
wife Philomene took Felicie to their home,
and she was as their daughter and the
people thought not of her as one unhappy,
but as one honored greatly by God, and
chosen out to have her sorrow turned to
Joy. But Felicie neither saw nor heard
nor spoke again on earth and in Gods
time she fell asleep, to meet awaking, Ar
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