St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-05-04
selected Story
Tug GOOD PRIEST OF AoSTA.

wv lawn the stately rooms Oh
anu ,,e ~ Often he lifted his eyes to
c g ,suer, as if to pray for guidance;
ts"a stopping suddenly, he seemed
tnI" ve taken some resolution, only
10 10 re resume again his restless walk
u, v,d deep meditation. He was the
a" a If the Sire of Mentone, owner of
s sUa q Grand castle, which was situated
',nt ier from Annecy in Savoy. He
n Iot n fine mind and wonderfully
I ,au and religious heart. Having
1,",n in PARIS, where religion and the
O D,.Sc Of theology were fourishing
s Nv, Then, he returned to the home
II II, ancestors with the intent to
1eiye up his life to works of piety,
|snd TO become a priest.
'J Rut his father had other views,
I'd wanted him to live in splendor
\; ~" his own castle. Accordingly, in
Conformity with the customs of
those times, he decided that his son
sbonld wed the rich Margherita of
M;olans. At this decision the young
nan became very sad, and without
Oneuing his heart completely, he
Showed profound distaste for the
marriage. But in vain. His father
assisted that the whole hope of his
|hanpiness rested on him and on this
marriage, and even sent away from
tbe castle the sons old tutor, whom
'he suspected of influencing the young
|oobleman. After vain threats from
|tbe father, the mother added her en-
treaties, and these seemed to have
conquered the sons mind. Mean
while sumptuous wedding-feast was
ordered in the castle Of Miolans.
|Tbe Sire Of Mentone and his wife
land son repaired early thither.
ALREADY the great day had dawned ;
|already the bride in full bridal ar
raw was prepared to step to the al
liar. already the two fathers had
united their hands in satisfaction
lover the union so much desired by
.them; but the young man, who
throughout a feverish, restless night
.had paced his apartment, upon
&heariug the noise OF the approaching
quests lifts his eyes in despair TO
flleaven, aud with a sudden resolu-
;tion returns to his room, locks the
door, and writes on a sheet of paper,
(which he leaves on the table. He
Then opens the window, and meas
pres the height; going to a closet
takes a rope, which he fastens to the
bill, and having once more read the
letter, kisses it, bends his knees in a
mute prayer for a few seconds; then
rising, scales the window and fees
Since the groom does not appear
after little while his parents hurry
to his chamber, but they knock ant
Gall in vain; the stiffness is terrible
and soon the door is broken open
and they discover the letter.
Il beg my good father and merci
Ful mother to permit me to follow
|the vocation of my heart. leav,
you only to meet you again in heav
Ken"
That is what the trembling father
{ rcads. A cry Of desolation issue,
rOm his lips and is echoed by the ell
6tircompany. A search throughout
tine whole place and through tn,
\ neighboring castles and woods
proves useless. No one had seen tn,
fugitive.
After fifteen years of faithful ser
vice in the ,ity of Aosta the arch
deacon had died, and to his plac
4 same a priest, who had been RAISED
to that position on account of hi
wisdom and goodness. Even tn
BISHOP consulted him, and soon h
mad opened schools throughout tn
whole valley. He went also to Nc
Vara' Genoa and Milan, preaching
ana making known the gospel b
MS plous example. The population
llIl OF wonder at his eloquence an
4 plety, came from far and near t
n hear him.
he had uprooted idolatry every
Nwnere near his home, but there sti
remained a statue of an idol on
mountain, which bore the name {
Jupiter Thieves and murderers ha
made 1t their home, and attacked tn
travellers who had to pass it O
tnelr way from Italy to Franc,
taxing everything from them an
OFTEN killing them. The good prizes
OF Aosta decided to redeem tn
'nountaineers from idolatry, and a
the same time make the roads SAT;
AT once he climbs the mountain t
the valley, breaches a God of Low
ana charity, destroys the idol, an
I'd raises an altar to the living Coo
men he POUNDS a hospice at til
nlshest spot, associating some goo
brothers with him in the work, t
lr'shten the wicked and tame til
,eioelty OF the inhabitants of thes
VIVA regions. He and the goo
brothers offer hospitality to the pi
srlms, dividing with them their breaC
anu they assist people who woul
o'nerwlse be frozen by the terrib
o"ow-storms. In a word, they b,
t t. the guardian angels of tina
'rlghtlul solitude.
The fame of these good deeds wa