Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-05-26
THE JUGGLER OF NOTRE DAME.

In the days OF King Louis there was in
France poor jugger of the name of Bar
nab6, native of Compiegne, who used to
go from city to city playing all sorts of
tricks.
Wherever there was a fair he was sure
to be seen, with his old wOrn-out carpet
spread on the ground, where, after having
drawn together a throng of children and
loungers by old Jokes, which he repeated
exactly as he had learned them, he would
throw himself into all sorts of strange at
titudes and even balance pewter plate on
his nose. The crowd would at first look
on carelessly; but when, standing on his
hands, he would toss into the air and catch
on his feet six copper balls, sparkling in
the sun, or, when throwing himself back
till his neck touched his heels, he made
himself into a living wheel and played
with twelve knives, a murmur of admira-
ton would rise from the spectators, and
pieces of money would rain down on the
carpet.
Notwithstanding like most people who
live by their talents, Barnab6 found it very
difficult to live. Earning his bread by the
sweat of his brow, he bore more than his
just proportion of the wretchedness caused
by the sin of Adam, our common father:
and he could not even work as much as he
would have wished, for, in order to show
his skill, he needed warm sun and day
light as much as the trees need them to
give us fruits and flowers. In the winters
he was like leafless and half-dead tree:
the frozen earth was hard to the poor Jug
gler, and, like Marie de Frances grasshop-
per, in bad weather he always suffered
from cold and hunger. But, as he had
pure heart, he bore these ills in patience.
He had never reflected on the origin of
riches and the inequality of human condi-
tions. He never doubted that, as this
world is bad, the other must be good.
This faith kept up his courage, and he did
not follow the example of thievish noun
tebanks and miscreants, who have sold
their souls to the devil. He never bias.
phemed the name of God; he lived up.
rightly, and though he had no wife of his
own, never coveted the wife of his neigh
Dor, considering that woman is the enemy
OF strong men, as appeareth in the story
of Samson, told in the Holy Scripture.
He was not a drunkard, though he loved
drink when it was warm, but an honest
fellow, fearing God, and especially devoted
to the holy virgin, and always, when he
went into church, he would kneel before
her image and say devoutly, MADAME,
that die, and when | am dead arrange it
so that shall have the joys of Paradise"
H.
Now, one evening of very rainy day,
as he was going along, sad and bent, carry
ing the copper globes and the knives wrap
ped up in his old carpet and looking for a
barn where he might go supperless to
sleep, he overlook ON the road monk,
and greeted him respectfully; and as they
kept on, they began to talk
"Comrade," said the monk, chow is it
that you are dressed all in green? Is it be-
cause you are going to play the part of a
fool in some mystery?'
"Oh, no, father" answered Barnabe:
''such as you see me l am called Barnab6
and am juggler by trade. 1t would be
the best trade in the world if only one had
something to eat every day
"Friend Barnab6," went on the monk,
take care what you say. The most beau
tiful thing in the world is to be a monk;
for he celebrates the praises of God, the
virgin, and the saints, and the religious
life is perpetual song to the Lord"
Baanabe answered: Father, l confess
that l have spoken like an ignorant man.
My trade cannot be compared to yours;
II udnclnQ
with little coin balanced on stick at the
end of your nose, that merit is much less
than yours. l should like to do as you do,
father, and sing the office every day,
especially the office of the most holy vir-
gin, to whom have vowed particular de-
vOtiOn. would willingly give up the art
in which | am known from Scissors to
Beauvais, in more than six hundred cities
and villages, If i could be monk"
The jugglers simplicity touched the
monk; and, as he was not wanting in
shrewdness, he recognized in Barnabe one
of those men of good will of whom the
Lord has said, 'Peace be to them on the
earth, and so he responded "Friend Bar
nabe, come with me, and | will have you
accepted in the convent of which | am
prior. He who led Mary to Egypt has led
me to you, so that might guide your feet
into the way of salvation"
And thus Barnabe became monk. In
his convent the brothers devoted them
selves more than in any other to the wor-
ship of the holy virgin each using for her
glory all the knowledge and skill which
had been given him by God. The prior as
his part wrote books which treated accord
ing to scholastic rules the virtues of the
mother of God, and Brother Maurice
copied with mastery hand on parchment
these treatises, which Brother Alexander
Illuminated with fine miniatures. There
was the queen of heaven on SOlomon's
throne, at the feet of which watched four
lions, while around her glorified head hut-
tered seven doves, typifying the seven gifts
of the spirit-fear, godliness, knowledge,
strength, counsel, understanding, and wis
dom. For her companions she had six vir-
gins with golden hair-Humility, Pru-
dence, Modesty, Respect, Virginity, and
Obedience. At her feet two little figures,
naked and beautifully white, were stand
ing in an attitude of duplication. These
represented souls who were implOring, and
certainly not in vain, her all-powerful in
tercessiOn for their salvation. Brother
Alexander would then paint on another
page Eve and Mary together, showing at
the same time sin and redemption, the
woman Inundated and the virgin exalted
In this book were also to be seen the well
of living water, the fountain, the lily the
moon, the sun, and the enclosed garden of
Solomon's Song, the gate of heaven, the
city of God, and many pictures of the vir-
gin.
Brother Marbode was seemingly one of
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