Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-10-25

The silence seemed to intensity his
snguish-his eternal farewell. The
scent of roses that climbed round the
ruined easements turned to the odor
of frsnkincense and myrrh. The dy-
ing rays of sunlight were as myriads
of lighted tapers, the chapel massive
cathedral. Through the silence rang
out in the clear notes of young
mans voice the solemn vows of obedi-
ence, chastity and poverty, even unto
death. She rose and paced in anguish
the silent aisle. Can anything be
more remorseless than memory, which
awakens in every moment of our soli-
tude living witness to our souls un-
dyingness? As she grew calmer she
approached the purple outlined cross
and gathered flower from its stalk.
'Desecration, madaml"
A quick breath escaped Mrs. St.
Croix's parted lips as the tones of the
priest, who, unperceived, had observ-
ed the action, fell upon her ear.
IL crave pardon, father. l did not
mean it for such. l merely wished
to carry away with me remembrance
of st. Rosalie."
The storm was past. Once more
she was conventional woman of the
world, calm and impassive. AS she
spoke she glanced up at the priest.
He was motionless, as though carved
in stone. Slowly the color died out
of her face as she whispered incredu-
lodsly:
Benedict"
For a supreme moment each looked
into the others face. The woman was
trembling violently, and her features
were lit with yearning tenderness. The
priests lips moved, as though to speak,
but no sound came. To him the men,
ton of her name was sin. Had he
not spent the best part of his manhood
iu penance and prayer, in trying to
forget that beautiful face, that form,
that voice? Was she not yet satisfied
with his sacrifce-with the fact that,
rather than be an impediment to her
brilliant marriage, he had ceased to
exist2
Why had she again broken in upon
his hearts solitude? When he spoke
it was with an effort and in stern
tones:
why are you here alone? Where
is St. Croix?"
"Dead!" was the almost inaudlbe
reply.
"DeadI" he repeated in a husky
tone, adding involuntarily. "Then
you are free?"
He could not look away from her.
His eyes fell upon her fashionable at
tire, her jeweled fingers her matur-
ed beauty. What an insuperable gull
lay between theml
To her the bitterness of all things
had come as his cold: unsympathetlc
tones fell on her ear. While she had
suffered he had forgotten.
81 came here" she answered in her
calm, conventional tones, "for rest
and peace, outside the world, not
dreaming you were here"
She paused.
A mometnary gleam touched the
man. Moved by impulse, he closed
his fingers over the small cold hand
that grasped the edge of the quantity
carved seat and whispered:
"If you had known, what then?'
In an instant she noted the change
in the priests voice. After all, he
was not quite dead to the world, and
a glimmer of hope woke in her heart
"Then I must still have come" she
replied passionately, raising her eyes
tohis face, which was rigldand credu
lous. 81 am free now and have new
er known happiness since we parted
Wealth position all I possess il
worthless without you to share them.
Come back to the old world again
Benedict. You are all I care to live
for" AS she finished speaking, carriec
away by her feelings she sank at hi
feet.
The priests face was scarcely les'
apitated than her own
81 cannot. I care not. Do | no
sin daily IN rememberig you? Have
| not longed for the sound of you
voice, the touch Of your soft hand
Do | not live double llfe-outward
ly priest, inwardly a man2 Cal
VOWS, penances and prayers change
mans nature? Does it not rather xii
the soul? May, you have much t.
answer for" AS the last words dice
upon his lips he stopped for an instan
as though In pity and touched he
forehead with his lips. Placing he
arms around his neck, she Whispered
his name and lowered hishead till thei
lips met. A moment seemed an eterni
ty. Then, thrusting her aside with
cry of anguish, he sprang away, ant
she heard his swift footsteps pas
across the graveyard path.
A few days later Sir Alec Vayasou
received a note at his club which bor