Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-12-10

the household, except the servants who
busted the castings and polished the
panes.
Early next morning Raymer was sent
ON detached service. from which he did
not return until late on the following
Saturday. Sunday morning he deter
mined to attend church at the cathedral,
and at the usual hour entered the east
ern door Of the transept The congrega-
ton was already assembled and seated
upon the floor in rows after the Mexican
manner Neither pew nor bench was
there, except two rows Of seats in the
recess behind him, and those were oc-
cupied by scholars Of the convent Hc
found the prospect Of standing, con-
spicuous figure. through long service,
anything but pleasant He could not
persuade himself to sit upon his heels.
as did the thousand devout worshipers
about him.
While looking uneasily about and
pondering his rather uncomfortable sit.
uation he recognized the face Of Teresa
Valencia She was dressed in the plain
garb prescribed by the convent regula-
tions, brown gown and white sunbon-
net. At that moment an acolyte ap-
preached from the chancel bearing q
chair and said:
1.-THE compliments Of his lordship
the bishop Here is chair for the gen.
tleman.
The lieutenant accepted the courtesy
with thanks and seated himself before
the double line Of schoolgirls.
Philip Raymer was not communi-
cant Of the church before whose altar
he now sat. He was descendant OF an
old New England family Of the Angli'
can faith. He had graduated from a
good college and Mt the outbreak Of the
civil war was junior member Of legal
firm. His preparation for college had
been pursued at a boys military school,
where he had acquired soldierly bear
ing and creditable knowledge Of in
fantry drill and tactics. He offered his
services at the first call for troops and
was made captain Of q company in a
good regiment After continuous serv.
ice from Bull Run to Antietam he had
been appointed lieutenant in the reg
ular army and ordered to New Mexico
Fashionable circles Of the seaboard
cities had known Raymer both as ci-
william and soldier. and some Of the best
clubs bore his name upon their regis
ters, but until he stood at the railing OF
the sundial in Santa Fe and met the
ewes of Teresa Valencia he had never
been strongly attracted by girlish
charms. Nor could he quite understand
his interest now. He had met many
beautiful, accomplished and well edu-
Gated girls in the east, but none had in
terested him to the same extent as had
this girl To be sure, he had not heard
her voice, he had scarcely seen her
move, he knew nothing Of her except
through Reeds gossip, he was ignorant
of her mental endowments and charac-
ter. but no felt strangely drawn toward
her and was animated by q strong de-
sire 10 make her acquaintance.
When Raymer turned to place his
chair, he caught a second glimpse OF
Dona Teresa The face in the sunbonnet
was as beautiful and the eyes shone
with the same brilliancy rs when he
saw her in finer attire standing at the
palace window. Plainness of dress and
absence of ornaments had robbed neither
form nor face of its Beauty.
II is needless to say that Raymer 5
devotion was expressed in lip service,
and that his thoughts did not stray far
from his immediate neighborhood. BE
had no prayer book, but presently one
was thrust into his hand by the kneel'
ing Teresa At the close OF the nunc
dimittis he sought TO return the book,
but found the scholars faced about and q
| nun standing between him and its own
er. The sister received il and his thanks
without a word and remained silently
and stiffly on guard until Raymer passed
out Of the cathedral
In the evening Of the same day Mr..
Raymer joined Mrs Stockton on the
veranda Of the colonels quarters to lis
ten to the Sunday evening concert OF
the regimental band The conversation
ran upon various topics during the in
tervals between the selections, and when
the concert ended the lieutenant OBJ
served. Il went TO church today.
| "Did you sit on the fioor?"
"No; the bishop sent me n chair.
"Oh, yes, have heard that he recog
nized the infexibility Of military joints
and shows that courtesy to officers! II
| Won want 10 be sure Of seat, however,
you should always attend church wher
the bishop is there None Of his priest'
are so considerate.
II noticed the sisters and scholars
from the convent had seats.
THAT Is because the sisters ar,
French, Irish and American generally
and are not accustomed to sit OH th'
floor. Tho Mexicans, either by inherit
ance from the Moors or through inter
marriage with the Pueblos, seem TO pre-
fer the floor to O chair. In Mexican
families, even among the aristocracy
the ladies, unless entertaining Ameri
cans, sit on the floor.
Zone of the young ladies from th'
convent lent me her prayer book. Sh'
was kneeling behind me.
Poor child! She will have to d'
penance for that indiscretion. 1t i
against the sisters rules for the pupil
to communicate with gentlemen. "
"But this was not communication
Mrs. Stockton" said Raymer. 1T WA
kindly act. such rs one might expec
in any eastern church.
"True, but advantage might be takei
of it to pass notes, you know. l believ
the sisters are right I think can CUES
who lent you her book. Was it COLDER
tressed blond?"
eyes; l have seen her twice at tn
palace windows, but not in conventua
"It was Teresa Valencia, relative O
the governors wife, who, you perhap
know, is Mexican.
II know nothing Of the governor
family. Having SO recently arrived,
have learned little Of the people.
"The governor, I think you know,
an American, and Teresa Valencia
his wife's niece She is attending schoo
at the convent and has been allowed {
visit the palace occasionally.
Convent and palace life must appea
in marked contrast to her. The brow
serge gown and the ugly sunbonnet sh
wore at church and the dress and orna
ments she wore when witnessing guar
mounting were vastly different Tn
first did not conceal her beauty, and sh