The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-09-05
Short
Story
Corner.
SISTER ROSE.

take the veil than marry penniless noble.
| She soon accommodated herself to convent
life but unfortunately her unluoky star
placed in her way dashing cavalier,
This chevalier was the brother of Roses
particular friend nun like herself, and
they first saw each other one visiting day
In the reception room, with the result that
the chevalier promptly fell heels over head
In love.
He determined to make his passion
known to the pretty nun. This was easily
| accomplished by means of billet doux,
complacent gardener and piece of gold.
On the night of Shrove Tuesday, when
| all the convent had retired to rest, Rose
issued barefooted and on tiptoe from her
cell and flew like frightened bird to the
end of the garden. She was probably not
overcome by surprise to find there gallant
chovalier, who threw his mantle around
her and in trice whisked her up a ladder
and over the garden wall.
An hour later the ohevalier appeared at
the masked ball in progress at the Jeu de
Paume and clinging to his arm was the
| prettiest and timidest domino that ever
was seen.
They danced together, and everybody
admired them. They were, in fact, too
much admired, for a presumptuous officer
wanted to dance with the pretty domino.
| But the chevalier failed to see the fun of 1t.
Facetious compliments were exchanged,
and two swords were flashing from their
| scabbards and probing for the soft spots in
| the respective anatomies of the rivals
while the whole ball was In an uproar.
Rose, wild with terror, fitted out of the
ballroom intS the dark labyrinth of the
streets, like will o. the wisp, without
Anybody taking any notice of her.
! What was to become Of herp Return
home to her fatherY She trembled at the
mere thought. He would probably kill
her should she dare TO show her face before
himl Return to the conventp Absolutely
out of the question.
While she was lamenting her terrible
plight the bell of the Carmelites du Marche
Neuf began to ring mathis. Its clear, So
| norous clang summoning the nuns to the
| chapel recalled the convent to her mind.
What excitement there would be at
o'clock, when the sisters arose and discov
cred her evasionl
Mgr du Lau, the archbishop of Aries,
was the kindest of men and father to his
people. Whenever he visited the convent
he always advised and encouraged her
| Why not go to hims He alone had the
Il -
| power to save her.
A few minutes later she was pulling the
bell at the door of the archbishop's palace.
She had to ring for long time, for the
| porter was not accustomed to be called up
| at such an hour.
The good prelate did not make so much
| fuss about it. When he learned that a
lady wished to see him on serious and
urgent business, he had her shown up to
the waiting room without more ado.
The holy man was surprised to recog-
nize in the mysterious supplicant nun
whom he believed to be safely interned in
her convent and even more so when the
! girl he had always regarded as a model of
saintliness confessed her awful fault
At first he had good mind to shake
| her; but, seeing her in tears, he could not
help plying the poor lamb who had wan
dered from the fold and appealed to him,
the good shepherd, to lead her back again.
So, placing his hand on her head, he said:
"My daughter, your fault is great. How
ever, swear to me that you will never again
listen TO the counsels of the devil and
that you will henoeforward be the example
| of piety you ought to be, and will see
what can be done"
Rose promised fervently all that was re-
| quired of her.
"'Tis we'll" exclaimed his lordship
raising her to her feet. "Courage Cover
| up your face SO that no one can recognize
| you"
A few minutes later the last of the rev.
| elers from the masked ball at the Jeu de
| Paume were surprised to meet the arch
bishops carriage rumbling along toward
the convent.
The sister who acted as doorkeeper OF
| the convent, awakened by the noise of the
wheels as the carriage drew up at the gate
popped her head out of the window OF her
turret and thought she was dreaming
when she beheld his grace the archbishop.
The abbess jumped out Of bed and hur-
riedly donned her robe, putting her veil on
all awry in her precipitation, and forget
ting her golden crucifix.
The archbishop was waiting for her In
the reception room.
Madame" he exclaimed sternly, as she
entered, "it appears that scandalous things
are taking place in your convent. 1 am
streets at night"
"Oh, monsignor, 1t Is impossible" ejao-
ulated the abbess, clasping her hands and
raising her eyes in horror.
"a truce to talking" continued the
archbishop. 81 am here to see for myself,
as is my duty, whether all Is In order. Let
every nun lock herself In her cell, and
you, madame, set the example by with
drawing to your apartment will go the
round Of the cloister and see whether ev-
erybody responds to the roll call. "
Every nun, from the abbess to the door
keepers, locked herself in her cell His
lordship then fetched Rose, who was hud-
ding in the carriage, and led her through
the deserted corridors to her cell, where
she noiselessly locked herself in. Then the
archbishop went the round of the convent,
knocking at every door.
No one knew for certain what became of
the ohevalier. He had unfortunately
killed his adversary and had had to fly
from law.
Some declare that he became monk
Others assert that he was taken at Quiber-
on, and that when the republicans shot
him he was found to be wearing as a sash
across his breast the white veil of a nun.
Anyhow, he was never seen In Aries again.
GEMS OF THOUGHT.