Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-12-02

was my wife, I knew. Pious angel!
how devout she looked! I smiled in
| dreamy scorn as | watched her;
| cursed her afresh in the name Of the
man l had killed. And above all, sur
| rounded with the luster Of golden rays
| and incrusted jewels, the uncovered
Hoste shone serenely like the CLEAN
Of the morning star. The stately SER
| vice went on-the organ music swept
through and through the church as
| though it were a strong wind striving
to set itself free-but amid it all
sat as one in dark dream, scarcely
seeing hearing-inf1exible and cold as
i marble. The rich plaintive voice Of
one of the nuns in the choir, singing
the Agnus Del, moved me to a chill
sort of wonder. "Qui TOLLS peccata
mundi Who takest away the sins
Of the world" No, no! there are some
sins that cannot be taken away-the
Sins of faithless women, the little"
sins as they are called nowadays
we have grown very lenient in some
| things, and very severe in Others
We will imprison the miserable wretch
who steals five francs from our
pockets, but the cunning feminine
thief who robs us of our prestage, our
name, and honorable standing among
our fellowmen, escapes almost scot
free; she cannot be put in prison, or
sentenced to hard labor-not she! A
pity it is that Christ did not leave us
some injunction as to what was to be
done with such women-not the peni-
tent Magdalenes, but the creatures
whose mouths are full of lies even
when they pretend to pray-they who
would be capable of trying to tempt
| the priest who comes to receive their
! last confessions-the who would
even act out a sham repentance on
their death-bens in order to look we'll.
What can be done with devils such as
! these? Much has been said latterly of
the wrongs perpetrated on women by
men, will not one take up the other
side Of the question? We, the stronger
sex, are weak in this-we are too
chlvalrOus. When a woman filings
herself on our mercy we spare her and
her secrets out of us; something holds
US back from betraying ner I know
not What it can be-perhaps it is the
memory of our mothers. Whatever
it is, it is certain that many a man
allows himself to be disgraced rather
than he will disgrace a woman. But
a time is at hand when this foolish
chiValry of ours will die out. On
changera tout celia! When once our
heavy masculine brains shall have
grasped the novel idea that woman
has by her own wish ard choice re-
signed all claim on our respect or
forbearance, we shall have our re-
Venge. We are slow to change the
traditions of our forefathers, but no
doubt we shall soon manage to uuench
the last spark of knightly reverence
left in us for the female sex, as this is
evidently the point the women desire
to bring us to. We shall meet them
on that low platform of the Equality
they seek for, and we shall treat them
with the unhesitating and regardless
familiarity they SO earnestly invite!
Absorbed in thought, I knew not
when the service ended hand
touched me, and looking up | saw
Mere Marguerite, who whispered:
Follow me, if you please
! | rose and obeyed her mechanically.
Outside the chapel door she said:
Pray excuse me for hurrying you.
The nuns and boaders passing OUT
[ bowed, and walked on beside her.
Feeling forced to say something, [
asked:
Have you many boarders at this
holiday season.
Only fourteen" she replied land
they are children whose parents live
far away. Poor little ones!" and the
set lines OF the nuns stern face
softened into tenderness as she spoke
! We do our best to make them happy,
but naturally they feel lonely. We
have generally fifty or sixty young
girls here, besides the day scholars"
"A great responsibility" I remarked
Very great indeed" and she
sighed; almost terrible. So much of
"a woman's after life depends on the
early training she receives. We do all
We can, and yet in some cases our ut
most efforts are in vain; evil creeps
! in, we knew not how-some unsus-
pecten fault spoils a character that we
judged to be admirable, and we are
often Disappointed in our most promis-
ing pupils. Alas! there is nothing en-
tirely without blemish in this world
! Thus talking, she bowed me into a
small, comfortable-looking room, lined
with books and softly carpeted.
This is one of our libraries she
explained. The countess will receive
you here, as other visitors might dis
turb you in the drawing-room Par
don me-" and her steady gaze had
something of compassion in it, but
you do not look we'll. Can | send you
some wine?''
| l declined this offer with many ex-
pressions Of gratitude, and assured her
l was perfectly well. She hesitated,
and at last said, anxiously:
I trust you were not offended at
my remark concerning Nina Romani's
marriage with you? I fear l was too
hasty?'
Not so, madame" l answered, with
| all tho T fo1+ ie