Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-23
CHAPTER III.

"h' Ns'fAR a'Nh W. Wv ttVeha INV hHN"
CHAPTER III.
II was nearly midnight and a fashion,
| able congregation had assembled In the
| little church OF st. Joseph. Two young
slrls In white dresses stood at the door
and received the donations that were
| offered By the worshipers. Tor the poor.
| Naturally II was a hard task for them
TO preserve the rlgld silence that de-
corum demanded, and they convcrsc1
| with each other In low tone as DIFF
feicnt people passed, dropping courtc-
eles to those who by their liberal con-
| respect. one Of the largest donors was
MADAME Francois. widow lady. She
/ was a woman OF more than medium
/ height and her face bore traces Of cx-
tromc sorrow. She walked down the
church with a dlgnlfled step that re.
/ called the old days when France held
| court and noble lords and ladies prac-
ticed the art OF gallnntry. "Bahi" said
/ n woman with red handkerchief tied
turbnn-llkc round her Lead. who stood
at the door, II hate her. the proud
| atistOcrat."
20, Mother Crosse. don't say that"
pleaded one OF the girls. she
has suffered 80 much We'll
| replied the oiher. II am glad
OF H. She has had nothing but sugar
| plums since she was born" 1T " only
rlsht she should suffer like the rest OF
| US"
"Ycs. that's true. but don't You think
for that very reason, her trials are all
| the harder to bear now7 II SCENE to
me we grow accustomed Co grief. like
| everything else. and cease TO feel thinse
10 kconly. think Madame Francois
"a an angel" added the girl with
| warmth.
so are her husband and son.' an
| swcrcd the older woman. dryly.
Yes, she never mentions them. i
sew for her. and " we chance 10 speak
Of the war. she win alwaye change the
flowers every day TO place on their
| graves
The conversation was here interrupted
by the entrance OF more contributors.
and soon the service commenced.
Although st. Joseph's church was one
| OF the smallest In the city. II had gained
the reputation for having the finest
music. and tonight the crowd OF wor-
shippers was no great that there was
barely standing room. As the supreme
moment arrived and the hour OF mid
night sounded, n great stiffness came
over the kncellng congregation. broken
only by the unkllng OF the little silver
bells na the priest raised the sacred
cmblems In his hands ana blessed the
people.
suddenly the shrlll cry OF n child
broke upon the air, and all eyes were
turned towards the aleove whence
u came.
Wonderful. astonishing truly. Those
near enough saw something they VIII
never forget. There In the manger the
cradle Of the infant Jesus. was real
live baby. sitting up and rubbing his
eyes sleeplly with his little fists. From,
his neck and arms hung gay colored
ribbons, and the more simple OF the
people thought that the Lord Himself
had again assumed this humble guisc u
visit them ths night The whole con.
grcgation was agitatcd, but the priest
turned towards them with his hands
uprniaed and they knelt once more.
Then Madame Francois. who was sit.
ting near. rose and taking the child
In her arms calmly resumed her place
with him In her lap, and his crying soon
ceased as he nestled to h.'
ine near. took In the Who'll,
situation Mt n glance. and although She
was very much shocked at the Hacri-
legc that had been committed she re-
placed the wax baby In the mangei
with "a rcvcrent air.
At last the service terminated and
the people crowded around TO see tho
miracle. but everything was as usual
There lay the figure. and no amount OF
persuasion would elicit from II tn,
slightest sign OF life. and yet We heard
II cry" said some. and others affirmed
they had seen II sitting up. and that
its face was lovely beyond description
Then as the story grew, some said
that II had a halo round Its head. and
others that the figures OF Mary and
her husband had moved also,
No notice was taken OF Madam,
Francois. as she sat with her new
found treasure folded to her bosom
Her heart yearned toward the littl'
wnif tears were streaming from hei
eyes, and n sensation Of peace such ~
she had never known. since her grea
sorrow, was In her heart. She gnzet
on the lovely little head and he grew
more and more dear to her every mo-
ment She took the baby hand In hei
palm and the little fingers closed un'
consciously ON hers. She feared eacf
moment that his mother would com,
to claim him. How could shc have lcfl
him? That was her query. Who wouit
have dared to place her child In suci
a place? She knew the vencratlon In
which these sacred cmblema were held
She could not account for II, but wni
content to enjoy the delicious pleas
ure OF the moment. In her Imagination
she saw herself bride and happy
young mother. Again she Viewed hei
handsome soldier husband and lived
over the happy dnyN that were passed
At last she woke from her reverit
| ana round ncrHclf alone IN the cnufcn
No one had come TO take her precious
burden from her, 80 wrapping him II
her cloak she rose To leave. The priest
too. was on his way out. and to hin
she connded the mysterious secret. IL,
agreed with her that no better plar
could be adopted than the one gh,
proposed which was that the little ont
should be hers unless claimed by hit
parents.
with n sensation almost OF cxulta'
tlon she stepped Into her carriage. ant
was soon rolling swiftly towards hei
home, The more she looked at tn,
child. the more unaccountnblc to herself
were her feelings II was as n Hh,
had known this little face with III
wealth Of golden ourls, all her life
What could II mean? Like an ignli
fatuus, the recollection seemed Will
her. and then again II was gone. II,
smiled In HIS sleep, II was ms familiar
to her an her own face In the glass
most remarkable coincidence certainly
There was no happier woman In al
Paris that night than the proud Ma
dame Francois. m she laid down bcsid,
the baby In her luxurious room ant
she felt that God Himself had sent on,
OF His children to comfort her lionel,
heart In the loss OF her own son.
CHAPTER ~.
We must now return to poor Gabri
ellie. II was not long before Grove