The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-11-20
CHAPTER XIX
CAsSANDRA SURVIVES TROY.

the veranda to Estelle and
Father Grhe, whom she had
persuaded to prolong his duty
call at the afflicted home. Suffering was
depicted IN her face, but also the meek
resignation Of the martyr. The priest,
whose breadth Of girth had grown in
the pinching times Of war, but whose
hair had thinned and was whitening,
inhaled the smoke of periQue from Z
long pipe with evident satisfaction.
though q look of protest seemed to
have settled upon his benignant coun-
tenance. Odette, matured and grave,
sat on q cypress block outside the gate,
nstlessly looking up and down the de-
serted road. The warm languor Of
spring was in the air, the hush OF trop-
ical noon was on all the scene.
MY child" said Father Grhe, the
life Of a Discalced Carmelite nun is
one Of unutterable severity. 1t is but
a breathing death. Her cell is, in fact,
a grave, her convent a cemetery. More
than fguratively she is dead to the
world. She can scarce be called a
shade of her former self, immured be-
hind walls and CRATES, barefoot, shorn,
her sight riveted to the ground, sub.
sisting on crusts dogs would scarce eat.
Were pope the order should be abol-
ished. Think Of some other-a Sister
Of Charity, Little Sister Of the Poor,
q Sister Of the Sacred Heart. Any of
these serves God by serving his chill
dren in the world he made for them"
''It is your tender heart, father, which
counsels," she replied, and it cannot
fully know the needs and cravings Of
my spirit To mingie with the world
even on pious erranGs must always re-
mind me in some degree Of what
have lost, Of what have suffered.
Forgiveness of wrongs, forgetfulness
Of sorrows, absorption in God the Con.
soler, will soonest come in the cell Of
the discalced nun. And it may be
there my soul will soonest be chasten-
ed and released
81 fear it is the latter hope which
most recruits the order" sighed the
priest.
LET not the subject disturb you fur
ther for the present, father" she said,
''for I will stay by my poor srandfa-
ther to the end, as promised, and pos
sibly then l may be able to see as you
do. Will NJ Quillebert, you think, be
cruel enough to disturb grandpere while
he is so ill?''
Cruel enough, yes, but scarcely bold
enough to risk the indignation of the
people,"
"And can you believe NJ. Evariste
will fulfill his threat Of coming here
again and repeating his demand upon
me? Can you believe he will after
what said to him, as have told you"
81 fear he will have the hardihood
and meanness to do so. Whatever of
manliness and generosity be may have
had in former years seems to have
been educated out Of him by his tute-
lage to Quillebert," answered Father
Grhe, with q bitterness for which he
atoned that night with 80 Ave Marias
and three readings Of the daily office.
Then, I pray you to stay here, IA
ther, as late as you can. will not ask
you to be present at the dread inter
view, but I shall have courage from
knowing you are near"
''Fear not, daughter. l will remain"
"Oh, I wish it was over" she whis-
pered, shuddering.
A shrill scream at the gate startled
both to their feet to see Odette dart
down the road like bird Of fight.
"What can have happened to the
girl?" exclaimed Estelle, alarmed.
'Stay here. will go and see," said
the priest, and he hurried hatless along
the gravel walk to the gate and out into
the road.
a strange sight met his gaze. The
primitive mail coach from Red River
Landing Oh the Mississippi, with its