Connecticut western news., 1901-07-04
IN GRANADA
 The Story
 of a Soulless Child.
BY MADELEINE YALE WINNIE.

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 "Pepita," said I, do tell me story" 'Senora Maria Madalena, would you like to hear about Seraphita? She. was born in Granada. That was 100 years ago. She was born In a high place. Her mother was of great family, and her father was great, too, but he was very wild, and Seraphita was the pret- tiest thing that ever was born in Gran ada Everybody said so, and her moth CT used to think that the sun rose on the east side of her little bed and set on the west.
 "The days ran merrily till Seraphita was 4 months old. Then she died. Her mother had so much heart grief that she lost her wits. For one whole day she sat, cold and still, without tear, and then she cried aloud and be- gan to tear out handfuls of her smooth black hair, and it was great pity, for her hair was black and long and glls- tened like satin. She was called the satin haired. But she forgot how beautiful she was, and she would not eat anything or even sleep.
 Two nights after Seraphita died and was lying as white and beautiful as an angel, with wax candles at her head and feet and with white flower in her hand, her mother went quietly into the room and sent the old nurse who was watching over Seraphita away. Then she closed the door and threw herself on her knees and prayed so hard that her prayers could not get up to heaven, for they were more like curses than prayers, and, Sonora Maria Madalena, 1t is not good to pray like that. One must not send up prayers that are not fit to go to heaven, for then St. Peter shuts the gates of heaven, and the prayers go, wandering up and down In the great spaces of air, where there Is no one to answer them.
 "The devil, who is everywhere but in heaven, came to her and asked with very sweet voice. for he can use any voice he likes, What Is 1t that Seraphl- ta's mother Is praying forY
 "I want my child back. I want her in my arms that are so empty and my heart that aches so.'
 
 not know exactly how he told her, but he made her know that he could give Seraphta back to her just as she had been, with her rosy cheeks and her black eyes and her pretty black hair, which was going to be like her moth CTS. He could do this, only he could not give her soul back. She must be | always without soul.
 And Seraphita's mother talked with | the devil, for her wits were gone, and ] she did not know right from wrong. | and she promised anything if he would only give her baby back to her again, even without any soul. And the devil | very politely said he did not want any | thing to be given to him. He was glad | to give the child back so long as she | did not ask for the soul.
 And then while the mother looked at | Seraphita the pink came into the ba- l by's cheeks, and she smiled, and then, | because her joy was so great, the moth | CT cried out loud, and her voice could be heard way down in the street. Then everybody came running in to see what was the matter, and the father was so | church, and they had another ceremo- | ny, and this time he paid even more | gold, and there was a great fiesta in | Granada.
 You see, nobody but the mother | knew that only Seraphita's body was there, that she hadn't any soul and nev- CT could have one; only the mother knew, and she could not be happy.
 'She grew very thin, and her smooth satin hair turned white on top just where the devil had laid his hand, so she wore veil, even in the house, and she hid her eyes as if she was afraid and she prayed day and night. Nobody knew what she prayed, because she did not dare to tell even her husband.
 By and by she grew so afraid and sad because Seraphita somehow didn't seem to her any more like her ow1l child. She was like a beautiful wax doll. but she was not wax, and she looked just like herself to everybody else, only to her mother she seemed strange, and she could not get tho warm love back into her heart, ever though she pressed Seraphita to hel bosom night and day.
 "The little baby grew in spite of that and she grew prettier and prettier al the time. Everybody loved her excep her mother, and that was just what tht devil wanted.
 "The day Seraphita was year ole her mother could not bear 1t any lon ger, and she went to her priest ant confessed to him all about 1t, and ther very soon she died, because she had kept her secret so long it had just burn ed her beart out
 After that, no one knew how 1t hap pened, but pretty soon everybody began to whisper and look queerly at Sera' phita when the nurse carried her into the street, and her father seemed trou. bled, and he talked with the priest and wanted to pay some more money to the church, but they wouldn't have any more ceremonies for Seraphita, and the priests tried to make the people stoT l talkaa4a~-XhAt they. Aa!d .KAa not: