Gardnerville record. (Gardnerville, Nev.) 1898-1902, 1901-08-16

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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 high place.
Her mother was Of great family. and
her father was great, too. but he was
very Wild. and Seraphlta was the pret-
test thing that ever was born In Gran
ada. Everybody said 80. and her moth
er used to think that the sun rose on
the east side of her little bed and set on
the west.
The days ran merrlly till SeraphIta
was months old. Then she died.
Her mother had 50 much heart grief
that she lost her wits. Eor one whole
day she sat, cold and still. without a
tear. and then she cried aloud and be-
gan to tear out handfuls Of her smooth
black hair. and 1t 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 a white flower In her
hand her mother went quietly Into the
room and sent the old nurse who was
watching over Seraphita away. Then
Il. 81. a. AA nd hnr al
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 ls
no one TO answer them.
.''fhe devil. who Is everywhere but In
heaven. came to her and asked. with a
very sweet voice. for be can use any
voice he likes. What Is IL that Seraphl-
ta's mother is praying forr
81 want my child back. want her
In my arms that are so empty and my
heart that aches So
And then the devil told her ! do
not know exactly how he told her. but
be made her know that he could give
Seraphta back 10 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
ers He could do this, only he could
not give her soul back. She must be
always without a soul
And Serapbita's mother talked With
the devil. for her wits We're gone. aud
and she promised anything II he would
only give her baby back to her again.
even without any soul Aud the devil
very politely said be did not want any
thing 10 br given To him. He was glad
10 give the child back 10 long as She
did nDt ash for the soul
And then while the mother looked at
Seraphita the pink came into the ba-
by's checks. and she smiled, and then.
because her JOY was 50 great. tdle moth
er cried out loud. and her voice could
he heard way down IN tue street lhen
everybody came running In 10 see what
was the matter. and the father WAS SO
happy he carried seraphta again to the
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 new
er 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 Il veil. even In the house. and
She hid her eyes as II she was afraid.
aud 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 OVID
child. she was like beautiful wax
doll. but she was not wax. and she
else. only 10 her mother she seemed
strange. ana sne couiu uot gel the
warm love back into her heart, even
though she pressed Seraphita TO her
bosom night and day.
"I'he little baby grew In spite of that.
and she grew prettier and prettier all
the time. Everybody loved her except
her mother. and that was just what the
devil wanted.
"The day Seraphita was year old
her mother could not bear II any Ion
ger. and she went 20 her priest and
confessed 10 him aii about ii. aud then
very soon she died, because she had
kept her secret so long il had just burn
ed her benrt out.
After that, no one knew how IL hap
pened but pretty soon everybody began
10 whisper and look queerly at Sera-
phlta when the nurse carried her into
the street. and her father seemed trou-
bleu and he talked with tha nriast and