The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-10-13

az ttti Va ~
came the apparently interminable verses o.
the closing hymn.
AT last the monotonous and somewhat
nasal dit>y came to an end. and the congre'
cation poured forth: the elders of the village
first, from their benches nearest the door
old men, soberly clad, with sleeved coats
and hats with down-bent brims sheitering
locks cut square just at the nape of the
neck; then the married women-more gayly
attired than these. with d wealth of skirts
accumulated during n lifetime, and beauti.
fully embroidered caps and bodices; the
maidens next, with their characteristic head
gear or many-foided scarlet ribbons. hiding
their painfully screwed-away fiaxen locks,
with aprons and hodices and closely pleated
skirts. bearing testimony alike to their ar
tis;ic tas.e and their clever fingers: and
fEaally the children, copies in miniature of
the older folk. A girl. strutting somewhat
rompously down the middle of the road.
was all at once accosted by Pista.
"Pcchvalen bud JeZus Christus" praise
be to Jesus Christi, he said. saluting her
after the custom of the place.
"Navechi" lin all eternity, returned she.
proceeding TO make some remark about the
weather.
But Pista's eyes were fixed on her en-
hroidered bodice. the wide cambria sleeves
of which were wonderfully wrought In fine
blue silk.
All he cried. enviously. and stretching
forth his hand he fingered the pattern diff
IDENTIFY. All. how beautiful Never have
] seen sleeves of such a color. You bought
them in Tyrnau. perhaps7"
No" returned Anna. proudly. Il worked
them myself. The holy ladies at the con
vent showed me the pattern. and sent for
the silk for me all the way from Pozsony."
Another girl who had come up behind
them now stepped forward.
81 do not like the COLOR she said. sharply.
She was q tall handsome creature, az
great a contrast to Pista. with his blond
beauty. as to good-natured. ill-favored An
ma, the village heiress. whose figure looked
all the clumsier for its wealth OF petticoats.
and whose forid. hat-featured face was
supported on a face already disfgured By
an i~nsipient goitre. Marinka had gypsy blood
Z in her veins. as was testified by her bru.
nette coloring and flashing dark eyes.
II don't like blue" she repeated, with q
tap Of her high boot which sent q little
cloud Of dust flying upward. Pista turned
manned stolidly smiling.
Ah1y NV elCGbcSs lie IepSdIeo.
Il would give all 1 possess in the world to
have such a pair"
Why" said Anna, politely. they are not
more beautiful than your own. Pista- Ma.
rinka is a better needIewoman than l."
Nevertheless. turning about her stout arm,
che surveyed her own handiwork with COM
placency.
'Marinka's work Is also beautiful. but
IT is not blue" said Pista mournfully. II
wish it had been blue"
Marinka's eyes filled with angry tears.
How. proud she had been when her lover
had brought her that piece OF fine linen to
embroider for him! She stamped her foot
again and turned away.
When me Lady of the Schloss and her
friends were slipping their coffee under the
.plane-trees that afternoon. a dazzling figure
suddenly appeared on the sunny path q
few PAGES from them.
There is some messenger" said the Lady.
mo. I believe It is one Of my OK driversk|
1t is Pista. is it not?''
The youth stepped forward. and STOPPING
with the gesture Of a Prince. raised his
MISTRESS hand to his lips.
Why. what is wrong, Pista?" said she
kindly. Then gathering alarm, 'There Is
nothing the matter with Czigany, I hopper
Czigany was the gentle creature which
nightly ate bread from her handy
Nay. gracious Lady" returned Pista, |
standing before her very upright. with his
befiowered nat in his hands. "Nay-it is only
that I came to ask a favor-I came to beg
the gracious Lady-to spare me some blue
silk pleaded Pista. fixing upon her his
imploring eyes. blue silk to work with. the
Nnhla Iqdv rndapc$nr CLA - 81
herself how common is the embroidery on
my sieeves-only rough linen thread spun
from our own max and dyed with our own
herbs-not fit to wear on Sunday. much less
on a feast day; and the high, well born
Lady knows that the great feast will soon
be here, when every one in the whole
country will be going to Szanta Marinka
Kosztole, the blessed chapel in the hills.
Every one Will have their finest clothes-
one sees sleeves there. Noble Mistress, that
are all gold embroidery from shoulder to
waist! Yes indeed, and worn by less worthy
fellows than T."
But those arc beautiful sleeves, Pista,
that you are wearing there: and a little
bird told me they were worked for you by
a pretty maiden"
"Ab, yes." he returned indiferentIy. but
they are red. tho Gracious Lady sees, and
the Holy Mothers color is blue, as every
one knows: and then they are worked in
common thread"
And do you think. Pista. that the Blessed
Virgin has a preference for silk? No. no:
you-are a very vain young man. and even
II ! had blue silk in my possession at this
moment I would not give it to you. Go
away. and try to think a little less of YOUR
appearance"
Pistas stopped and kissed her hand again
with the same swift grace as before. but
with a lowering brow. replaced his hat at
the usual artistic angle and walked away.
The little village lay simmering in the
MONDAY heat next day. when Old Widow
Martha made her way through. the dust
and glare to the convent door. 1t was wide
open, according to custom. during school
hours. and Martha walked straight In, not
only along the passage, but into the little
kitchen beyond.
Sister Monica. who had been peeling po-
tatoes at the deal table. looked UP In mild
surprise and uttered the usual greeting.
"Navechi, Amen" answered Martha, and
lifting up the corner OF her apron, she in
continently began to cry.
Sister Monica was less disturbed than
might have been expected, for among the
good s1ayonian, folk, as elsewhere, tears
not infreQuently herald n petition: she OBJ