Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1901-06-22
IN GRANADA.
! - The Story
OF q souIIess Child.
By MADELEINE YALE WYNNR.

"Pepita," said I, ''do tell me a story.
Sonora Maria Madalena, would yo1
dke to hear about Seraphtta7 She wa
born tn Granada. That was 100 year
ago. She was born in a high place
Her mother was of a great family, ant
her father was great, too, but he wa
very wild, and Seraphita was the pref
tlest thing that ever was born IN Gran
ada Everybody said so, and her moth
er used to think that the sun rose OF
the east side Of her little bed and set OF
/ the west.
'The days ran merri1y till Seraphits
was 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 a
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 glis.
tened like satin. She was called the
satin haired. But she forgot how
beautiful she was, and she would not
eat anything OF even sleep.
Two nights after Seraphfta died and
was lying as white and beautiful as an
angel, with wax candies at her head
and feet and with white flower In her
hand, her mother went quietly into the
boom 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,
it 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 it that Seraphl-
ta's mother is praying forY
I want my child back. want her
in my arms that are SO empty and my
heart that aches So
"knd then the devil told her. I do
not know exactly how he told her, but
he made her know that he could give
Seraphita 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
eT's. 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
by's cheeks, and she smiled, and then,
because her Joy was so great, the moth
er cried out loud, and her voice could
be beard way down IN the street. then
everybody came running In to see what
was the matter, and the father was so
happy he carried Seraphita again to the
church, and they had another ceremo-
ny, and this time he paid even more
gold, and there was great fiesta in
Granada.
You see, nobody but the mother
knew that only Seraphita's body was
here, that she hadn't any soul and new
ar 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
The wore veil, even In the house, and
The hid her eyes as If she was afraid,
ind she prayed day and night. Nobody
NEW what she prayed, because she did
rot dare to ten even her husband.
"By and by she grew so afraid and
ad because Seraphtta somehow didn't
Ieem to her any more like her own
.hild. She was like a beautiful wax
Ioll but she was not wax, and she
ooked just like herself to everybody
lse, only to her mother she seemed
TRANCE, and she could not get the
warm love back into her heart, even
hough she pressed Seraphita to her
osom night and day.
"The little baby grew In spite of that,
nd she grew prettier and prettier all
he time. Everybody loved her except
er mother, and that was just what the
evil wanted.
"The day Seraphita was year old !
er mother could not bear it any lon-'
er. and she went to her priest and
to him all about ii and then