The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-01-16
CHAPTER XIX,
CAssANDRA SURVIVES TROY.

Father Grhe, whom she had
persuaded to prolong his duty
call ut 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 a
long pipe with evident satisfaction,
though look Of protest seemed to
have settled upon his benignant coun-
tenance. Odette, matured and grave.
sat on cypress block outside the gate,
listlessly looking up and down the de-
serted road. The warm languor of
spring was in the air, the hush of trop-
1cal noon was on all the scene.
MY child" said Father Grhe, 1.-THE
life of Discalced Carmelite nun is
one of unutterable severity. It is but
breathing death. Her cell is, in fact.
grave, her convent cemetery. More
than figuratively she is dead to the
world. She can scarce be called q
shade Of her former self. immured be-
hind walls and CRATES, barefoot, shorn,
her sight rfveted to the ground, SUBJ
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,
Sister Of the Sacred Heart. ANY of
these serves God by serving his chill
dren in the world he made for them"
1T is your tender heart, father, which
counsels," she replied, land it cannot
fully know the needs and cravings Of
my spirit. To mingle with the world
even on pious errands must always re-
mind me in some degree of what
have lost, CT what l 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"
II fear it is the latter hope which
most recruits the order" sighed the
priest.
Let not the subject disturb you fur
Their for the present, father" she said,
"for / will stay by my poor GRANDPA
Their to the end, as promised, and pos
sibly then 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 your
II fear he will have the hardihood
and meanness to do so. Whatever of
manliness and generosity he may have
had In former years seems to have
been educated out Of him by his tute-
lage to Quillebert," answered Father
Grhe, with bitterness for which he
atoned that night with 80 Ave Marias
and three readings Of the daily Office.
"Ihen, l pray you to stay here, ia
Their, as late as you can. I will not ask
you to be present at the dread inter-
view, but / shall have courage from
knowing you are near"
"Fear not, daughter. will remain"
"Oh, l wish it was over" she whis-
pered, shuddering.
A shriu 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
grip exclaimed Estelle, alarmed.
''Stay here. 1 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, on the Mississippi, with it's
leather curtains down and drawn by
two lean and weary ponies, was ap-
preaching. It was surrounded by
score Of men on horseback and afoot,
crowding past each other and eagerly
peering through the front and the sides
Of the ancient vehicle, all speaking at
once, so that their excited voices pro-
duced an unintelligible hum. Odette,
with her arms round his neck, appear
ed to be dragging a handsome dark
man, whose arm was about her waist,
toward the coach, entreating wildly:
MAKE him get out! He must get
out! Do not let him go by! Help him
down! Lead him in! He must not go
by!' .E ....
Father Grhe rushed through the
group, threw aside the curtain, looked
within and fell back step, his face
radiant with ecstatic establishment.
Raising his eyes heavenward and
spreading his open palms, he said SOL
EMMY: s
BLESSED be the name of the Lord
now and forever!
Instantly every head was barred and
reverently bowed, and from Incl, the
old schoolmaster, came the response: