Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-09-26

Colombo had placed in front of the stove
were almost red-hot
Brother Hyacinthe looked round with
an air of satisfaction, seized several
Pieces OF the rough, thick cloth and
handful of shavings, and pushed them
into the stove.
In moment the cloth and shavings be
gan to flare up. They would die away
too quickly to do any harm.
He thrust one end of a long wooden
bench in the stove, put the other end
against the wooden wall, and went away.
No one would come near the place for al
least a quarter of an hour
lie returned to the corridor and sur
veyed Brother Colombe's half-hearted al
tempt at work with malicious satisfac-
ton. So absorbed were the monks in
their devotons that at first they noticed
nothing; then the acrid smell of burning
cloth and wood brought them back to
that earth from which they had so com
pletely detached themselves, AS the
smoke grew thicker and thicker they sud
denly realized that the mona stery was
on fire, and, even in an emergency like
this, not daring to speak, looked pitifully
at one another. An ancient monk mo-
toned to them to follow him. and, one
by one, they glided away through the
film of gray smoke to seek for water
Brother Colombo was the In st to leave
the corridor. He had suddenly become
absorbed in his efforts to repair the dam
age done to the painting, and was insen-
Sible to the approach of the fire until
the smoke entered his nostrils and made
him cough. When he looked up, he
found himself in a world of gray smoke,
Through which flashed the fiery eyes of
Brother Hyacinthe.
As Rrother Hyacinthe pointed mem
acing finger in the direction of Brother
lNr.tx.v - AL I
upon the good monk that re was respon-
sible for the catastrophe which had hap
pened. Hastily rising from his knees, he
spread q sheet of paper over his beloved
painting, and glided through the gray
mist toward the door He was unable
to find it,
When he looked around in bewildel-
ment the eyes of Brother Hyacinthe still
glared fiercely at him.
Again he felt along the walls and
again missed the door. When he looked
up, Brother Hyacinthe was beside him.
The rules of their order forbade speech !;
hut if ever human eyes spoke eloquently,
they Were the eyes of Brother Colombo
as he gazed up ut Brother Hyacinthe
and placed a trembling hand upon his
arm.
Brother Hyacinthe shook off Brother
Colombe's fingers as if they burned him.
and opened the door, Brother Colombo
followed him thankfully. under the delu-
sion that Brother Hyacinthe was endeav-
oring to save him.
Once outside the door, Brother Hya-
cinthe led the way along the corridor, oc-
casioually thrusting out an unwilling
hand TO drag Brother Colombo forward,
After what seemed nm interminable
space of time they reached Brother Co
lombe's little room, in which the fire
ragged fiercely. Outside they heard the
wild changing of the monastery bell as 1t
gave the alarm to the surrounding vii
lagos The narrow stream of water in
the valley had run nearly dry: there were
only two large wells in front of the mon
! astery. A windlass creaked as the water
was slowly drawn to the top. The buck
cts seemed pitifully small,
Tongues of flame leaped through the
| thickening smoke-wreaths. AT last! at
lastr' Numbered Brother Hyacinthe.
.srhe devil hath delivered you into my
hand at lastw His long lean, sinewy
| fingers closed round Brother Colombo S
throat.
Brother Colombo made no resistance.
| His last thought was prayer for the
soul of the woman he had once loved
with an earthly passion. In the agony
| of imminent death. he now saw her clad
! in the rament of the Shining Ones. Her
| eyes looked into his with tender love;
they implored pardon, forgiveness, were
| full of sorrow for the sins of earth.
Brother Hyacinthe shifted his hold
and grasped Brother Colombo round the
waist To east him into the blazing room.
| Suddenly. he let go his grip and stag
gered against the doorway.
| A white hand thrust HIM into the fiery
furnace. he fell backward, the flames
| swallowed him up.
Brother Colombo felt himself grasped
nv the soft hand of a woman. She laid
| a finger on his lips as she led him forth
/ from the flames At the touch of her
| healing fingers, he opened his eyes and
| saw the Gates of the Celestial City.
| A little distance away. despairing
! monks dashed buckets of water against
! the monastery walls.
He was alone,-G. B. Burgin, in Back
/ White