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

but ever present; when they returned
weary, fooisOre, half dead from fatigue.
through the dim shades of falling night,
she walked between and drew them 10
her once again, Sometimes Brother Hy-
acinthe saw her standing at the head
of his pallet as the moonlight shone
into the long dOrmitory and the midnight
silence was broken by the restless sigh
ing, and coughing of his brother monks
Only at that time did Brother Colombo
find peace, for, of a slighter build than
Brother Hyacinthe, the toll, fasting and
pr1vatlonS of the day wore out his frail
body until he slept as sOundly as a lit
tie child. Often, however, Brother Hya-
cinthe, rising from his pallet and pac-
ing with noiseless, tiger steps the wooden
floor Of the dormitory, raised his gnarled
and knotted hands, muttering impreca-
tiOns against this woman whom he hated.
After these outbnrSts. however, he all
ways sought the abbot, confessed his sin,
did penance, and received abSoiution
only to struggle once more against the
malign influence of the woman who
had slain his soul. No woman was ever
allowed to set foot in Mahota-no
woman save one; and she came unbidden,
unseen, was always between these two
men who had fled from her and the
world. 1t seemed as if she resented their
escape from her tolls, her Circean allure
ments, and had resolved that there
should be no escape. Meek Brother Co
lombe bore his sufferings unflinchingly;
when he thought of this woman, it was
with chiidllke pity and love. Although
he prayed increasingly that her soul
might once more become white, he in
| ticted upon himself the seyerest possi,e
Bile penanees, always regarded her with
loving tenderness, and scourged his suf-
fering body to win her future salvation
Brother Hyacinthe passed slowly along
the corridor. goaded to madness that
Brother Colombo prayed for him; he did
| not want 70 be prayed for by Brother
| Colombo. There was still the memory of
| that woman between them the woman
| who prosecuted them both He could see
| her now, the siren eyes, the cleaning
white shoulders. the loyeliness of her
| lips, the slender fingers, which dragged
| him down to hell. He cursed her--cursed
| her-cursed her; and strobe on. If he
| could only revisit the world, how he
would rend Ter limb from limb, disfigure
! that fair face, crush her lying lovelness
into the dust. If he could only meet her
again! Only once! Only oncel He
and scar her eyes out. Ah-h-h! If it
were possible! If it were possible!
Brother Colombo put down the hot
iron with which he had been pressing
newly finished robe and sighed. Slowly
| the retreating footsteps of Brother Hya-
| cinthe died away. Then Brother CO.
| lombe, laying aside his work, entered the
corridor and went straight TO his favor
lite window seat, where he vas illuminat-
ing a missal with pictures of saints.
For more than month past during this
boar of recreation, he had painted the
Holy, Virgin and Child, Even in his
| dull heart there was 4 thrill of eXu1ta-
tion as he thought how full of promise
the painting was, how it needed but a
few more strokes of the brush to be COM
p!ete. What was his dismay as he
drew near the window seat to find that
some one had careleSsy upset glass Of
| water over the miSSal, and that the
labor Of more than a month was, nrac-
ticaly. ruined.
Brother Colombo sighed again. and
prayed that he might net in his guilty
heart deem this the work of an enemy.
Then he took up his brushes and at
| tempted TO repair the damage
He did not know that a few wards
away Brother Hyacinthe' regarded him
with intense hate, his cowl drawn well
well over his head. his eyes blazing like
| living Goals. When Brother Hyacinthe
| saw the meek monk once more resume
his labor. he folded his hands and. with
slow, measured steps, withdrew. AS
he went out there were several Law
brothers kneeling before the various sta
tionS of the cross, and a ghoStly light
filtered through the narrow windows To
him the ghostly light seemed full of fiery
! fame, for an irresistible temptation had
! suddenly taken possession of HIM
He could no logger endure the nrox-
unity of the man he hated-the man who
had rendered il impossible for him to
| escape from all memory of the woman he
still loved He would ruin this man and
himself at the same time and thus find
| way of escape,
He stole silently through the long cor
ridor. Perpetual vigils. the haunting
presence of the Unseen Woman the
| scanty food and appalling routine of his
daily life had done their work. For the
/ moment he ives insane with all mad
mans cunning!
Alone in tka long stone corridor he
looked carefully around. but there was no
| one in sight for the farm hands of the
monastery had all gone to their midday
meal. Even the swineherd was not TO be
seen. The only sound which broke the
stiffness was the dull low moaning of
the chapel bell: il seemed to him that il
knelled the passing of his own soul
For a moment he hesitated. then stole
quickly down the corridor, and, coming
TO the room where Brother Colombo had
been at work, looked furtively in. There
was no one there.
Before leaving the room Brother Co.
lomhe had heaped fresh logs in the stove,
They cracked and spluttered and cast i
cheerful glow over the stone floor. The
reflection of the flames danced upon the
gloomy walls; the irons which Brother