Sharp County record., 1903-09-04
at the
Corfe sional
By W. :. c. TEA-EER.

EtFIo lll q N. pIihH .Il'''.' We 40 .''''''''.'
the noises of the streets and trans
formed the street lamps into rhast ?
bmrs a. yellow mt reflected t.WFl-
the wet DrvcmeuJ With rhe fog came
chill wind which nipped the hnrn racs
81 the uewsboys quickeued the meas
ured tread OF the ganGnrmas and
caused the few reiaJed pedestrians tH
Easteu homcwarts.
Within the pre- cathedral al vas
gloom and silence It Wis deserted,
save for a few miseraaIes, who lin
sCrpd more for the warmth and prntacs
zion tnan from any mouNcs N EiefT.
TN sacriAcia cauI -s -viuE.ed win
a lamhelJ radianc which .e ou mo
canny aspect t0 the herharic spiendor
of the altar. and served to e2>aEgera5e
the impressive distances Of the inte-
rior.
Before one ~ the calfessionnls
priest was standing. alone. His arms
were folded on b "a breast and Eis head
lowered In an attitude oi meditation
He was a man Of 20 or thereahour3 tail
and mass re-, with fine pa5ricinu Zen.
lures. from whirh his ascetic life had
not entirely erased the lines CT roUrh
and enthusiasm As he stood there,
snwraDt in reverie. his face bore sn
Homogeneous expression Of br0oGinr
pain. tt was as il dead past had
some to life and was cutcbinv at his
heart with cruel fngers-the past
which had drawn him to the PRIEST
hood for refuge, and which even its
Stern consultation could not banish.
In a distant loft an organ SOUNDED.
dissipatiug the images of his reveries.
Fis fingers touched his beads and he
prayed swiftly.
Outsi5e, the mist had settled into a
chill driz7le and the streets were rap
idly being deserted A hrougham, COM
spicuous for its rich appointments,
swept out Of the current Of vehicles
and drew up IN front Of the cathedral
A liveried footmen opened the door,
and woman pei a3 and 1lrhed in
long coat stepped out and asconded the
marble sJeps Inside she noticed with
satisfaction the almost deserted cons
lit0n of the intertor, Then abe aps
proached the solitary figure Of the
priest.
Father" she said, in u low voice, but
without hesitation, IT wish to confess
to you. VIII YOU hear meT'
The priest had involuntarily drawn
the cowl over his face so "a to conceal
his features.
Surely, madame" he replied 1--WE
will enter the confessional, if you
please
Inside the htole chapel they took
their places, ne sitting behind the low
rail, on which the woman rested her
arnls as she lmelt before him.
"Begin my child, and may God for
give you for your transgressions."
"T have no petty llst of W.T. ngdoings
to conf So to you, father" she began,
"thourh there are enough of them,
Heaven knows, but I wish 10 tell you
the story Of my life, have never told
it before, but I can no longer keep
silence"
"You do we'll 10 come TO me " the
priest answered, mechanically. May
the Holy Virgin intercede for YOU"
years age" she continued, "no mat
ter how many, was betrothed TO a
young man. We were very much in
love with each other, and life seemed
fun Of bliss FOR us, We were not TO
be married lntu my lovers fortune
was assured, FOR although he was q
scion of a noble house his father had
died ard left his affairs in an emhar
rassed ccr,Htion, and feeble mother
was dependent upon him for support,
He was capable and willing TO work,
and his prospects were bright for an
honorable career; but--ah, well, it IA
he old story. 7 WAS young and ans
bilious and impatient at the long watt
ing, and longed for luxury and social
distinction, so when Baron de'-she
checked herself suddenly the
man ! aIIeFWaFlS ma EIlF'l 'HHI"'l wa
these thingS.-r was weak and foolish,
and my father urged me-and so ac-
cepted him--God forgive me.-and
broke faith with my lover"
Her voice broke, and she paused p
moment TO gain her selt-control
at is not so awful thus far, is H.,
father? But the terrible part is TO
come. Fabrice, my lo--what is 1t, IA
ther?"
The priest had uttered q half-sup-
pressed cry,
Nothing" he replied, hastily-'a
slight cough. Proceed"
my lover" she continued, suddenly
disappeared. II was thought that he
had committed suicide, but his body
was never found. Then his poor moth
er-he was her idol-died Of grief. See
what sorrow and suffering my folly
has brought about.
2 1T did not take long for me 90 dis
cover my mistake-bu but it was too late.
I had bound myself to a man I could
never love; my chance for happiness