Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1905-08-23
Chadwick's Shrine

Miss Norton that the view from the top
Of the rocky little hill by the roadside
was well worth the climb. Together
they assembled the winding footpath
that wound its way up the hill and
stood on the summit looking across the
brown fields of Tuscany to the faint
blue line Of water in the distance.
Close at hand was a clump of stunted
olive trees, and beneath the trees was
the shrine of some saint. They had
been on the summit at the hill but q
few minutes when a peasant woman
came toiling up the path and with
scarcely glance at the two Americans
knelt before the shrine and began to
mutter rapid prayers while she deftly
fingered a rosary.
They watched her in silence; Miss
Norton with smile Of understanding
and quick sympathy and Chadwick
with that look Of sardonic complacency
that men of his type affect in the pres
ence of religious devotions.
Her beads told, the woman shambled
down the path again, the bright ker-
chief about her head making moving
bit of color against the brown Of the
landscape.
"Her prayers seem to be sort Of
machine made product" Chadwick OBJ
served.
The girl shook finger at him.
Don't scott" she said.
Chadwick shrugged his broad Shout
ders.
I'D hate to be an interpreter Of Ital-
ian in celestial realms" said he. did
you hear how she reeled them off?
couldn't make out word Of it."
81 didn't try to understand" said
she. Il was thinking of the pictur-
esqueness OF it,"
at did have its color" he admitted,
and. pointing to the shrine. continued:
Il wonder what saint that is? The
tip Of his nose is gone, and he seems
rather weather beaten"
The girl laughed in spite Of her eff
forts to maintain a grave expression.
Aren't you ever serious?" she said
chidingly. Don't such things ever
impress you as rather solemn"
81 confess to an undue sense Of the
incongruous," said he. "Still, think
it applies largely to externals. The
spirit OF the thing : its underlying
meaning impress me tremen.
dously. I'm very much in sympathy
with these shrines. Indeed, main
tain one myself"
The girl eyed him narrowly. She
was vainly trying to fathom the i'm.
port Of his words. @
where Is this shrine Of yours?'' she
asked. #r
wherever am" said he.
do you ever worship before it"' she
inquired.
MANY times daily" he declared.
II didn't realize you were in SYM
pathy with anything of the kind" she
observed.
Didn't your he asked cheerfully.
"Well. I've many excellent qualities as
yet undiscovered" %
I'D like to hear about this shrine"
said she. "a pagan so devout must
certainly appeal to that abnormal
sense of the incongruous you claim for
yourself"
when l seek my shrine I'm not a
pagan" he declared. Its not
shrine like this. It's mental shrine,
and in it have placed my patron
saint"
What sort Of saintT' she demand
ed, with hint of incredulity in her
voice.
Chadwick looked at her with de-
liberate gaze. He was smiling as he
went on:
"A very gentle saint that any man
might be proud to worship; a saint
with brown hair and dark eyes and
all the beauty and goodness Of the
universe stamped on her face; saint
that is enshrined in the heart of every
honest right minded man; in simpler
words, the ideal woman"
The girl looked at him and colored
slightly.
And that's your Wanted shrineT
she asked. p
He nodded. f.
ITS not as picturesque as this one
here" said she. 81
1T Is to me-" he declared. Anyway,
the mere worshiping at the shrine has
made different man Of me-"
She looked across the brown fields.
do you say Italian prayers to your
saint" she asked
I'D say good English ones IL I
dared" he replied. Thank goodness
my saint has not been transplanted TO
spiritual abodes as yet But only dare
utter Intellectual petitions to her image
in the shrine"
"Whyr she demanded.
I'm afraid a direct intercession to
her might result in her discouraging
my worship" said he.
Perhaps not" she said softly, look
ing toward the blue thread of water
He took step toward her, but she
darted past him and began to descend
the path.
Come" she called to him; they'll
have lunch ready under the cork trees y
He ran down the path and caught her
arm.
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