The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-07-28
In his cell, and because OF his humility
and his unf1agging industry, this
shortcoming In a brother whose fell
lows were all iu)l~beared, wss readily
FORGIVEN.

shortcoming In a brother whose fell.
lows were all u)l-beared, wss readily
forgiven.
PASSION FOR KNowLEDan.
Not only did he pray Ia Ills cell;
he studied-studied passionately.
and before I.e years had c0Dlo anG
gone Brother Basile" had become o
regularly initiated monk and was
loved In and out Of the monastery as
GOOD Father Basile."
No II was SO ready as he to 20
among the poor Of the villages, to
watch beside sick peasants, to bring
food to the starving, to comfort the
dying and support the spirits Of the
bercaved. For this the people came
to love him with 8 devotion which 40
other monk enj Dyed. All through the
district the nance Of Father Basile was
known and revered.
Yet at times he was q strange being
whom no one could fathom. There
were times when his prayers were
mingled with heart. rending groans.
With face CHASTITY pale and his fea.
lures Writhing as though In NANTES.
tatlOn OF some almost lnsupportable
mental agony, he would stop beside
the road at dusk, his eyes apparently
fixed upon some object miles away.
at such times no n accosted him.
1t was something no n tried IN un-
derstand, but all respected the ,ause,
whatever 1T was, for all knew that
night good Father Basile would re.
main the whole night on his knees In
his bare cell.
WENT HUNGRY TO FEED OTHERS.
Nowhere In the world Is there a
monastery whose regulations are moro
severe than are those Of Tziducani.
Unless he were Ill Father Basile didn't
know the taste Of tea, coffee or cocoa.
Like the other monks he slept In a
cold, bare cell. At 6 q. no. he rose from
his narrow, hard bed and said prayers
for half an hour, until the ringing Of
the Angelus. After that until 8
O'Clock, without q morsel Of food, he
attended various services. Then med
itation for halt an hour, another half
hour at work In the garden, or at some
other kind or manual labor. Now there
is o meal Of the most frugal desorlp.
tiOn-neyer a morSel Of flesh meat,
al d during Lent not even eggs, cheese,
milk or butter.
Coarse bread, a little fish, some
times two eggs and a salad, with the
choice Ct wine or beer-that was the
fare Of Father Basile. And because
almost daily he would lay aside some
portion Of it to relieve: the lu iger Of
sone poor viltagcr he was more often
hungry himself than any other monk.
Such self. denial, and such deeds OF
kindness to all In the district who
ever appealed to him caused Faith +
Basile'S fame to spread all over Europe.
When he grew too old to leave the
monastery groun is peasants and even
rich and powerful persons made pill
grimagcs, even from great distances to,
obtain the blessing OF the holiost OF
monks.
A little more than two months ago
Father BiSile was ninety years old.
Inc visitors who did him honor on
that day were SO numerous that the
monastery Enclosure ctu!d hardly hold
thtm. HIS place in the monastery,
unCtliclally, was higher than that OF
the abbot, for it was the fame OF
Father Bisile's piety and long ascetic
life that had caused Tziducani to rise
from obscurity and take its place
among the most celebrated homes OF
religious orders.
Father Basile, on his nipetfeth
birthday, was still active, but LEAF and
partly blind. The outlines OF his
wrinkled face were softened by long
struggling hairs barely enough OF
them to be called by courtesy o beard.
For the last half dozen years he bad
remained mostly in his cell, praying
more hours than ever. But he was
more cheerful than formerly. What,
ever had been the crime which he had
confessed to the old abbot, now dead,
he seemed to feel that it had been
fully expiated.
DEAD AND A WOMAN,
Less than a month later good Father
Baaile was fourd dead in his cell.
Hardly had the sad news reached the
ncighboring villages where it was fol.
lcwad by the startling report that IN
preparing the monks body for burial
the fathers had made the discovery
that had thrown the monastery into
uncomfortable cXcitement-that Fa-
cher Basile was 4 woman!
There had never been any suSpic.
ions OF this to give rise TO a false re,
port, and the very reticence OF the ab-
bot and all the fathers when details
we're sought tended to give the first
report stronger credence. Naturally
the aob0t would shield the monastery
from gossip 50 damaging to It's fame,
INK naturally the life long companions
or Father Basile would strive to have
his fame continue uniulpaired. And
thus there is only the first significant
lame OF excitement, and the first In.
cautious admission Of the fact to sup.
port what everybody believes to be
Tie truth-that Father Basile was re.
ally q woman.
Why should 1t occur to a woman to
such a step, considering the risk
discovery? She was q fugitive from
Justice. Where else could she better
bury herself? What other disguise
be more secure? Did she not
confess to the abbot her commission OF
,ome crime?
SOLVES AN L MYSTERY.
And so, piece by piece, the old men
md women CT the district have built
up the theory that this woman call.
.ng herself a man was the wife whose
1uSband and children were found
murdered thirty years ago.
But they do not say that she her.
'elf committed that eriible deed, or