Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1908-12-03

/ touched her heart, and he feared to
have IL awakened All at once he
stopped inviting friends to the hall;
he shut her up like bird in a gilded
cage, and gloated over her all TO
himself, in his cruel, selfish way. He
loved 10 dress her up in jewels and
fine clothes and pose her for different
pictures-that is one OF them that you
admire so much.
Then he took up his books again,
and she must always be near by,
curled up like mouse in one of the
/ lounging-chairs. ready TO do his bid
ding. She yielded TO him, as she had
yielded to her mother, without word
4 of complaint Only once she rebelled;
that was when he scoffed at her devo-
ton to her religion. Then she turned
on him with look in her eyes that
told him he had gone too far. Per-
| haps he came to the conclusion that
religion was not the worst rival a
man could have; that, on the contrary
it was more than likely to keep a
woman out of mischief. Anyway, ii
was plain enough to see, my mother
said, that the poor, starved little crea-
ture must have some outlet for her
pent-up affection, so she poured out
her soul in devotion at the sacred
shrine of the Virgin Mary. Perhaps
she found there the mother love she
had never known.
We'll, the master let her practice
her whim undisturbed, so long as 1t
did not interfere with his pleasure.
The unused chapel was opened, and
/ she spent hours at her ayes and
paters, and many day in penitential
fasting. A priest came over from the
adjoining diocese TO hear her confess
sion, though what msdemeanors such
q saint from heaven could have to lay
bare the Lord alone knew. That was
Saint Elizabeth.
Things went on in this same dull.
prosy way for time. With the CON-
ing OF the cold winter season. Father
Chapelle, who was getting along in
years, found the journey too much to
undertake, with all his parish duties,
and sent one of the priests in his
place. Mother said that young priest
was a picture, with a voice TO melt
the heart of the most hardened sinner.
He came into that gloomy house like
burst of sunshine, and not one of
them all but felt better for his COM
ing AS for Lady Elizabeth she got
so she leaned on him for comfort and
advice at all times; he was her tower
of defense in all her doubts and per-
plexities.
1T was some light gossip in the
village that first started the rumor
flying. How any one could have con-
nected a thought of evil with such as
they God alone knows, but there are
some weak bodies as will soil their
lips with any idle tale, and i'll news
travels fast The only fear was that
1t might get to the masters ears, and
he that unreasonable. He had taken
no notice of the change, or, IL he did,
one priest was the same as another
to him; but no one could help seeing
the Improvement in my lady. She had
lost that listless look, and her whole
manner was brighter and more hope
full. She tried now. in her timid,
childish way, to minister TO his hap
piness, using thousand little fem
mime devices to arouse his attention.
She did not make much progress, for
once let a man get settled in groove
of selfishness and II is hard to root
him out of 1t; but he used to watch
her in a puzzled way. as If trying to
find an explanation for the change.
"One day the crash came! Late in
the afternoon the master dashed into
the courtyard at a furious pace, his
horses sides fiecked with foam. He
threw the reins to the groom, who
came hurriedly out to answer the
summons.
"'Send Hawkins to mel was his or
der. as he strobe into the house.
Hawkins lost no time in following,
YOU may be sure. He found his
master pacing up and down the room
with that feverish glare in his eyes
that BODIED no good to the object Of
his wrath.
Where is your mistress? Send
her TO met he Numbered.
"'She is in the chapel, my lord
Her orders were that she was not to
be disturbed. Father Dominic comes
directly
1T would not do, miss, for me to re-
peat The masters reply" interpolated
Mrs Fairbanks, with pious droop of
her eyelids. AT any rate, it was
something terrible. and Hawkins
shook in his shoes while it went on;
but in the midst of ii the master
stopped short as If struck with a sud-
den thought. All, have it, just the
thing!' he shouted, and he rushed out
into the hall toward the chapel, Haw-
kins following. for he feared for his
mistress safety. What was his hor-
ror TO see his master walk into the
sacristy, take down Father Dominics
robe and proceed to, fling it on over
his shoulders, drawing the cowl care
fully over his face! Hawkins stood