The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-10-25
THE ABBOTT
CONTINUED from Page Nlne.)

40
naught: its ]yenue sequeStrated. A
few monks still housed amid the ruins
of the clOiSterS and celebrated mass
in the pillaged and wrecked church,
suffered to remain there through con
nivance in spite Of the edict which
had banished them; contempt for the
fallen rather than pity made the GOV
eminent Of the Regent wink at their
remaining there. And so in the per-
son Of Roland Graeme the castle Of
Avenel had actually been harbor1ng
a "Papist." Mistress L1ilias was fully
alive to the horror Of the thing, but
her horror was somewhat mitigated
bv the pride she took in her new shoe
buckles.
On his way to the despoiled abbey,
Roland stopped at the hermitage or
ST. Dunstan, where formerly a plous
anchorite had afforded shelter to De,
lated pilgrims. He found the cell
broken down and the holy Well filled
up-the work Of the vanda1s Who in
that age were breaking and destroying
not only humble hermitages, but the
most splendid ecclesiastical buildings
of Scotland. He was trying TO set up
the heavy stone cross which had been
thrown down when he heard a voice
pronounce his name, and turned to see
Magdalen Graeme standing behind
him. Roland told her what had be-
fallen him at Avenel and the old
woman replied that it was we'll. that
he had been chosen by heaven for
some great design, what, she would
not tell him, but %enjoined upon him
unquestioning obedience, though he
walked bIindly. to all that should be
ordered to do in the Holy Cause to
which she dedicated him. Magdalen
tC ok Roland to a house which had
once been a nunnery and was partly
r%uinous, the nuns having been driven
| forth An q god Woman form 9YiE the
Mother Superior Of the convent, lived
there and with her was a girl OF about
Roland's age, Catherine Seyton.
This" said the Mother Superior.
as she looked at Roland, is. then. the
son of thy unhappy daughter. Do you
dedicate him to the Work.
Yes replied Magdalen, with the
fire of tanaticism blazing in her eyes.
Z devote him flesh and fell, sineW
see Catherine?' asked the lady. The
two held a whispered conversation to-
gether and then one said: Yes, it
must be So They took Roland
to the room where Catherine was
and left them alone together. Roland
thought he had never seen so delight
full a being. What Catherine thought
of Roland was hidden under q tone Of
banter and raillery-for she was a
sprightly young lady, full of Wit, Us
We'll as beauty.
The next day Roland and Magdalen
repaired to the Abbey. 1t was rumor-
ed that the old Abbot Sustatius had
died and that in spite Of a prohibition
against it the monks were about to
elect a new chief of the ancient reli-
gious house. When they arrived at
the devastated Abbey. ROland's head
was still full of Catherine Seyton. but
even the thoughts OF that fair maid
[ woro fnnon ia rilV Ia niShaH hv What he
saw there. The brethren had met IN
the ahbot's house, which, though In
jured. was still habitabler and had
there. in defiance Of the edict of the
government, chosen a new abbot. He
WAS none other than Edward Glendin-
ning-Brother Ambrose. The ruin
which had been brought upon the alb
hey was appalling. The stately ofRc es,
the pleasant gardens, the magnificent
cloisters were all dilapidated and ruin
Gus. Some of the material of which
they We're composed had apparently
been put into requisition by the people
Of the neighboring village, who, for
mer vassals Of the monastery, had not
hesitated to appropriate to themselves
a part Of the spoils. Roland saw frag,
ments of Gothic pillars, richly carved
occupying the place of door-posts to
the. meanest huts; and here and there
a mutilated statue, inverted or laid
IN it's side, made the door-post OF
threshold of q cowhouse.
The church itself was less injured
than the other buildings of the mona
terry, but the images which had beer
placed in the numerous inches Of its
column and buttresses had beer
broken or thrown down, and the rich
and airy canopies and the pedeStals
shattered. Our pilgrims saw the dem
clifton of these sacred and venerable
representations of saints and angels
with a feeling that such impiety de
! served the vengeance Of eaven a
porter conducted them through a side
gate to the interior of the church
= and left them alone in the great valut.
5 ed space whose style of rich, We
5 chaste, architecture. referred its orr
5 gin to the best period of Gothic build
5 ing. But the inches had been stripped
of their images in the inside as wei
t as on the outside Of the church. and
] in nell nell havoc. the tombs Of war