Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1912-05-30
)The,Garden of
(Forgetfulness
By CECHAMAR

the peaceful face of the Reverence
Mere, who sat at one side Of the pol
ished oak table, talking to Baron Du'
mont He was q tall man of about
thirty-eight and sat with his right arm
encirciing the figure Of a little girl
who stood beside him and whose arm
was round his neck.
"Eveline and l." he was saying to
Reverence Mere, "have not been part.
ed for one day since her mother died
FIVE years ago. l am intrusting her
now to you In Difference to her moth
ers wish; she will be seven years old
next month, and If she is, happy here
l should like her to remain until she
is old enough to take her mothers
place at the head of my household.
I wish her to return to me every year
for the summer holidays and | want
to be allowed to come and see her
here at least once in every month.
Will this be permitted?
The Reverence Mere rose, saying:
III you will excuse me for few mo-
ments will consult our director, Pere
Estye, in the matter, and ! will re-
turn and communicate his decision to
vnn"
AS the door closed upon her the
child flung her other arm round her
fathers neck and said, Don't leave
. me here at all; don't want to stay"
He took her on his knees and strok-
ed back her long flaxen hair, murmur-
Ing, III you are not happy here
will take you away after the first two
months, See; l suppose these a e
some OF your schoolfellows. They
sound happy enough" he added, lead
ing her to the window
Merry voices rang out In the garden
beyond as a troop of girls varying
from six to fifteen years of age ran
past. They were all dressed In white.
their Sunday uniform, and were laugh
ing gayly and paying but little heed
to the expostulations Of the nun In
charge, who begged them to moder-
ate their transports as they passed
the parlor.
Reverence Mere here returned and
said to Baron Dumont:
I'm view. OF the exceptional condi-
lions of your case, Monsieur lee Baron.
We have decided that you may spend
the first Sunday of every month here
with Eveline. And now" she added.
noticing his quick flush OF pleasure,
T., L. h. Cunfav nf EVp-
lines new life no doubt you would
like to stay and help initiate her In
It? In a quarter of an hour the chill
dren who have just passed the win
dow will be at mass. There Is
strangers pew If you care to attend
the service"
The little chapel was full when
Baron Dumont and his daughter were
ushered through a side door into the
tall pew. 1t was shut off by partl'
ton, and the inmates could see with
out being seen except by the choir,
which was stationed in the gallery
near the organ loft to the right.
As the man sat there feeling OF
old world repose stole over his senses.
From the open window opposite the
scent of lilac and syringa floated to
him across the altar to the left. The
long benches each side OF the aisle
were filed with white robed figures
kneeling reverently and telling their
beads. Two nuns, rosary In hand.
paced up and down observing the chill
dren, and soon the odor OF incense
filled the little building as the priest
advanced for service.
Baron Dumont did not move. Pic
lures of the past seemed to float be-
fore him in the perfumed clouds. He
saw himself once more In his old
home Drawing the anger of his father,
who threatened to disinherit him II
he persisted in, his idea of marrying
Eveline Hezeau, his first love. He
lived once more the impassioned
scenes In which he vainly strove to
persuade Eveline to fly with him, and
felt anew his despair at her refusal
and subsequent disappearance. At
home, locked in his desk. there still
lay the little note in which she told
him that she was going out Of his life
forever. She loved him too we'll to
ruin It. He had been a mere boy at
the time. and had not married until
he was nearly thirty. The two years
of his married life had not been hap
by, but his wife had been an excellent
nh htr Mttln Evnlinn had
consoled him for much.
He dreamed on. The chanting OF
the priests seemed far away, and the
fresh, childish voices which rose IN
response, to the litanies belonged to
the sunshine and flower scents Of this
lovely spring morning. Suddenly
something leaped up within him and
his heart seemed to stand still as the
sonorous organ notes swelled out and
above them rose the sound OF WON.
ans voice:
Mater purissima, mater casissima.
mater dolorosa, ora pro nobis."
His head turned involuntarily to the
gallery, where the sunlight fell on a
woman's face which was encircled by
the white guimpe and black veil. The
man gazed and listened as II spell
bound The rapt expression. the holy
calm Of her face, the voice that
seemed TO ring the knell of his youth,
shook the very foundations of his be-
ing. Tears stole down his cheeks
as he fell on his knees in the shadow
OF the tall pew, while the sweet voice
sang on in higher and higher cadence.
How long he knelt he never knew,
but by and by he was conscious Of
little hand stealing into his and lit
tie face pressed to his arm as Eve
dimes voice whispered, Everybody