The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-10-21

N ND for her French and not Tor her reigloh' )
N M but among the two hundred odd pupils
M enrolled there not more dearly loved
tbe draughty old convent the sweetyoiced nuns the
souyard Tapped in mystic silence, save for dromns bee
~ melodious chant with its sun-dal and its demora-
Ha;z.d maths Of brick, dsjonted and disocated by
encroachng sweet-wiams, gardenas, mari 'olds' ana
rose peraniums all OF which, since they crayed the
ight and sum- and did particular mischief, were
allowed BY the gentle lay sisters to grow at their own
sweet wll-yery much, so Father Augustn Jocosely
said like the pupils.
. Comfortable. rosy and plump, shrewd yet kindly dry
spiritual and yet somehow lovably humorous was
4 Father Augustin and versed as deeply IN the human
heart as in his theooges; and it was hm Eiizape'h
loved best OF all 1t Father Augustn who OWNED
that the grief which as early October sent Elizabeth
to the chapel seek solace in prayer twice or thce
! day was more than surface grief
Not being of the good Abbes faith, the path which
might have led directly from her heart to his through
confession was denied her, and Father Augusn cast
about to devise other of probing and curing the
wound which the quick instinct OF the priest told him
existed.
One afternoon early in November, during the recrea-
ton hour when pupils and nuns played games on the
large lawn at the side of the convent Elizabeth alone
was absent, and the Able knew, as well as il he had
looked that She was her knees in the chapel
and silent at this hour a. the grave Here Father
Augustn waited until Elizabeth emerged from the
closter He heard her light footsep cracking among
he brown leaves She stood beside the seat OF crun-
bling marble hung with ivy, on which he sat
Father Augustn!'
Elizabeth desire 10 speak with thee my child"
She sat down beside him. vague, misty pain looking
out of the eyes she had lifted TO his face
MY daughter, ! have seen thee grow from child
nood 10 all but womanhood ! know that thy thoughts
are pure thy heart undehled hysef snles as blood
md flesh can be- Yet day after day thee creep to
he altar and pour out thy heart in passionate
hat the burden which impeled it, If and effect
,e commensurate must be one which maid OF thy
teafs standing upon the threshold Of life should be
ignorant OF Speak frankly TO my daughter, as
hou woulast speak with thine own father, were he
acre"
Elizabeth burst into gusty fit Of weeping
"Nay" she cried, ii ! we're to speak 10 you as TO
any own father, ! would not speak at all, for ne mas
turned deaf ear to all my entreaues Stone, rock
iron and adamant has he been But YOU dear
Father Augustn, will understand
With some hesitation and many se-imposed inter-
ruptions Elizabeth told her tale. 1t was the same
old commonplace trite story-so banal and stale 70
us who know the worlds agony. and VINO haFe
learned to pass poor soul struggling IN one oi the
NhirpoolY Of life with shrug of the shoulder and
sigh so new acute, and unique to those to whom II
comes in the springtme Of life when through the
foodgates of youth, meant TO admit JOY ana love
only the bitter bereavement enters 49,
Flizabeths father before leaving France, Eliza
beth then being but a uny girl OF iour ilaa ex-
changed pledge with friend OF his, the tatuer OF
boy OF six, that the boy and, girl on reaching man
hood and womanhood shoMd marry And the en-
gagement was to be celebrated the coming lhrlst-
.And how, dear Father Augustin' concluded the
girl "can | love someone | have never seen ot
whom / know not whether he be gentle or rough,
oyerbearng or generous truthful or ialse-hoW
say. can | love him? And not loving hlnl-how can
marry him? For is not marriage sacrament ohly
when it consecrates lover
Father Augustin furrowed his brow. Marriage
without love he held to be but one whit less vie
than love without marriage. Yet this he could not
tell this spotless slip OF a girl.
Before | answer thee, he said 1 must kho"
one thing. Dost thou love another
Elizabeth shook her head III vigorous negation
Where was . to have saG met s1ah r anq5f M have Iea
lived here in the convent, excepting he annual sum
mer vacation, which spent at mountain or seashore
resorts where there are more interesting matters y
do than to speak to strange young men, 80.
Father Augustin stroked his beardless lip and hid
q smile. He was accustomed to think rapidly. and
rapidly and to the purpose he thought hooslng -
forget that he had lett unans"efeu d" eii'''''
BE content, my child | will try to find some
n,sans Of TIGHTENING thy burden. AT least will en-
daavor IN staye off the catastrophe until next spring
And-would it please thee;-I think thou hast ex-
pressed the wish in former years TO spend Thy
Christmas holidays here with US.
Father AugustinP cried Elizabeth. "if YOU can
bring that TO pass verify will believe you are wizard
enough to save me from that hateful marriage as wei
lsher Aronstin smiled sly sagacious smile and
his blue ewes were shrewdly inscrutable
I'VE viii i've he said, "and we will see ,a, p.+b.-
= fortnight later it was announced that rather
-; - -; as forced TO travel all the way to New
1os on mater Of business But the world would
not have accounted this truthful description since
'ne , az az ;.ber money nor merchandise
,nsrre But to the unwordy, supplemented Old
nriest the breaking Of girls heart wa: more serious
a matter than the miscarriage oi dreosies