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


banker, Elizabeths father Just he went IN two
potentates OF the world Of finance passed out and
behind them Streamed thick circles OF pungen smoke,
as the smell Of naphtha loers behind launch or
automobile The sanctun, too was hlled with
the fumes of tobacco and vine How different,
thought Father Augustin, from the sanctuary OF All
Saints, and he pictured Elizabeth at prayer in the
ncenseilled cande-lighed chapel, her yirgina head
bowed above the clasped, tapering fingers. a quick
stab Of pain pierced his heart when he remembered
that this heavy -Jowled greedy-hngered human ma
chine held the strand of Elizabeths destiny IN his
hands
Eizabeth's father came forward toward the priest
with oustretched hand. and the manner Of exagger-
ated frendliness which is but mask for nditter-
"fIow do you do?9 he said and, perceivng the
gravity OF the priests demeanor, added. rs any
thing wrong with Elizabeth IS she ill.,"
Wondering, Father Augustn withheld his hand.
If you thought your child was i'll" he said gently,
how could you bear to wait good haf-hour before
learning If your fear untounded or not!
The bankers coarse face clouded with annoyance.
we who play the game" he said must play it in
season and out Ten minutes suffice sometimes to
wipe away fortune or to make one
Ten minutes" said Father Augustin, "also suffice
for souls undoing.
Elizabehs father, impatiently. rs Elizabeth i'll or
well? Of her 'undoing there can be no fear
"She is in good health" said the Able. And of
her undoing, least OF her accord there can, as
you say, be no fear.
Then, without further preamble, the Able
launched boldly upon the waters he had
trouble. He spoke simply, i'll the homely straight
forward way in which he exhorted his parishoners;
!usilades Of mpassioned rhetoric would not have
touched the famous banker; but the calm, dispas
sionate manner in which Father Augusn set forth
his brief, his slightly exotic English the charm OF
his serene personality, the exaation which breathed
from him, and which his colloqual manner by no
means expunged, moved the lnancer more than he
cared to show
Perhaps too indirectly though not without de-
liberation, the deft touch OF the Abbe's homey elo-
quence awoke memories in the other of the pearl
and-silyer rose garden, OF youth through which all
pass before entering the somber Businesses OF
hood and acknowledgements merchant, soldier,
hnancer, and-Who knows perhaps priest;
for else, how could the good Able certainly have
shaken the citadel of worldliness and cynicism IN
which the hnancer sat intrenched?
After ALL he said, as the Able concluded, Il am
her father and must decide Young Castor Dever-
France lie IS capable, wealthy, OF irreproachable
character. What more can Elizabeth ask
Only this" said Father Augustin quietly, that
he light the divine spark in her heart without which
marriage a mockery and love the synonym of lust
There is reason why the two should not fall
in love-" objected the fnancer. ." have Castor
Deycreaux. and he has all the outer accourements
win womans heart also the stabler qualities
which guarantee happiness.
Father Augustin smiled sorroWfuly. and i'll his
wstful wooing voice he spoke Of he quaint, sweety
perverse, wildrose quality Of the heart which clam
ors for romance and will have it al all costs, The
land OF love is the land OF adventure, and who 50
meek of mind, So lowly OF spirit As not to resent
having the veil Of mystery rudcy away before
the awakening by an alien hand? only if dis
coyeries are our own will they yield the aroma Of
romance, and the friend lover found without
parental intervention scene-shifting viii be closer
kith Of soul and dearer kin o flesh than who is
heralded BY prolific introduction and asdious vait-
ing-card on regulation salyer.
Not muscle moved in the great bankers face
in his iabby eyelids, as moving his chair away from
the Gargantuan rosewood desk from which scuWllng
dragons with gargoyle heads looked forth, he
queried
What do you propose"
Father Augustin told him.
fe1:-
spend Christmas at the convent, and as if the ee-
ments were conJoning with the rest Of he world to
please her, it began 70 snow shortly before three
O'Clock on Christmas Eve. Like shower OF right
eousness the feathery flakes descended. 1t had
raned in the morning, and the wind which had
whipped the rain against the sornber front Of the
building increased to a gale when the rain stopped,
and its boisterous breath transformed the ichen-
covered walls frosted silver, that cices hung
upon every cornice. Then the wind having pranced
and howled and wept its I'LL i settled down to snow
in the orthodox Christmas fashion.
Elizabeth. peerng forth from her window-seat in
~Ls BON Deu has caused ali this to come to pass
for me, because am here this holy night for surely
never before was there so beautiful Christmas Eve.
Amen"
The next morning Elizabeth said her prayers
kneeling upon chair, 50 that She might look out
ppoa God S perishable snow-sculpure while saying
them After sing, breakfast, and mass, Elizabeth
and Sister Veronica. who was the youngest sister in
the convent set them. elves to shoveng snow.
Something near the roof caught khzabeths eye and
she clapped her hands deg,tedy, like any child
Then all tie nuns must come and the wonder
fully fanny thing Elizabeth had discovered and
when they were all assembled and stood huddled to-
gether in the narrow BIT Of path which had been
cleared of snow, Elizabeth pointed upward to OF
the inches in the building aad cried
See how unesthetic Saint Peter is. There is an
iccle on the tip Of his nose
At this some OF the nuns were shocked or pre-
tended to be. and others amused. and still
others shook their fingers at Elizabeth in gentle adj
monishmcnt but little Sister Veronica laughed
heartily that the tears came with the laughter. and
Mother Pmlippa the Mother Superior. waddled
away as swiftly "a her embonpoint would permit
lest Sister NeronicAs hlarity arouse her risi-
biles and she suffer a dimination OF dignity
thereby.
Later, when Elizabeth came into the reception
room her ewes shining and her cheeks red a. toma-
toes, She found Father Augustin and Mother Phil
ippa in creus consultation SIZE about 10 with
draw. but Mother Philippa aid.
Come in, my child. The good Father had
derfu adventure last night after leaving the chapel"