The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-03-27
Continued from page Ga
OBEDIENCE.

with her ana pear the stigma or
cowardice and hold it as naught in her
service. Under the rough white robe
of Sister Mary Stanislaus the heart of
Alys Lenoncourt leaped beat in ex-
ultation. The blood coursed swiftly
through her veins and flushed her
cheeks, and in near capitulation her
glance passed to the wall of the con-
vent chapel.
On the chapel wall hung the placard
with it's one word of subjugating
meaning, obedience" Above the
motto licked the chapel clock and the
hands neared the moment to resume
the chanting of the hour at the office.
Sister Mary Stanislaus turned from
the straight strong figure beside her
to look again upon the motto. Around
the word her spirit read her vow to
sink her will within the will of others.
She read it questioningly at first in
stirring, f1uttering rebellion of her
senses against the calling dominion of
it's reminder. With shining eyes all
soft with her new desire she read the
word over and over spelling each
letter alone as each stood out black
and strong across the clear white
background. AS if the word held her
in the leash of it's power her glance
grew fixed and steady. Slowly, her
eyes lost their doubling challenge,
slowly the spell of the words submits
sive summons fell on her wavering
spirit. Back to the man beside her
the young nuns glance went once in
a timid, yearning appeal, and back
again to the motto on the wall.
Slowly, slowly, she yielded to the in
subsection. Then, triumphantly as
cendant, the black letters stared back
at her as the yearning vanished from
! her features, as the thrObbing pulses
that had kept the crimson burning in
her cheeks, that had made of her
chanting lips an eager scarlet bow,
lingeringly stilled, and her face paled
to a white and chaste repOse. The
| glow in her deep, blue eyes died to a
surrendering calm, and, suddenly, the
passion of her earthly craving was
vanquished in quick remuneration.
ut is time to sing the hour of Office,
Eugene" she said, and her voice
sounded detached and afar from him.
At once she began the paean of praise
and duplication: "Laudate, pueri
Dominum," sang Sister Mary Stanis-
laus, and Eugene de Briefly watched
her in awe. She sang on unheeding
of him, and it was as if Eugene de
Briefly had ceased to exist for her, as
she threw the forces of love, honour
and obedience in the tones of her
young voice. The sword of the French
officer clanked at his side and his
shoulders were erect.
Il will go, Alys, and I also shall
obey" whispered Eugene de Briefly,
and his spurs ratified on the stone floor
of the convent chapel as he turned and
hurried away.
The din of the battle grew louder
as the Prussians stormed the fortress
at Mazieres. Outside the convent
walls the sounds of conflict stirred and
ragged. Roofs crashed in and fell with
a deafening noise, and the ground
seemed to rock as the cannon roared.
A shot came through window of the
church, and the glass shivered the
spread of it's pieces on the floor and
the benches. A glare from the near
by burning houses fitfully lighted
spots in the corners of the chapel,
and shone ON the floor in the red, and
the blue, and the yellow, and the
purple colors of the stained glass win
dows through which it flickered. And
Sister Mary Stanislaus sang on.
The Whitehead figure grew rigidly
motionless as in more wonderfully
pure, more sweetly mellow tones was
sung the office Of the Order. Again
and again the Prussians fire was an
swered by shots from the fortress, and
about the nun was horrible orgy of
sound; high above it rose her voice
in praise and duplication When the
last moment of the hour had passed
and the girlish form knelt in sudden
weakness, the door of the chapel
opened and Mother Mary Clotilde
came toward her with outstretched
arms.
81 sang the office" the young nun
said, and her face was white and her
red lips trembled. The older womans
arms closed in comfort around her.
Il have returned for you. We shall
be safe, for the general has sent an
escort to protect us on our way to the
hospital" said the Superioress, and
she patted lovingly the young form
| that trembled in her arms.
Outside the low wall of the convent
garden company of French soldiers
halted and waited. The two nuns of
the Order of the Alteration came
down the path and the soldiers formed
a circle about them. At the head Of
the escort rode Captain Eugene de
Briefly obeying the order of his COM
mander. His young face was set and
stern, and his sad eyes looked over the
valley where the Prussians stormed
the fortress at Mazieres. With her
white veil dropped low over her face,
with her hands folded meekly in the
loose sleeves of her habit, with her
lovely eyes downcast in modesty, AIys
lLenoncourt, in religion Sister Mary
Stanislaus, walked on in Obedience.
Helen A. Spooord In Bensi0ey's M0gaSfne.