Infelice

the sacred harmonious repose of its surroundings. The sun shone hot and blinding upon the towering mass of brick and slate, which, originally designed in the form of a parallelogram, ha

nconquerably in mid-air its tall gilt cross, untarnished by time, though ambitious ivy had steadily mo

urrounded by a wide border of luxuriant lilies, was a triangular pedestal of granite, now green with moss, and spotted with silver grey lichen groups, upon which stood a statue of St. Francis, bearing the stigmata, and wearing the hood drawn over his head, while the tunic was opened to display the wound in his side, and the skul

stricter confines of the monastery, and sacred to the exclusive use of the nuns. This chapel was immediately opposite the St. Francis, and to-day, as the old-fashioned doors of elaborately carved oak were thrown wide, the lovely ma

d Babe, an

cold, calm, be

years the kneeling devotees

loom, and one luxuriant Grand Duke jasmine, all starred with creamy flowers, so flooded the place w

mong the consecrated and permanent images of the silent sanctuary;-the figure of a child, whose age could not have been accurately computed from the

tate upon the spotless linen apron, around which a fluted ruffle ran crisp and smooth. One tiny waxen hand held a broken lily, and the other was vainly pressed upon the lids of the rabbit's eyes, trying to close lovingly the pink orbs that now stared so distressingly through glazing film.

artolomeo found just such an incarnation of the angelic ideal, which he afterward placed for the admiration of succeeding generations in the winged heads that glorify the Madonna della Misericordia. The stipple of time dots so lightly, so slowly, that at the age of ten a human cou

steel blue, almost violet in hue,-with delicately arched brows and very long lashes of that purplish black tint which only the trite and oft-borrowed plumes of ravens adequately illustrate. The forehead was not remarkable for height, but was peculiarly broad and full with unusual width between the eyes, and if Strato were correct in his speculations with reference to Psyche's throne, then verily my li

flames, a low murmur became audible, swelling and rising upon the air, until the thunder-throated organ filled all the cloistered recesses with responsive echoes of Rossini. Some masterly hand played the "Recitative" of Eia Mater

Mater! i

xi fige

impassioned strain

irginum

m non s

tecum p

he modern building, and looked up and down the garden walks, talking the

na! R

there; or perhaps you might find her over in the church, listening t

moved across the paved walk with the quick, noiseless, religious tread peculiar to t

marble Mother on the shrine, she beheld the object of her s

hear Sister Gonzaga

, Si

u answe

Sis

hty to-day, a

hty, Sister Perpetua says s

o our chapel? You know it is contrar

so I did not ask, because

e matter? you ha

Angela! do

er apron where the dead pet

gone! How many

e dove; the other two have colo

you seem so fond of them. But, m

rred till he blessed them and made the sign of the Cross, and then they all flew away. She read all about the doves at the convent of Ravacciano, and the nest of larks, and the bad, greedy little lark that St. Francis ordered to die, and said nothing should eat it, and sure enough, even the hungry cats ran away from it. Don't you remember that when St. Francis went walking about the fields, the rabbits jumped into his bosom, because he loved them so very much? You

ou wicke

apron very tenderly, and, looking steadily into the

? Sister Angela,

ou will only pray and try to be good, I have no doubt St. Francis will send you so

't believe yourself. Sister, it is all humbug; 'Bunnie' is dead, and I sha'n't waste another prayer on St. Francis! If ever I get an

startled Sister Angela, w

gina, we have been hunting you for some

go upstairs to penance? I can dig a grave in the corner of

her heart, and her voice trembled, while sh

you can, dear, you ar

you are go

my moth

ut I am afraid y

e sorry, Si

we love our little girl too w

till she reached a door opening into the Mother's reception-room. Catching the child to her heart, she kissed her

k enclosed a space about ten feet square, and here Mother Aloysius held audience with visitors whom friendship or business brought to the convent. Regina's eager survey showed her only a g

to Mr. Palma," said the soft,

d, rose, and watched the

brushed straight back from her brow, confined at the top of her head by a blue ribbon, and thence fell in shining waves

ose, and remarkably brilliant piercing black eyes, that were doubtless somewhat magnified by the delicate steel-rimmed spectacles he habitually wore. His closely cut hair clustered in short thick waves about his prominent forehead, which in pallid smoothness resembled a slab of marble, and where a slight depression usually marks the te

who in full fruition of expanded reason tower above and control them; and, awed by something which she read in this do

nd took her fingers i

ina, that you are

broad seal ring on his little finger, th

e, and why should I be glad? W

ther sent me to

very good; but I would rathe

loysius, to whom I brought a letter, that I have come to remove you from her kind sheltering care, as your mother wishes you for a while at least to be placed in a different positio

ovely arched eyebrows, which, without the aid of verbal protest, he fully comprehended. A smile hovered about his mouth,

e time, and says he is anxious to catch the train. Run up to the wardrob

sigh floated through the grating, and th

tless in soul as one of our consecrated annunciation lilies; but the dust of vanity and selfishness will tarnish, and the shock of adversity will bruise, and

her removal impresses me as singularly injudicious, and

to hang about the child, although the Bishop assured us we

non-committal countenance before her, and found it about as satisfact

f you are at all r

ship. I repeat, I deem the change inexpedient, but discretionary powers have not been conferred on me. She seems rather a mature bit of

r than all, her heart is noble, and generous, and she is a conscientious little thing, never told a story in her life; but a

was not afflicted with a misnomer at her baptism." He rose, looked at his watch, and walked across the room as if to inspect a Pieta that hung upon the wall. Unwilling to conclude an interview which had yielded her no information, Mother Aloysius patiently awaited

, I will endeavour to hasten the

I shall feel indebted to

from the sweet sanctity of the cloistral fold, out through thorny devious paths where Temptations prowl wolf-fanged, or into fierce conflicts that end in the social shambles, those bloodless abattoirs where malice mangles humanity. How many verdure-veiled, rose-garlanded pitfalls yawned in that treacherous future

but his colleagues and clients would as soon have sought chivalric tenderness in a bronze statue, or a polished obelisk of porphyry. To-day as he curiously watched the quivering yet proud li

willing to trust

then said with a slight

rs dearly; but you are my mother's friend, and wha

ve faith in maternal l

power ye wield, ye

s gently as if to r

ese kind Sisters, but if your baggag

ssed them on both cheeks, then turned and suffered Mr. Palma to l

nt until a bend of the road concealed even the belfry, and

posite. It was her introduction to railway travel, and when the train moved off, and the locomotive sounded its prolonged shriek of departure, Regina started up, but, as if ashamed of her timidity, coloured and bit her lip. O

own, and when the lamps were lighted th

do you like trave

it makes my

nd I will try to make

of his valise, placed it on the arm of th

a mark amid the leaves

dvise you to sleep as much as possible. Whenever you feel hungry you w

tly, and interpreting t

g? Am I so very frightful th

me the truth,

assu

hen shall I s

before the girl's steady gaz

ot tell exactly

and quickly, with a ge

nt to know half of anything, and you ca

ut her

um, sat there abashed by the child's tone and manner, and as he watched her he could not avoid smiling at her imperious mandate. Altho

n children's countenances, or on the faces of the dead,-and which is nowhere more perfect than in old Greek statuary,-settled like a benediction over her features. Her frail hands clasped over her breast still held the faded lilies, and to Erle Palma she seemed too tender and fair for rude contact with the selfish world, in which he was so

pless innocence of the sleeper appealed with unwonted power to his dormant sympathy, and, suspecting that lurking spectres crouched in her future,

ather whom he may, there is no better blood than beats there at her li

saw it was the letter he had given her some hours before. The sheet was folded loosely, and glancing at it, as it opened in his hand, he saw in delicate characters: "Oh, my baby,-my darli

e mount into his cold haughty face, yet even then he

gin

e no mo

d stoop to read your letter clandestinely? It dropp

der hand, took the l

her best friend, and I intend to

nk I read y

ink no more

int her as

have the l

looked upo

figure of

lm, you think

dhood you wo