The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7961, 26 October 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

i in*; two (loop sHKiniKiins. ihrougbout our Albiet country-side, which is in the sixteenth century w.ii torn with religious wars; in lli,. i disirict win re Alo'itluc lias lelt tin* memory ot so many Huguenol h Hidings, (he Catholics nowadays live on good terms with the small n tulier of Protestants still to Ik' ii.unil there. Temple and church stand side by side in the villages ; difleruiee of religion does not prevent mixed marriages ; the priest and the pastor, opposed as to dogma, are agreed upon the ground of charity.

Neverthelels, in Candeleou, a village situated almost in the middle of that up and down country which su.*tches Irom Nerac to Vianne, a misunderstanding between the two M.,*|)hcrds of Christ—the Roman Catli ii:c and ,thc Relormed—bad resulted, some years ago, in reviving reli.ious animosity in lhc breasts oi ill ir respective flocks. The cure, a n ui i man of over tiO. heretofore left in peace in his spiritual domain, had n.'t berti able to fctgive tin- young j). stor who one fine day arrived from t-f rugge.l Ceveanes, where iiiemoric-: oI the "dragonnadis" still survive, a preaching ardour which was u:.:istial in our niilder-mamrred disti c;s. Mr Lagarrigue—that Was the liautor's name—had gone to the li.izlh of making two conversions ! Although the Abbe Couloumef aneeted to declare that the two neoph) u*s wi'.e a couple ol the worst customers in lhc commune and had adjured solely and simply with the objici of extracting money from wriain notable Froteslants, his heart bled all the same- Oftentimes, during his sleep, a fearful nightmare lortiireil him. He would fancy himself at the sen of supreme judgment. The soici;tg» judge would question luiii

'Cure of Candeicou,' h-e would be askid, "what has thou (line with the ji'iiih of (iaSquet and Dupin which I confided t" tbee

The poor priest would seek (o juslily himself " I a r t ' Casque! and Dii|/in were two rascally customers, and it is not my fault thai—" "Stand hack, thou faithless she|ihi;l 1" the Lord Would interrupt. ' Thou hast taken had tare of thy ."Iwp to relurn to me a smaller fivc'i. Thou art a faithless saiatil v.h;iu I hanh h from teiV.re my face.'' And thereupon the Able Coulouti.ot would 'vake with a start, under tiro iniprfst.vorf tl.at he had l.tvn thrown into a burning void which Caused him at least the torments 06 purgatory. Tlien he would n double ins zeal, would take out from his 1> rery the theolog.eal winks that iy.d long rested there iiiitoi.ch.il, W'iiiM pulverise heresy evcrv Sundav Horn hb pulpit. On his side, the Protestant pastor was making apostolic eflnrts, multiplying s. rviee>, Id - tures, evening schools. As. hanpih, il.'iiiluc had Heen dead W \ 1 ar -, t )■<; lit'le religious war had for l.e.g nvuitlis no effect oilier than that oi making bi.lh the Pro'rstant and f'atholic flocks of Candeleou more failhful and more lervmt. Kesjilis. thMayor of the village. Mi S'el'ize. it plusician hy, profession. and 'not It, ry devout, al;hough a Catholic, ever I ul himself, by ni.ans of eo.ieiliaItry acts and words. Is. presentP'M\' and concord in the community. As his influence was respecti.i, lit* was nearly altogether sii((e:isful. A curious incident aggravate,) the I Wtlrrncss. A fortnight or so before Easter, Pastor Lagarrigue, i.'iuniing frciii his daily round lor supper, at | ahoai 7 o'clock caught sight of a n |

unwonted object, rat lit r 1 ik(> a ibig bungle of rags, lyWill.in tli>* lioicii ofili* Ca'-h'lic Cki.rvh At Can(iiKi'ii. Night rt'as tailing dully and last , liii- liters ..i tin- clicrch weie ck s. d aii-l tin' !ii iglileHit!iiiO;| Was 'leMlUll. I ill* p.lslol llliilllltlil 'hi* mire sU'| :s—lt Sa.i mi il'. - v,fy tblVsbolil of tin 1 church ili.u tin' bundle lay. Hi' piii-ed it u;i. In ilk' dim gloaming li..' sav; thai il contained a chilili 11 sme months i'lil. Dniiblless tlu' lik* oi tlii* liUle lunilal bad all'ally | bet-n uuitlcss in incidents, fori! did | a..is.-i ni Mi l much Miipnsi.il a? : having i.o. n ai.an»loiw-1 an'. llun lmihi. Without mj luuch as a murmur il lixi.l u[.uii .Ml l.aganigiit its big b'ack eyes, wnie opui in a pretty blown iace- *1 lu- liimist.i' dm not hesitate, re cairitd tlic living bundle iu ..1*» ili'lisc, wll.'lc ii." t*,>;.1..k.» 11 ti. lilt* gu>..l oiluvs oi his will', a Woll»-*ll ul fXlU'lllllCc 111 tile tall' 1)1 chiidun. tor. alilioiiLii s'.ie ii..-l scaiccly passi.l -i», sin* ha.i .MX oi hei own air. a'ly.

Next day t..'' cues aunt, an old ma .J who aeti-l as lus hoiiscki.ipci, S'.id to hi*t nephew, wuli a voice ticii.b; iik wilb cuiotiiu I you know, monsieur lcum' lit* lie' Wsteiday the pasl'T went an:t stole iroui you a Utile gnl m youi church '" "'"stoic a liitli' Sill'' criul the abl.i*. Hi astoiiisliiiiont. Despite liis animus against the pastor he hail not yd coiue id lluus iliui callable of such an * u t liis aunt eNi'ia'.ul. hvui reduced to its ical cucumsiamces—a wee loundliug puked up in the porch of the chuich—Mr l-aparrtßue's tliaritable act greatly annoyed bis rival. If, as secuicd altogether likely, the pastor brought up the child, lie would certainly bring her up in the Reformed Uiurch. Now by placing her en the steps ot the Cathuhc Chuich had not the person unknown who abandoned her plainly ind.catid that she was confided to the cure, to ilie Catholic community A Idnib bad thus been filched by the pastor from the sacred Hock, a soul which the Lord would call for, beetle ilii.se pi (laM.|Uel and J'upin. An.l tins one was a soul entirely white.

Al<M bad a peaceful spirit , quarrels were disusidul It; bun- But ibis one was li.o much to bear. He donned his best soutane. ,iui on his biletia, ai.d, his hrevian aiulcr li s arm, betook hiniscH to 'r Lagarrigue's. The latter lived in a rath,-! pi el ty house right at the tnil of iln* village, alongside th< i i-iiway ilial leads in Kspiens and .hence lo Nirae. ovt r the hills, lieire he reaclud it the abbe met sev--lal people. Some uf his par..-ihoii-

":s accosted l.ini, spoke to him in indignant terms of tlie induction llie | roH-rhial iuiaialiation oi the (■ascon aitling. i; had l,.tn eslabiisht.l t'ut the hail siolen ihe child irom a Spanish U'ggar woman while she was playing 'hi-foiv the statue "i the \iigin. Ihe cue .lid his hot to put th.' tails ill ih-.'ii propel light, while at the same time taking an energetic stand as to iiis rights. "lacli ii 1 should have logo and See the President of the It; public, th, th 11 Shall he iistoiid lome 15,s.dcs. i; Si.'tue.l to Uie cuii. as lie Wei.ddl I.is way, that the I ro leslant.- he met fast sending glances at ii.ni Arrived at the minister's hulls., he rang, it was the pastor's Wii. who opened '.lie door, an I tin cur, instantly h.cam" ill at <a-e as lie noticed that I hi.-" woman, a some, what -niton;, .l)iii I'allit r laded. hldi h wa, sticl.iing at; infant. "Pai ioii. iii.olami—eW'i-e me. h ■ staiiiii!.-!..!. "Is :e."t:suiir le p.e-'..e.i at home On i.er -;ih' the Woman s-. unt.l al.aslnd. Sue i epl ■< <i : "Ihe paslor not i;i. lie has go:;.- .aii—li.. at \eiac—he has gone to S.l-K inform.'t ton ahoui this :ilii.- . i.e. ft. tli a glance she i;..l can I the <'!. I'd -h,- v.a- n .r.-ing, Alie.idy tin .-utv ti-lt ,'lil'.,!l n i. !!,• , tittl.. hind lulu Madame l.agairgue nsh cicit iiini into in r ji.nlottr anil to a "It Was lor the \ I. ;•!!! JU .s,speakiiin with Mi I.a;. i.,giie about lli.s chilli." said t!ie c.i.', "ihat 1 cam (flowing little le. lit i i,- iii.'LV in (rgetie a- lie not, I ihe absence ol any coi:il'aifietion hy his (omnanion M. Couloiitnet d-.'velojii I his ' .111:11n.eiit thai the c'iil.l having In en found in the porcii oi Die 1 .itholic Church. had not. he. n p!a'-:.i lU re without a reason. It was evident that the iH'is'en who had a'ijjndom .'I her would, had he ibicd. have cn-

lisi'd !lie piesbyti'ty. The cure, therein:!', v.,is mortally charged Willi the care of a soul. lie would mil yield that charge to anyone. He hoped thai ?>ir Lagan iguc would bow to the equity oi his claim ire it lifeline :m , s-..i;, to have recourse to "lii.hir authority." The cuii* was not explicit a s lu what this hiiiluT authoriiy would lie, and, ;.s a mattes of lacl, lu- iliil not know. Hut be was (airly well satislied Willi tlie cfi'ccl of liis litlle discourse. Madame Lagarrigue, blushing to the cars, did no! know what to reply. "I will inionn my husband, sir.' He will set —decide." She hail fastened her bodice, and, as an aid to her timidity, was gcnlly dancing on her knees the laughing, irowing baby, ils lips still damp with milk. With 'dignity. the cure took his le a vc, lie returned to his presbytery, ivhiTo lie related to liis delighted aunt the itiergetic fashion in which he bad acted. There was nothing lo do but to awai! 111? results. There was not lung to wait. That same day, towards five o'clock, the pastor's eldest son, a youth of ten, brought a letter to the presbytery. Il le.'d "Monsieur h* Cure,—.Mine. Lagarrigue has told me of your \isi! anil its object. To my deep >'eLiiel I cannot accede to ynul desire. I also relieve that (led has coiiUdd! in nie a soul. 1 should consider it criminal to obey Xlis Manifest will.—.lea" Ijagarrigiie, Pastor of tl>« H -fiuiiied Church."

So soon as the abbe's visit and I lie pastor's rcspon.-.e became l.iiov. i; :n Candchoti, tlie l\Yi> communities, Protestant anil Catholic, I i -tn cfiem scent. Tlie Mayor, catlf .1 upon In take action, ihclar.d h. 1 could ilo nothing. Mr I.agarrigue ha.l ilulv in.nil' a iltda'al 1011 lo his "liml" and of his inll*lllll to keep it. Tin reap o;i the Catholic- tallied of taking up amis and ri covering the s'olm child by main force. The I'r if'siatit • i'esphd I by selecting a squad of men m mount guard around tlie temple nil the I.agarngtie lioiise. Of nights tows were thrown at th' siaiii-'d-st windows of I lie C'at h i'.ic Chtircli. Walls \v,re adorned Willi this in -cripti nil, "I.agai'rigue, child stealer.'' Ihe loys of the two schools had lighi- in the streets. It was necessary to station two gcn-d'arnn s permanently in ('anilcU'oii. !;'ii all lhis ill' paslor kepi tjossission of the ol).j<ct of -strile, hut nolle of his ii.i'.dvi n dale;! lo sel fool out of hioi's. threats having l.,>en m'de o; a! ducting one of tlieni as ,i hostage. !'< coining uneasy, l.oth (it them, at the turn of events, the cure wtote to the hisho;> ; tlr pastor appealed

>i 1 i.r iticUc!. Hut |;otli a'ltiiiiiisUaii'is, i.im'll liy siiriniM' hy -Ji.- un-'i-fvt! n.ituiv <;f litf \\(>ro l"'.v !ii Ai. I, iliMihl less, !lu> lii-iu',.' iavihi; hjni f riivriiiTinrd, a ■ mm,;' iviii;iutis \v,tr would cvcn- ••''') ha\i' s-'i ill,, inurii rysidc h<>fiis' \ n. «m ilu- ujuniMi.i: oi' I'iissi• >n . <lfj tllicXjM Ct( d piiCr of Hews l.i'l ii»;1 sUi[:l,'i,lv j||)l>i>s,;! a 1 ]• c. ■ "' lh " "loihrr of )I U . eh,|-| lusci Mm . 1,1 'a'vr i)ci haclv."