Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SAINT ZITA AND THE BEGGAR. A Lovely I-egend We Picked Upn in Bozzanello-The Candle that the Angels Set to Burn Forever. St. Zita was a little Italian. girl who lived away back in bhe thirteenth eenturv-the time of crusades and tournaments and troubadours, of brave knights and beautiful ladies, and.of poetry. But one would think hat there could be little poetry in e life of St. Zita; for she was only little servant maid, who spent all er Jays serubbing floors and wash in- dishes. dusting and running of errands.'And not every little girl who sweeps up. ashes and sits in fhe chim ney cornervan turn out to be a Cind erella with a coach and four. Yet there were stories t.old of strange and ?' beautiful things'that happened to St. Zita. and her nae is still dear to the people who live\ in the little town where it all took place. This was the tiny village of Bozzanello in Italy, the fairest country of the world. In summer the skies are blue all day long, and the air is full of perfume and the song of birds. The village lies on the slope of Mount Sagrate, and all about are green vineyards and or ehardg and groves of olive trees, whose fruit is made into oil and sen,t to the town of LUicca, nine miles away. After all it is poetry enough just to live in a land where one breathes a little poem all the time, and where one sees poetry all about in flowers and sunshine, and glimpses eross the blue, blue Italian. sea. But Zita had still more poetry than this in her life. More than anything else she loved to go to church. She loved the singing and the lights and the great rolling orgian music; she loved the beautiful words of the hymns, and the arches above her head; for they made her feel that she was herself a part of this wonderful poem of praise. And when all is said, this was the finest poetry in the world, even in. those romantic times, and not even the knights and their fair princesses had more. Zita's parents were poor, so she Lad to go out to earn her bread while she was still very young. They sent her to be a little maid in the family o+ a kind nobleman, Cont Pagano de atinel.li, and here she lived and was vand contented, for they loved early, and were good to her al Still, she had to work hard, -ometimes she grew very weary e the long day was done. But was never too tired to go to reh every morning, and on Sutn s and holy days beside. She was er too sleepy or lazy, for this her chiefest pleasure, indeed al t the only one she had. ow, one Christmas Eve Zita was to hear the carols sung in the echurch. It was very cold, and master did not think she was ssed waimly enough. So the Count t for his beautiful cloak, lined hpurple satin and clasped with dclasps. And just as she was starting out he stopped her, saying, ~kindly: "Here, little Zita, you must wear m,v cloak to-night, or you will be cold. But take care that you bring it safely back to me. for it is very pre cious.'' Zita thianked him, promising to be careful, and hurried away, for she was already late. When she reached the church the doors were closed and everyone else had gone in. She was hurrying through the porch when she felt some one pull a corner of her dress. Turnin~g about she saw a beggar crouching in the snow. He was a poor cripple, and looked very sick and.old. His face was blue with cold and his blue, numb hands trem bled as he held them up, asking pit eously for a little gift on Christmas Eve. Now Zita was poor herself, and she had nothing to give. But it made the tears come into her eyes to see im so cold and miserable. If only he uld wait until the rich people came t of church, warm and happy, and 11 of kindly Christmas spirit, she ew that they would give generous ly.' But meanwhile he might freeze to death in the s"ow. What could she do for him? A sudden thought me-to her.' One had been kind to Eshe would pass the kindness on. would loan him the cloak, for would not need it in the church. threw off the wann mantle and, ding down, wrapped it about the shoulders of the beggar. Take this,'' she said, "until they e out. Poor man! It will keep you for a while anyway. I will come itt when the service is over.'' nshe went in.to the church with a y heart. t when, among the troops of le who passed out of the arch an hour later, she looked around the bew'ar andi her borrowed .But the beggar was gone. A lump rose in Zita's throat and ste fvlt S1lk at Iizil't. \\ 'ill te l] Le i :had liappelled ShIe lca( Ift "ll .e VclVe(:l. 2llid 1ll0 I)e alIllIifIVI I i Wl ll! elol tl t 1 ci it11le Ws Z oIel1. She ran Wi1dlY a'out seeking among the people inside all outside the church, but it was of n< use. So. trembling and frightened, sh returned home, all the joy of he Christmas Eve dimmed and cloude< by a flood of tears. Drooping her head before him, poo: little Zita told her master what ha( happened. Naturally he was very an grV. He did not see why she shoult have been so careless as to loan hi eloak to a beggar, and he blamed he severely. But bitterer than all thi words he said it was to see his face and to kno~w how he was grieving, fo: the cloak which his dear wife h1a .iven him. Zita crawled away mis erably to bed and sobbed herself t< sleep. Now, in the morning, before th( older folks were astir, Zita rose to be gin her daily work, to light the fir and get the breakfast ready for he, master and mistress. Usually shi arose happy as a lark, and fresh as c little pink daisy when it holds up it: dewy lips to kiss the sun good-morn ing. It was Christmas Day and al the bells were. ringing joyously. Bu Zita's heart was heavy as lead, ani her eyes were red and swollen witl crying, even in her dreams. What joi could Christmas Day ,bring to her, o: to the house where so unlucky a lit tle girl lived ? As she was going abou her work listlessly. dreading th time when she must see her maste again, there came a knock at th door. It was too early for visitors who could it be this Christmas morn Zita went to the door anxiousl. and there on the door-stone stood stranger. He was a beautiful youth and, oh, wonderful to say! there wa. a halo about his head, and great lum inous wings folded at his back. H smiled as she opened the door an< held out to her a cloak-the veri same one which Zita had loaned t< the beggar the night before. Sh gave a cry of joy, and reached ou her hand for it. "Yes, Zita," said the angel, kiid lv "here is the lost cloak. You. shal never suffer for being kind. ou ar< blest for your goodness to the poor cold, shivering b'eggar. It will not be forotten' He gave the cloak int< her eager hands; but when she wen: to thank him he was gone, and onl: the fragance of lillies remained abou the door to show that a messenge from Paradise had been, there. The Zita hurried back into the house with a light heart and shining eves. What a rejoeing there wa: about that breakfast table, and wha a merry Christmas they had! By ani by they went out to look for the beg ar. but he was nowhere to be found And to this day the people of Bozzan ello believe that the beautiful youtl who brought back the cloak was thi angel who knelt, disguised as a beg gar. at the chureh door, to test th< eharity of the little maid. And it is still called t:he ''Angel door'' in mem ory of the strange thing that happen After this it seemed as if the gooi spirits of another world had grow to love Zita and watched over her She felt their presence when she went on long journeys and she knev she was always in the shadow of thei wines. There is a story to prove this Once, on the Eve of St. Mary Mar dalene's Day, which comes on Jul: 22. she went on- a pilgrimage to the church of that saint. It was sevel miles away on the road to Lucca an< she had to walk all that weary dis tance. It was la.te when she started for there had been much work to dc and she did not get theer till afte: dark. Oh. how tired her poor litti feet were when she reached thi hurch, and how badly she felt whei she found the great door closed an< the services ended. Poor little c-hild Had she come all that distanee fo: nothing? 'No.'' she said to herself 'I have come to bring a candle u honor of St. Mary and I -vill have little service all by myself if I ean not get into the church.'' As Zita lighted her candle and knel before the- church door to say he: rn-avers she did not notice that th< candles of the sky were all put out Not a star was burning and the mooi had put on a waterproof. There was going to be a dreadful storm. Bu Zita did not know. Her sun-burne< eyes soon began to wink and finall; losed tight. The poor little head be gan to drop and at last fell over or one shoulder. Zita was sound asleep with the candle burning in her ha.nd Then the storm began. The win< roared and shook the treces: the raji )ouredl dlown and the street was turn ed ito little streams which i-an a] arond4 in different direction!s. hunt o: ja of water rani out .of tlh mouths of the little stone faces carv t he e:lnch, and When he li-:i n-r 11hished it showed( VCV evrtin- loo ki n; drei ched and frihitened. it was ,er rile (o see. Rut Zita knew not'hin. I at all ab,,otut it. She never wakened nor slirred i1 her dreamless, tired sleep. And when she woke in the morning the candle was still burning in her hand. For the angels had spread their winOs over her all the night. and had sheltered her from the wind and rain, and had kept the little candle from goin-g out. Zita rose wonderingly in the rosy morning light. Then she I galanced down at her gown and felt her braids of long black hair. There was not a rain drop upon them. And she sile-d softly to herself, and in her heart thanked the -ood friends who were watehing around her. she knew, thoug:h she could nAot see them. This is how St. Zita made poetry for herself amid a life of pans and kettles, of brooms and dish-washing. And when she died a beautiful star appeared in the sky over Bozzanello. And it may be that this was the very candle of St. Zita which her angels had set there to burn forever, in - spite of storm and rain, just as it did that night. At all events, through all these years, it has shed a gleam of light for us to read her chai+ty and pions faith. ad.4 it is just as bright today as it was six hundred years ago. James T. Bacon. r Society item, daily paper, June - 2008: The bride was dressed in an t elaborate gown of real cotton." Don't Push The horse can dfraw the load without help, if you reduce friction to almost nothing by applying to the wheels. No other lubri cant ever made wears so long andsavessomuch horsepower. Nexttime try MicA Ax.E GRzm. Standard Oil Co. Those Odd Sizt d Pictures of Yours Can Be Framed at SALTEWS Art and Variety Storei - IThey carry a fnll stock of Pictur - m SPicture Meu dines, anything in Mat Bcard, and~ have latest rnachinery for cut Iting samne A R.ational Ireatmenkt. tor Cathrrh m one that soothes the ifamed 2nd congested membranes and heals an cleanses without "drugging" the afo ted prs gequck and permnanent relief from membanesof the nose andtha. We Guarantee Satisfaction. Bay a 50-cent tube of NOSF,IT fonm W. G Mayes & Prosperity Drug Co randgetoumoney back if notsatisfied. Sample tube and Booklet by mail roc. 1 RWN MFGCO <We Want to come an~d see the hand, In looking over good many things that a sacrifice. Everyone c Comm and judg E. SHEEHAN Augusta, Ga. Bottler of Imperial Gingei Ale, Root Beer, Cham pagne Cider, Wiseola and Domestic Lager Beer it pints, 10 dozen to the cask, $7.50 per cask. Write for complete pric( list. Wholesale and retai dealer in Wines and Li. quors. NOTICE. Before letting the contract for your new' build ing see W. T. Liv ingston. B e s i Work. Lowesi prices. Lock Box No. 59., Newberry, S. C HaveVouSeei Our new and up-to-date Sodd Fountain? No! Well, call an( e a beauty. We are ready to serve yot the purest Ice-cold Drinks t< be found. Our Ice Creamis well knowr and it shall be; our aim to serv( it in approved style. Call early and often and bo refreshed. Jones'. Restaurant JAfMBSTOWN EXPOSITION. Rates from Newberry S. C., as foi lows: Season -Ticket $19.55. Sold dail; April 19th to November 30th. 60 Day ticket $16.30. Sold dail: April 19th to November 30th. 15 day ticket $14.30. Sold dail: April 19th to November 30th. Coach Excursion $8.55. Sold eael Tuesday; limit 10 days. Endorsed "Not good in parlor or sleepini ars.' Through Pullman sleeping cars, vi Atlantic Cost Line Railroad company Write for a beautiful illustrate folder containing maps, descriptiv mater, list of Hotel, etc. For reservations or any informa tion. Address, .T. C. White, General Passenger Agt. W. J. Craig, Passenger Triaffie Manager, Wilmington, N. C. WANTED OLD PIANOS AND ORGANS for which we will allow the highes prices towards now Instruments. Ni Club rates to offer, but we Pledge better Instruments for "he same o less money. thtan those at club rau offers. Write Malo'nes Music House, Co lumbia, S. C., for special prices an' terms. Everyone Bargain we have or our stock we find a we are going to sell ai f them good values. a for yourself. T. Gal meL. Right in The. With a great line of Spring and ing, Slipp.rs, Shoes, Straw H Embroidery, the new things in Goods a specialty. The creatic pass anything that has ever bee means that our 1907 Hats h equals. Our other line s compI and as usual you will find ou New Drop Head Domestic Mai Machine, Drop Head, 20 years People say Moseleys can't make piofit. What difference ple say as long as you get the gc Moselej PROSPERI CALL Broaddus AT'I HERALD FO Box Paper, Tablets, Per Pens and Soaps, Fin( In fact anything you i ALS CIGARS AND - Don't forget to call They are also agent: V Laundry. ~Prescriptioil a*Which we use are without e: We believe in PURITY. We constantly preach PU We always practice PUR1 c dies. * PURITY counts, and cour - Ask.your doctor. *MAYES' DRI VERY LON NORFOLK A Accouilt Jamestown Ter SOUTHERN ISeason, Sixty Day and Fifte daily, commencing April 19 Lvember 30th, 1907. Very low rates will also be BRASS BANDS in uniformr STOP OVERS will be allos and Fifteen Day Tickets, sa ist Tickets. For full and complete inf Agents Southern Railway, o R, Froqt R-ank. Summer goods, Sping Cloth [ats. Elegant line .Laces and Summer Dress Goods, Black ns in millinery will easily sur n shown at this store, and this ave no superior and but few ete and full of new fresh goods r prices just right. Just think :hine $25.00, New Defiance guarantee, $17.93. sell the goods at the price and does it make to you what peo )ods. Bros., TY, S. C, ON Ruff 'HE & NEWS R icils, Ink, a Extracts, &c., &c. seed along that line. 'TOBACCO. on them. i for Laurens Steam Materials; xcepton the purest grade.* RITY. [TY when preparing medi its for much, in medicines. ? JG STORE. V RATES ND RETURN .CeteRnial Exposition RAILWAY sen Day Tickets on sale th, to and including No made for MILITARY and~ attending the Exposition. ved on Season, Sixty Day me as on Summer Tour ormation call on Ticket r write W. Hunt Division;Pass. Agent. Charleston, S. C,