The herald and news. (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, July 05, 1907, Page SEVEN, Image 7
L SAINT ZITA AND THE BEGGAR.
A Lovely Legend We Picked Upn in
H> Bozzanello?The Candle that tlio
Angels Set to Burn Forevor.
i St. Zita was a little Italian girl
| who lived away hack in tihe thirteenth
L century?the time of crusades and
IJL tournaments and troubadours, of
WiVVave knights and beautiful ladies,
H^ud,of poetry. But one would think
col,M lit lie poetry in
K,-life of St. Zita; for she was only
e servant maid, who spent all
her 'a! lays scrubbing floors and washing
dray!10*5' dusting and running of
errands'. lAnd not every little girl who
sweeps upt ashes and sits in the chimney
eornei\pNN turn out to be a Cinderella
wit-li coach and four. Yet
there were stories i.'dd (it strange atul
beautiful thingaithat happened to St.
Zita, and her nal^ne is still dear to the
people who live | in ('lie little town
where it all took; place. This was the
tiny village of IHozzanello 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
011 the slope <d* Mount Sagrate, and
all about are green vineyards and orchards
and groves of olive trees,
whose fruit is made into oil and sen>t
(to the town of Lucca, 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
tacross the blue, blue Italian- sea.
But /Cita had still more poetry than
tihis in her life. More than anything'
/llc/i o 11InX'/iil i ii I it C2 1 w*
?it?? .tiiv i ? i.'iiui vii, miii:
loved (lit singing anfl (he lights and
(lie great rolling organ music; she
loved the beautiful words of the
. hymns, and the arches above her
yjjhead: for they made her feel that she
jl 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 limes,
and not even the knights and their
fair princesses had more.
Zi:aV- parents were poor, so she
diad to go out to earn her bread while
she was still very young*. They sent
her to be a little maid in the family
B of a kind nobleman, Cont Pagano de
R^atinelli, and here she lived and was
Pvi* \\v and contented, for they loved
ft fe*"early, and were good to her alI\
Still, she had to work hard,
%%,sometimes she grew very weary
j/'* i')?'e the long day was done. But
EMklr was nover *?? (ii'cd (o go to
jfe/j* rch every morning, and on Sunflfl
/'s and holy days beside. She was
It, er too sleepy or lazy, for this
jrgjls her chiefesl pleasure, indeed althe
only one she had.
HI ilmi'. n 110 phvisfiiuk I''vp V.itn wns I
ii? to hear the carols suniy in the
>gye church. It was very cold, and.
master did not think she was
ssed wr.ynly enoujyh. So the Count
t. for his beautiful cloak, lined
h purple satin and clasped with
d clasps. And just as she was
rtinjy out he stopped her, sayinjy,
'Here, lit lie Zita, you must wear
cloak to-nuylit, or you will be
(1. Bui take care I hat you brinir it
ely back to me. for i| is very preus."
Zita thanked him. promising
be careful, and hurried away, for
was already late. When she
iched the church the doors were
sed and everyone olso had none in.
i' was hnrryin.ir through tin- porch
en she felt some one pull a corner
her dress. Turunny about she saw
)o<yiyar erouHiintr in the snow. He
s a poor cripple, and looked very
l< and-old. His face was blue with
d and his blue, numb hands trcmd
as he held them up, asking pit lslv
for a little syift OM Christinas
e. Now Zita was poor herself, and
1 had nothing to <>ivo. But it made
tears come into her eyes to see
n so cold and miserable. If only he
ild wait until the rich people came
of church, warm and happy, and
1 of kindly Christmas spirit, she
L'w that tliov would !>ive "onerous
JJm. But meanwhile lie might freeze
Jrt;o death in the snow. What could
gRfhc do for him? A sudden thought
raktuu*? 'to her/ One had been kind to
A*; she would pass the kindness on.
.? would loan him the cloak, for
Ip^vj would not need it in the churoh.
threw off the warm mantle and,
Hp$I|ding down, wrapped it about the
my&t shoulders of the beggar.
RjS'niIce this," she said, "until they
out. Poor man! It will keep you
'V'jni for a while anyway. T will come
KLfcyW if when the service is over."
H>n she went into the church with a
BR,it when, among the troops of
Bdy who passed out of the archB
an hour later, she looked around
lie beggar and her borrowed
B|a. lie was nowhere to be seen. She
nfjljf and looked up and down the.
M. Hut the beggar was gone. A
mi lump rose in Zita's throat and
she Ml sirk at heart. Wluu a terrible
thing had happened! She had
been deceived, and the beautiful
cloak which t,?il to her master
was stolen. She van wildly around
seeking anions the people inside and
outside the church, but it was of no
use. So. trembling and frightened, she
returned home, all the joy of her
Christmas Kvc dimmed and clouded
by a flood of tears.
Drooping her head before him, poor
little Zifoa told her master what had
happened. Naturally he was very angry.
He did not see why she should
have been so careless as to loan his
cloak to a beggar, and he blamed her
severely. Hut bitterer than all the
words he said it was to see his face,
and to know how he was grieving foi
the cloak which his dear wife had
iriveil liiiu. Zita crawled away miserably
lo bed and sobbed herself to
sleep.
Now, in the morning, before '.lie
older folks were astir, Zita rose to begin
her daily work, to light the fire
and net the breakfast readv for hci
master ami mistress. Usually slit
amse happy as a lark, ami fresh as 11
little pink daisy when it holds up i(>
dewy lips t<> kiss the sun good-morning.
It was Christmas Day and all
the hells were. ringing joyously. Hut
Zila's heart was heavy as lead, and
her eyes were red and swollen witli
crying, even in her dreams. What joy
could Christmas Day -bring to her, 01
to the house where so unlucky a little
girl lived? As she was going about
her work listlessly, dreading tin
time when she must see her mastei
again, there came a knock at the
door. It was too early for visitors
who could it he this Christmas morning
?
Zita went to the door anxiously
and there on the door-stone stood ji
stranger. He was a beautiful youth
and. oh, wonderful to say! there wa:
a halo about his head, and great lum
inous wings folded nt his back, lit
smiled as she opened the door an<
held out to her a cloak?the ven
same one which Zila had loaned t(
the beggar the night before. Six
gave a cry of joy, and reached on
her hand for it.
"Yes, Zita," said the angel, kind
lv "here is the lost cloak. You sh-al
never suffer for being kind, on an
l blest for your goodness 1<? the poor
cold, shivering beggar. It will not b<
forgotten'." He gave the cloak int<
her eager hands; hut when she wen
to thank him he was gone, and onl;
the fragance of lillies remained ahon
the door to show that a messenge
from Paradise had been- there.
The Zita hurried hack into tin
house with a light heart and shinim
eves. What a rejocing there wa
about that breakfast table, and wha
a merry Christmas they had! By am
by they went out to look for the heir
gar, but he was nowhere (o be found
And to this day the people of Boz/.an
ello believe that the beautiful yontl
who brought back the cloak was th
angel who knelt, disguised as a beg
irar. at the church door, to test th
charity of the little maid. And it i
still called the "Angel door" in mem
ory <>f iho strange thing that happen
ed'.
After this it seemed as if the gooi
I spirits of another world had growi
j to love Zita and watched over hei
I She felt their presence when sh
wciil on long journeys and slio kne\
she was always in the shadow* of ih(>i
i wi'i'_>s. There is a story to prove ihi?
| Oiu-e. ou the Kve of St. Mary May
daleue's Day. which comes on Jul;
'J'J. she went on a pilgrimage to th
church of that saint. II was sevei
miles away on the road to Lucca am
she had t<? walk all that weary dis
tance. Tt was lale when she starlet1
for there had been much work to d<
and she did not get theer till afte
dark. Oh, how tired her poor littl
feet were when she reached th
church, and Iioav badly she felt whe
she found the great door closed an
the services ended. Poor little child
Had she come all that distance fo
nothing'? 'Xo." she said to herself
" T have come to hring a candle i
honor of St. "Mary and T will have
little service all by myself if T can
not get info the church."
As Zita lighted her candle and knel
before the church door to say he
prayers she did not notice that 111
candles of the sky were all put out
Xot a star was burning and the moo
had put on a waterproof. There wa
goina* to lio n (1 road fill storm. Tin
Zita did not know. J-Tev sun-bnrne
eyes soon began to wink and final!
closed tight. The poor little head 1)(
ran to drop and at last fell over o
one shoulder. Zita was sound aslooj
with I lie candle burning* in her harw
Then the storm began. The win
roared and shook the trees; the rai
poured down and I ho street was tun
oil into little si roams which ran a
around in different directions, hunl
i ;v* for a brook in whirl) to hidi
Droat ,jofs of water ran out of tli
mouths of the lit lie stone faces car\
cd at the ends of the waterspouts o
/
tiu? church, ami when 111 .* livlitiling]
flushed it showed everything looking 1
drenehed and frii?'hlened. It was tor- *
rihlo to see. Hut Zita kn?'W nothing
at all alioul it. She never wakened nor
stirred in her dreamless, tired sleep.
And when she woke ia the morninir ]
the eandle was still buruiutr in her
hand. For the angels had spread their
winus over her all the niyht, and had 1
sheltered her from the wind and rain, ]
and had kept the little candle from
j;oi:i<r out. Zita rose wonderinjrly in 1
t'lie rosy morning lijrhl. Then sho IJ
iflaueed down at her jfown and felt
her braids of Ioiij? black hair. There
was not a rain drop upon them. And 1
she smiled softly to herself, and in ^
her heart thanked the ;rood friends
' who were watehinjr around her, she '
knew, thouv.h she could not 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 lin/./.anollo.
And il may be that this was the very
candle of SI. Zita which her anjrels '
had set there to burn forever, in 1
'* spite <d' stovm and rain, just as it did
1 that niyht. At all events, through all
1 these years, it has shed a irloani of
liyht for us to read her charitv and
I
pious I'snlli, and il is just :ts hriglit
today as it was six hundred years ago.
James T. Haeon. ^
Society item, daily paper, June
. '200S: The bride was dressed in an
elaborate gown of real cotton."
k <
; | Don't Push^
l\ The horse can draw the I'JfPLff]
1 i\ reduce friction to almost /m/Jljl
' \\ nothing by applying i/MjJ/f'
rea.^e Ml j fil
and saves so much f )/Rj
1 horsefpower. Next time I JrSf
try Mica Axle Grease. r^j
Standard Oil Co. Qfi? ipB I
Incorporated
?=r |
' Those Odd Sizt d Pictures ofi
v i
t Yours Can Be Framed at
r
t j
1 Ari asid Varietv Store.!
' !
They carry a full siock of !
i) ' I
l> Picture-^.
o Picture i\.A< !.? dings,
- anything in Mat Bcarc. andj
i
have latest machin^rv for cut-!
>1 j ting same
i) ^ k ^ j
A Rational ffreatn\ent>
for CatTlrrh
it one that soothes the inflamed and
congested membranes and heals and
v' cleanses without4 'drugging" the affected
r glve9 quick and permanent relief front
0 Catarrh, Colds?all affections of tie I
membranes of the nose and throat
We Guarantee Satisfaction.
') Buy a 50-cent tube of NoSKNa from.
il
\ \V. G Mhvcs <Si I'tospirily Drug Co
1 and get your money back if not satisfied,
; Sample tube and Booklet by mail 10c.
II BROWN MF'G CO..
St, l/ouis, Mo. Grccnoville.Tcnn<
!_ WWaMMBMOBH i/WCia/SK Wttf ttBWTitWUV JaT MMftMl * WHXiAB
!i We Want
0
I.
n to come and see the
s
hand, In looking over
I good many things that
" a sacrifice. Everyone c
1.
? Come and judgi
i
E. SHEEHAN
Augusta, Ga.
Bottler of Imperial Ginger
\le, Root Beer, Champagne
Cider, Wiseola and
Domestic Lager Beer in
pints, 10 dozen to the cask,
&7.50 per cask.
Write for complete price
list. Wholesale and retail
iealer in Wines and Liquors.
NOTICE.
Before letting
the contract for
your new* building
see W.T. Livingston.
Best
Work. Lowest
prices.
Lock Box No. 59.,
Newberry, S. C
Have V ou Seen
Our new and up-to-date Soda
Fountain? No! Well, call and
e a beauty.
We are ready to serve you
the purest Ice-cold Drinks to
be found.
Our Ice Creamis well known
and it shall be our aim to serve
it in approved style.
Call early and often and be
refreshed.
Jones' Restaurant.
JAMESTOWN EXPOSITION.
Rates from Newberry S. C., as follows
:
Season Ticket $19.55. Sold daily
April l!>th to November 30th.
GO Day ticket $10.30. Sold daily
April 10th to November 30th.
15 day ticket $14.30. Sold daily
April 30th to November 30th.
Coach Excursion $8.55. Sold each
Tuesday; limit 10 days. Endorsed.
"Not unod in parlor or sleeping
cars."
Through Pullman sleeping cars, via
Atla:iti.- Cost, Line Railroad company.
Write for a beautitu! illustrated
folder ( <>:.tainin.ir maps, descriptive
mater, !i>t of Hotel, etc.
For reservations or any infonnation.
Address,
T. C. White,
General Passenger A tit.
W. ,T. Crnisr,
Passenger TrhfTie Manager,
Wilmimrton, X. C.
WANTED
OLD PIANOS AND ORGANS
for which we will allow the highest
prices towards now Instruments. No
Club rates to offer, but we Pledgo
better Instruments for 'lie same or
less moe.i-v. than those at club rate
offers.
Write Malooes Mu-ic House, Columbia,
S. for specia1 prices and
terms.
Everyone
Bargain we have on
our stock we find a
we are going to sell at
>f them good values.
e for yourself.
('
Right in The Front Bonk.
With a great line of Spring and Summer goods, Spring Clothing,
Slippsrs, Shoes, Straw Hats. Elegant line Laces and
Embroidery, the new things in Summer Dress Goods, Black
Goods a specialty. The creations in millinery will easily surpass
anything that has ever been shown at this store, and this
means that our 1907 Hats have no superior and but few
equals Our other line 5 complete and full of new fresh goods
and as usual you will find our prices just right. Just think
New Drop Head Domestic Machine $25.00, New Defiance
Machine. DroD Head. 20 vears c*iiarante<* $ 17.93.
People say Moseleys can't sell the goods at the price and
make piofit. What difference does it make to you what people
say as long as you get the goods.
Moseley Bros.,
PROSPERITY, S. C.
CALL ON j
Brains I Ruff
AT THE I
HERALD & NEWS I
1 FOR 1
Box Paper, 1
Tablets, Pencils, I
Pens and Ink, I
Soaps,
Fine Extracts,
I &IC; &c.
I n fact anything you need along that line.
1 CIGARS AND TOBACCO.
1 Don't forget, to call on them.
They are also agents for LaurensSteam
1 Laundry.
: Prescription Materials ;
$
& Which we use are without exception the ourest grade. ^
* We believe in PURITY. ' J
We constantly preach PURITY. ^
! . We always practice. PURITY v/hen preparing medi- ?
I * cines.
PURITY counts, and counts for much, in medicines. ?
^ Ask vour doctor. $
I? MAYES' DRUG STORE. ?
VERY LOW RATES
. . . TO . . .
I NORFOLK AND RETURN
Account Jamestown Ter-Centcnnml Exposition
. . . VIA . . .
SOUTHERN RAILWAY
Season, Sixty Day and Fifteen Day Tickets on sale
daily, commencing April 19th, to and including November
30th, 1907.
Very low rates will also be made for MILITARY and
BRASS BANDS in uniform attending the Exposition.
STOP OVERS will be allowed on Season, Sixty Day
*\r\ A Ann Pi \ t T o rv* a r\ *-v Cn ^ /s v ? m
I cuivi i uit.v~.ii isa.y i ium^uo, ocu i iu do Ull OUIlllilUJ I UUI"
ist Tickets.
For full and complete information call on Ticket
Agents Southern Railway, or write
R, W. Hunt
Division^ Pass. Agent.
Charleston, S. C