The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 283: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

280 THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. he saw nothing; his eye was fixed, but his mind was far away and engaged on other matters; he was absent. Again the lock turned and the door opened. There were two persons this time, and one said: ‘¢ You'll find him in there, sir.” An elderly man entered, and it was evident, from his garb, that he was a clergyman—the prison chaplain. . ‘‘My friend,” said the clergyman, advancing toward Stern- holde, ‘‘is there anything that I can do for you? your awful state requires some preparation. Permit me to give you such consolation as a man can receive, who stands upon the brink of eternity.” “IT don’t want any,” said Sternholde. ‘‘I am a Catholic.” ‘‘ Cannot at this moment the distinction of creed be forgotten, and cannot you receive the consolation of the dying from the hands of a fellow Christian? The blessingsof God flow upon all alike, Protestant as well as Catholic. Cannot——” ‘¢ You can do nothing, sir. My creed forbids me to hold any religious communication with you, else I would; but if you would do me a favor—if you would afford religious consolation to a dying man, do it through one of my own persuasion.” ‘* What do you wish ?” inquired the chaplain. ‘*‘ A priest.” The chaplain paused a moment, and it seemed as if he consid- ered in his own mind the possibility of effecting a change in the risoner’s mind; but apparently he considered the matter hope- ess, for he said: ‘‘T will send the governor to you, and to him you must make your request; you will have every facility given you for such a visitor, I am convinced.” ‘‘Thank you, sir; I am beholden to you.” “Nay, it is your right. I would I could have granted more, but your position binds my hands. Farewell: and may Heaven show you its mercy.” The chaplain left the cell, and Sternholde was again alone, and then he resumed his former immovable position for some time. But in about half an hour’s time the cell door was once more opened, and, on this occasion, the governor himself appeared. ‘*T came to see you,” he said. ‘*I understand you have a re- quest to make respecting a confessor or a priest.” . ‘¢ Yes,” said Sternholde, ‘‘ I am a Catholic, and, assuch, if any religious consolation be afforded me, I can only receive it through the hands of a priest.” a you any priest in particular whom you desire to see ? ‘‘T have.” ‘‘Here is an order; now write the name of your priest upon the back of it, and I will bave it conveyed to him by special mnessenger, so that no time may be lost.” ‘It is as 1 wished,” said Sternholde; ‘‘if you will allow the priest to have instant access to me, I shall be glad, for I have much to say and to communicate to him,” comicbooks. com