The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-09-07

tempt 10 introduce arrangements by
which such sacrifices of life and hu.
manity would be prevented, are
sneered at by our respectable wor-
thies as Agrarianism, Promiscuiiy,
Red-Dragonism, or, worst Of all,
Socialism"
RoMANTIc.--We extract the fol.
lowing incident from recent letter
Of the st. Louis Republicans cor
respondent in France. Fact is str.
ely stranger than fiction:
A most singular story has come out
by death which took place at
monastery near Paris, last week.
Several years ago, rich miller,
living in one Of the provinces, be-
came 50 unhappy by the death ofhis
wife, that placing his only Child,
girl ofonly ten years of age, in con-
vent, he repaired to the monastery
near Paris, and became d monk.
During six or seven years he led
most pious life, but, from the gloom
of his cell he thought often Of his
daughter. The desire to see her
grew so much upon him, that he at
last resolved 10 spen correspon-
dence with her; the answers he re-
ceiyed to his letters, were such as
to rcawaken all the affections OF
other days, within his bosom. Tie
young girl on her side, was no less
eager to sea once more parent
whose early tenderness she still re-
membercd. Wit! resolution sur
prising in one of her age, she quit
ted the convent, dressed herself in
male attire, and sought the mon
astery in which her father resided.
She there resumed the habit Of the
order, and was named brother
Robert. Sho was then but seventeen
years of age She took car not to
reveal herselfto her father until the
irrevocable VOWS had been pronoun-
ced when at last she followed him
to his cell and told her story. The
Joy he expressed at folding his be-
loved child once more to his heart,
and the regret which her act of de-
votion can.ed him, brought on a
fevor which ended his life in n few
days. The young girl found herself
now in situation Which nothing but
the religious education she had re-
ccived, could have enabled her to
bear. Deprived of the support
which the daily sight of her father
would have given her, she valien,lv
mortified herself in every possible
way to keep down the worldly re.
grets which arose in her heart She
Became the example Of the convent,
and the sanrtiy of Frisr Robert was
spread abroad in all France. The
most holy Offices were confded prin-
cipalIy TO hear; it was she who was
sent TO pray by The bedside Of tire
dying, and to console the afflicted.
Eut she did an immense deal ofgood
among tho young girls of Paris, whom
the world and its pleasures had
drawn from the path Of duty, To
these she never wcaried. Of talking
her humility surprised them; the
simplicity other soul, and the sweet
ness of her voice, charmed them
completely, and Friar Robert rarely
failed in bringing these wanderers
back to the right way.
Atlast, however, SANDER attacked
the fair fame Of Fralr Robert, and he
was accused of being too fond OF Wis
ting female siners. The Able ofthe
monastery imposed upon the pre-
tended brother, as penitence, 70
serve the whole community, and 10
DO the most repugnaDt and the rou-
CHEST work. She did all without ~
murmur, and during three years,
accomplished the rude duties laid
upon her, without failing in single
enc.
Last week she died, and the
rcmorse Of the monks may well be
imagined, when it was discovered
that it vas sisterinstead Of broth
or whom they had been punishias SO
long.