The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-02-19

Used dlter night had covered the worlu with
her sable mantle. Her nuns dress was
deposited in her chamber, and the exterior
dirty garment with which she passed through
the sewer was exchanged for one her lover
wrapped her in at its mouth. She used to
walk with him for hours, but always returned
to her convent before dawn.
One evening, however, on returning
from her romantic ramble by'moonlight,
what was her horror to find the scwer-tht
well known passage completely chokcd ~
with water, and all entrance imprac,icabe
Discovery would bring certain destruction
on herself aud her lover. Their lives would
be the forfeit or solitary dungeon THEN
midcst doom. Concealment was impracic
able; for who would harbor them Flight
was impossible; for without their passports
the gates Of the city would be closed against
them; and could they scale the walls, no 9th
er would be open to them. In this situation
her courage and presence Of mind saved
them both. She went, dressed in her lover 5
clothes, to the house of Cardinal Nicaro,
who was an Old friend Of her father; disturb
ed the family; had the cardinal reused out
Of bed on the plea Of the most urgent and
Important business; obtained private au.
dcncc; threw herself at his feet and con.
fcsscd all.
" So earnestly did She implorc him 10 save
her and her flmily from the public disgrace
OF an exposure. that melted by her tears,
he followed the plan She suggested ordered
his carriage, took her and one confidential
chaplain on whoir fidelity he could rely
drove to the convent rang up the porcress
and pretending lc had received information
of man having entered and being con
cealcd in it, demanded instant admiuancc to
search it, wlch in virtue Of his Office could
lot be refused at any hour. He ordered the
terrified sisters TO remain in their rooms, and
having dropped the distinguished nun in
hers, proceeded in his mock examination til
she had disrobed herself, and his attendants
had conveyed away the bundle Of her clothes:
then protesting himself perfectly satisfied
that the information he had received was
false, he le(t the conyent-taking care, how.
ever, nest day, to have the sewer so closed
that it could never serve for anything but
a passage for dirly water again.
"-Thc most severe Of the female monasic
orders is that o! Santa Theresa, in which its
unfortunate votarcs are doomed 10 unccas-
ing midnight vigils and daily iasts to pen
ance, adsterty, and modification, in every
possible form while all intercourse with
their friends, all indulgence of the sweet af-
lcctions Of iaiure are as sedulously inter
dictcd as il these were crimes of the black
est dye. 1t is the merit of their lives liat
death is to be continually before their eyes
continually present to their thoughts.
There is in Rome convent called, and
justly called, the .Spetto Iico, in which are
buried conumacious, or fanatic mans from all
converts, and wives and daughters whose
husbands and fathers have the means to prove
they deserve, or the interest TO procure the
order for such dreadful punishment. In,
stances have occurred where mere resistance
to the will Of parcni, or causclcss jealousy
conceived by husband has been followed
by His terrible vengeance. What may pass
within its walls can never be known; none
but its victims may cntcr and none of them