New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-03-16
The Haunted Cloister:


The Haunted Cloister;
OR, THE FR4NCIsCAN's CRIME
Many years ago---it were idle to say how
many---a youth of sixteen took the VOWS in the
chapel of Saint Francis. He was welcome ac-
cession to the brotherhood; for, although not
nobly born, he brought with him weighty
dover, the produce of the many successful ven
lures of his deceased father
His person was tall and graceful, somewhat
too naughty for his birth and calling, and
strangely betraying his nature His voice was
the most musical of the choir and his eyes as
keen as that of the mountain eagle. Such as |
have described him did he live for several years
among the brotherhood of Saint Francis, pity
ing some and despising others. feeling and look
ing as though he held himself to be superior to
Perhaps there is no assumption before which
the common herd of mankind PROSTATE them
selves more blindly than this; some few mur-
INJURED, but their murmurs were too studtously
sub'lued to reach the ear of the young monk
and he came and went at length unquestioned;
and when they saw him busily engaged far into
the night, with a spirit untired by the fasts or
penance of the day, poring over huge volumes,
which, to them, were as mysterious as the stars,
even the murmurs ceased, for they felt that he
was not as one of themselves. Had the prior
missive to forward to the general of the order,
it was he who penned it with ready skill, at
which the good old Sacrstan, who had hitherto
acted as secretary to the brotherhood, crossed
himself in wonder
Needed there a messenger of trust to a dis
tant community, it was ever the strong -limbed
and clear-witted brother Henriques who was
| selected for the duty
Perhaps in those years the monk was happy ;
| be that as it may, it was the nearest approach
to happiness which he was ever fated to know
His proud spirit was satisfed-his supremacy
both mental and physical, unhesitatingly ad-
mitted, and his caprices respected Rigorous
| and uncompromlsng in the observance of the
minute and wearsome details of his conventual
duties careless of comfort, when it's sacrifice
held out the prospect of prouder qualification
patient under the infiction of the senseless gos-
siping of the narrow minded and superstitious
| brotherhood; Jealous at the altar, and indul-
gent at the confessional, it was no wonder that
| the supine community of Saint Francis were
often glad to depute the young monk to the per-
formance of many of their more difficult duties
Years wore on thus: the studious Henriques
had succeeded in possessing himself Of the small
| tower, beneath which was excavated the prison
vault of the monastery; and there the faint
light of the lamp, by which he pursued his soli-
tary studies, might be seen glimmering far into
the night.
| 1t chanced on Il sweet midnight, that special
messenger arrived at the monastery, ON a mis-
sion to the prior, and that his errand required
instant attention. The half awakened and anx-
ious superior instantly dispatched a yawning
| y-DrOtller to summon Father Henriuues to a
| conference The obedient brother obeyed the
command reluctantly, for whispers had begun
| to grow among the community that strange
sounds might be heard TO issue from the dun
geon-vault, by any one who had the courage to
listen to them: and one of the monks even as
serted that he had seen a slight figure, clad in
a loose robe of white, fit past him, and disap-
pear beneath the shadow Of the building The
monastic records were searched for an elucida-
ton Of the mystery; and fearful tale, con-
| nected with the tower, served at once to give
credit to the asserted appearance of the appari-
ton, and to increase ten-fold the terror of the
brotherhood. In their good -natured supersti-
ton, the monks warned Henriques to abandon
the tower, on which it was palpable that curse
rested, which had now begun to work, anC
which even his piety, although it had become
a proverb in the neighborhood, had failed t,
counteract. The listener crossed himself ant
whispered few mysterious tales of the ik
description, which he had gathered from ancien
volumes, and to which the monks lent q greed,
ear. He spoke hurriedly and hoarsely, lik
one whose fears choked his voice; but had hi
auditors noted the expression of his lip, the
might have read there q scorn which belied hi
| words.
Great was the wonder of the trembling erour
: when, despite all these dark legends, Henriuue
resolutely declared his determination of remain
ing in the occupancy of the tower, of searchin
into its hidden mysteries, and exercising tn
spirit of darkness which now dwelt in il
recesses Time wore on q gloom had gathere
on the brow of the monk, and there was fea1
tul meaning in the silence which he obstinatel
maintained on the subject of the midnight yisi
tations. 'slhe time is not yet come p was hi
brotherhood, and while he grew every day NOR
stern and taciturn, the secret remained unre
, vealed
Such was the state of things when, with quiv
ering lips and trembling heart, the lay -brothe
went forth at midnight to obey the bidding
= the prior. The moon, as it has already bee
S remarked, was shining brightly in the heavens
when he sailed forth into the cloister wliic
= communicated with the vaulted tower but er
a he had traversed the paved court, IL cloud passe
over the sky, and the night wind moane
drearily among the recesses of the building
: 6 Sancta Maria, ora pro me % murmured til
old monk, as he glided along; &c Sancta Maria
- ora pro me %
Little was the pious man comforted, however
- by his hasty prayer, when, on reaching the foe
/, of the tower, he was conscious of low, vii
laugh, which wandered past him on the nigh
= wind. Hurriedly he withdrew his hand fro
IS the iron studded door, and his hair bristled upo
his head as he became certain that his sens
= had not deceived him, but that he really heal
: the voice of the mysterious father Henriuues,
converse with spirit. He could not distinguis
d a syllable; but at times the supernatural a,
lie cents died away in heart broken moan, and
times swelled into music. But necessity atlm
of no vOlltlon; and brother John remembers
Is the command of the prior, MS, with auailir
heart, he beat upon the door. There was
q instant silence, and in few seconds it W,
y opened by the stern and silent inmate Of Il
= tower.
! Z" How nov !" asked iisthsP Hehpi,lues, IN, |
tho light Vi ite lamp which Aa Held In biz hRn