Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-01-06

pleasing salulations conducted US 10 our chambers
plainly furnished apartments with no carpets on III,
moor, Cut with good beds. The house was yer,
cold AS The season is not far advanced perhaps
their winter fires were not kindIed and as no fue
$50 De had excep. what is brought up from below
on The backs of horses, is we'll for The monks IL
be chary OF its use. Our host led Us TO the cham
Der in which Napoleon slept when he was here
and my young German friend occupied The same
bed IN which the Emperor lay. He did no, tell me
IN The morning that his dreams were any better
than mine, though | had but humble pilgrim g.
Alter we had taken possession of our quarters
we were at liberty to survey the establishment. =
We began al the kitchen, where small army oil
servants were preparing dinner over immense
cooking stoves. The house is fitted up TO lodge
seventy guests, but often times hundred and even
hive hundred have been known TO be here at one
time. To gel dinner for such host, in house so
many miles above the rest of the world is no small
affair. We came up 10 The Cabinet, enriched with
thousand curious objects OF nature and art, many
OF them presented by travellers, grateful for kind
| ness they had received, and some oflhem relics Of
the old Romans who once had temple 10 Jupiter
on this spot. The reception room, which was also
a sitting and dining room was now rapidly filing
up with travellers, arriving at nightfall. One Eng
! lsh lady, overcome with The exeriion of climbing
The hill on horseback sank upon The floor and faint.
ed as soon as she was brought in. A gentleman
| who had bul liule more nerve in him. was also ex-
hausted The kind-heaHed priests fastened TO
bring resorauves, and speedily carried off the in,
III baI, -,
was quite late, certainly seven In the evening be-
lore dinner was served and with edged appetites,
such as only mountang climbing in snow time
can set, we were ready a, the call. The monks
wait upon their guests, girded with napkin, TAX.
ing the place of servants, and thus showing, or
making show OF humility. II was not pleasantto
my feelings 10 have ST. Augustine monk, in The
habit OF his order, black cloth frock reachin, 10
his leet and buloned with white band around his
neck and passing down in front and behind 10 his
glriie, now standing behind me while was eat.
| ing, offering 10 change my plate, and serving me
an aacri'y worth imlaIing by those whose business
! ii is 10 wait on table And when I said, "thank
you, faher," i. was no more than the tribute of
respec due 10 gentleman of education and taste,
whose religion had condemned 10 such a life as
this Father Miliard presided al the lable, and was
| very conVersable with The guests cheeriulIy i'm
parting such information as was desired
| Or the eight or len monks here, not one Of them
speaks The English language but The French Italian,
and German are all in use among them Ienqur.
| ed of Father Millard if those terrible disasters of
which we formerly read so much-lravelIers per.
| ishlng IN the snow-are OF ffeqnent occurrence
| He told me 'ha! rarely, think he said never, does
a winter pass, without some accident of the sort -
Hundreds of The peasanlry engaged in trade or for
The sake of visiting friends, will make The pass and
though the paths are marked by high poles Sc, up
in summer, these are sometimes completely buried
under mountains OF snow an the poor traveller
| loses his way and sinks as he would in the sea-
| He also told me that after his brethren reside in
| this cold climate for few years, they find their
health giving way, and they are obliged 10 retire
10 some oher field fabor, and usually with broken
constitutions, Yet there are always some who are
willing This hazard TO devote The best years of
their life 10 The noble work OF saving the lives OF
others Honor 10 the men, whether their faith be
ours or not
Our dinner: this being our only dinner where
monks were our hosts and servants, is worth being
reported. We had no printed bill OF fare bu, my
young friends helped me 10 make oul The next day
as follows: L. Vermicell soup 2 Beef la
mode. 8 Potatoes. 4. Roast lamb. Dessert
Of nuts, figs, cheese &c This, with plenty of
wine, for which The cellars Of S.. BERNARD are
famous was dinner and supper enough for any:
certainly we were prepared TO do it justice as 10
liable spread in the wilderness.
Alter dinner, the party now numbering fifty or
more assembled from the two or three refecrories
in The drawing-room, and the many languages
spoken gave US a small idea of Babel. One Of the
priests took his seat al poor piano, sadly out oil
tune, and commenced some lively airs. The two
Swiss madens who had come up with him TO visit
the hospice, stood one on each side Of him at The
piano, and sang with great gee 10 his music, and
at the close oil every song the party applauded with
hearty clapping OF hands that would have pleased
Mario and Gtisi asked Father Mll'ard, who
Stood by me all The evening, and with whom
formed very pleasant acquaintance, if they had
| such gay times every night. He said that during
the summer travel they had pleasant people who
enjoyed themselves much during their brief visit
We certainly did. And al an hour later than usual
we retired TO our chambers Il was so cold that
had 10 take my Glasgow blanket and wrap myself
we'll in it before turning in but sep, soundly and
was awakened by The Convent ball, before daylight
calling the monks 10 morning prayers, | rose and
hastily dressing hurried TO The chapel The priests
The servants, and thirty or forty mueieers who had
come with the travellers were their knees on The
stone floor OF very pretty chapel, devouily wor-
shipping. None of the travellers were here ; but
those who entertained and served them, had left
! their beds before dawn 10 pray.
| Breakfast was moi prepared Tor all q, once, but