Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1868-04-24
A Nuns Story.

have only received the incomplete and
unsatisfactory outlines. l went to
France as you know, against the wish
es of my family and friends, having
accepted the situation in a school
there as English teacher. is enough
TO say about that school, that no de-
cent English girl could have stayed,So
utter was the dirt, discomfort ana
barbarism pervading it. was com
pelled to leave it, but ! was extreme
iy reluctant to quit France without
accomplishing my object, which was to
perfect myself in the language; more
especially as my friends had objected
to the enterprise from the first L
terror to small seaport town, from
which the transit to England was easy,
and during my journey | took counsel
with myself, and calculating my re-
naming stock of money, amounting to
a little more than twenty-siX pounds.
l had made up my mind before
reaching the terminus, and there | in
quired if there was any English con-
sui in the town. Certainly there was,
at least a yice-consul; and, for the
small consideration Of half franc, a
polite porter conducted me to his Of
fice | entered it with some diff
dence, and confronted three clerks,
seated at the orthodox high desks,
who bestowed upon me the orthodox
clerkly stare. The vice-conSul was
summoned, and proved to be a Ger
man who spoke English and French
with equally amusing blunders. How
ever, he was all kindness, and after
due deliberation, he asked if | should
object to 90 into a convent. | felt q
slight shock at first, but a few minutes
thought decided me to go, and | said
/ so. In that case, he replied, he could
be of service to me, for without doubt
q he could obtain my admission into a
convent in the town on the morrow.
In the meantime he would see me safe
Iy lodged in a hotel for the night.
. | must pass over my night alone in
a foreign hotel, though there is a
5 good deal | might tell you about it.
In the morning the vice-consul came
as appointed and told me that could
be received into the convent for two
pounds a month. The terms suited
my means, as you see, and | gladly
accepted them so | gave twenty
pounds into his hands, asking him
to call each month and pay the sum
- agreed upon. | went with him to the
convent in a mood Of cheerful alacri-
ty, with my sense of the romantic fan
i.iD~t iIteIIIC, PIOtuI IIi- 10 GO ,-le.y
solemn, ecclesiastical building, stand
ING in a vast, antique garden, surround
ded 10y high massive walls. Judge,
then, Of my disappointment, when l
70 found a new brick building not IN
like an English work-houSe, present
ING flat front of four stories to a
dull street; on the other side Of which
were a few gloomy old houses, that
seemed injured by the fresh paint and
$ red brick work of the upstart convent.
/. The vice-consul and | entered a bare
waiting room, something like those Of
prisons and hospitals, which was di-
n vided by a grille of iron bars about
. three inches apart, behind which was
a nun, fat, rosy and about forty years
old,who was jabbering in rapid French
) to a peasant woman on our side of
y the grille. We were summoned tC
the upper end Of the room, where
Madame la Superieure waited to give
us an interview; and she and | look.
A ed keenly at one another through the
a grating. | saw q face comeley anC
}, shrewd, and bearing the unmistaka
ID ID ble traits of a lady under the white
t, coilfure which concealed her hair; the
fine lips might have been chiselled il
: marble, to express rule and decision
'' and the eyes, hazel-grey, instead Of the
common dark-b brown Of French eyes
: had a directnesS and penetration of
$, gaze which l could only bear witt
n n, difficulty.
ut "Mademoiselle is not so young as
2. 2. supposed" she said to the vice-consul
st she will not submit to the strictnesS
Of our rules. We permit our board
- ers to 90 out but once a month, and
then under supervision. Her letters
. will be read before she sends then
n out, or receives them, and she will no
n be allowed to hold any private con
Mt versation, except with me or one OF
52yy the sisters"
as The rules were rather 100 strict t.
L. be agreeable; but | had made up m,
mind to 90 into that convent, especi
7 ally as the elegant and polished ac
L cent Of Madame struck upon my ca
st. as altogether the best French | haC
S! ever heard
ng Il can submit to the rules" | said
nd nd and she smiled approval; "but vii
y; you let me see this gentleman once
er month, when he comes to dissharg
u u my obligations to you"
OK Ok Certainly; yes" replied Madame
graciously.
W "And if any of my friends" cor
he tinued, "Should come here to see me
ID you will not refuse them? 1t is nc
" probable, but it might happen"
sr- without doubt" she answered, a
ID afably as before.
6a ea bade the vice-consul good by, a
Gle most affectionateIy, for he was m
as as last friend in the wicked world
en- should quit when entered those bal
all all red doors, and / felt something hk
Is Is tears in my eyes; but was bent uF