The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-10-14

ly laid this information before q Judge
Of inquiry, who, in company with
the public prosecutor, repaired to the
bishop, Won Galecki, with the re-
quest to permit them to enter the
convent. Herr Won Galecki suggest
ed to the Judge that the notice might
have arisen out of q false report:
but when the officer of justice urged
him to give him an ecclesiastical as
sistant, no declared that he would
grant the request in his capacity as
Papal delegate, and sub-delegated
the Papal prelate spital. very in
telligent and worthy priest. In his
company and that Of his actuary,
Kwialkowski, the judicial witnesses,
Stanislaus Gralewski and Theophil
Parvi, the judge drove to the CON
vent. The latter, which is one of
the strictcst female orders, is situa.
ted in one Of the most beautiful SUI
burbs of Cracow Thel convent was
first entered by Father Spital, and
tho commission went to the upper
corridor, followed by the nuns, one
of whom showed tho Judge the cell
Of Sister Barbara. This cell, be-
tween the pantries, close to the dung
hole, had q walled up window and
double wooden door, in which there
was a movable grating, through
which, very probably, food was
handed in. The cell, seven PAGES
long by six PAGES wide, was opened,
but it is almost impossible to describe
the view this piece Of inqiusition of
the nineteenth century presented
In dark, infected hole, joining the
sewer, sat, or rather covered, on q
heap of straw, an entirely naked,
totally neglected, half insane woman,
who, at the unaccustomed view of
light, the outer world, and human be-
ings, folded her hands and pittlfully
implored: 81 am hungry; have pity
on mo; give me meat and l shall be
obedient--"
This hole, for it could hardly be
called chamber, besides containing
all kinds of dirt and filth, and a dish
with rotten potatoes, was deficient
Of the slightest decent accommoda-
ton. There was nothing-no stove,
no bed, no table, no chair-it was
neither warmed by q fire nor by the
rays of the sun. This den, the in
hu IAN Sisters, who call themselves
women, spiritual wives, the brides of
heaven, had selected as habitation
for one Of their own sex, and kept
her therein in close confinement for
twenty-one years-since 1848. For
twenty-one years the Gray Sisters
daily passed this cell, and not one of
them over thought Of taking CON-
passion On this poor outcast prisoner.
Half human beng, half animal, with
a filthy body, with thin knock kneed
legs, hollow cheeks, closely shorn
dirty head, unwashed foryears, came
q horrible-looking being forward,
such as Dante in his widest imagi-
nation was unable to picture. With
her deeply-sunk eyes staring on one
spot knelt this wretched victim in
her cell in the Convent of the Carm-
elites. Thejudge instantly ordered
the nun to be clothed, and went him
self for Bishop Galecki. The bishop
was deeply moved, and, turning to
the assembled nuns, he vehemently
reproached them for their inhumani-
ty. els this" he said, "what you
call love ofyour neighbour Furies,
not women, that you are, is it thus
that you purpose to enter the king
dom Of heaven?" The nuns ventured
to excuse their conduct, but the
bishop would not hear them. "Si-
lence, you wretohes !" he exclaimed
'saway. out Of my sight, you who
disgrace religionl" The bishop and
prelate at once suspended tho Father
Confessor, and also the Superioress,
who is descended from an old honor
able Polish noble family. The bishop
ordered nun Barbara Ubryk to be
brought into clean cell, and there
to be dressed and nursed. When the
unhappy nun was led away, she asked
anxiously whether she would DO
brought back to her grave; and when
asked why she had been imprisoned,
she answered; ~ have broken the
VOW of chastity; but" pointing with
q fealfully wild gesture and in great
excitement to the Sisters, "they are
not angels!"
This fearful personal history which
was brought to the light of day by
chance alone, shows what iniquity
may be covered by the sacred name
of religion even in this 10th century.
l-Harper's Weekly.