The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-02-01

receive but 1900, and our numbers
amount to eighty Moderate as our re.
quirements, we are forced, therefore, to
labor diligently TO earn our daily bread"
"And is unbrokcn silence maintained
while at work ?'
" Invariably. Each morning the prior
appoints to every man his task Even the
field laborcrs are only permitted to COM
municate by means of signs ; and there are
brethern who would suffer any amount of
physical torment rather than utter sylla-
bic without the permission of their supe-
rior. The third class is that Of the Iidt,eS
oJtat, or lay brethcrn, who discharge the
duties of servants These retain their
worldly garb.
We entered the church. Our guide re-
sumed his STOOL Placed in the choir, op-
postc the high altar, our party had full
view of the spectacle. Thirty monks were
present. One ofiiciatcd. All were clad
in white robes. Behind the bare, white
walls The shavcn heads, ,mmoble forms,
pale compilations, fixed eyes haggard faces
and bcnded attitudes of those nine and
twenty rccluscs, appeared like corpses clad
in shrouds. Neither the hollow chant nor
deep responses, nor slow Are Bm6,>, nor
cultural Frtcr No,tcys, nor wailing organ
notes, dispeled the illusion. Young men
were Of the number, and mddlc-aged and
old, and all alike bore the stamp Of the
dead. They grouped together at the con-
clusion and walked past through the long
passage, but even then they ressembled the
shadows Of the departed. The ceiling,
walls, pilasters, stools, altar-cloths and
robes were all white, and the images of
virgin and child, and the rosaries they
wore and tie obscure windows, narrow
chapcls, plain jnim-leu, and braided has
socks The most cheerful of colors was
tortured by doathly silence and automatic
sounds into dusky gloom. One of the
monks raised his head while passing and
fixed his large dark eyes on the writer.
1t was face well known in the salons of
Paris. Youth, beauty, wealth, and even
science, were his friends when we knew
him three years before. La Gcoe Il" monde
change Herbert was a Trappist.
Our guide resumed his place and asked
US W ltlItSlliHfUl. IUt ldDlt WIS NITtau
with omclettc, salad butter, cheese, bread,
and fruit A bottle Of ,rn o,3may1e stood
before each plate. Compared with the
fare Of the monks, it was the feast of Sy-
barte. Ten ounces of bread, potato
without salt, and a gill Of milk mixed in
a pint Of water, constitute their meal.
- Seated each upon block Of wood before
an unspread table, with mug, wooden
spoon and trencher, the food is eaten in
D silence. From time to time the prior
strikes bell. The eating ceases Every
+. head is bowed 1t is the moment of re-
Hection He strikes again, and the meal
is resumed
" But suppose one of the Order We're
ill., and the physician were to direct
n strengthening dict ?"
/ 1--WE know no illness here" our guide
c replied, "nor any physician save spirit
It ual one"
s As the monks left their table, we stood
i aside to let them pass. At the door was
j. a penitent. He lay stretched at full length
- on the threshold. His penance had just
r. been imposed. 1t was to be hodden up
y on by those who departed Painfully as
l. the sight impressed US who were strangers,
the inmates seemed rather to enjoy it
$ Every one planted first one foot and then
10 the other squarely on the recumbent's back.
j. To do him justice, hc bore i. bravcly, ut
III tering no groan save when Il fat monk
&c brought up his second foot and stood rest
.s ing for a minute or two on the penitcnt's
Is body.
'r e Before conducting us through the build.
- ings, our master Of ceremonies introduced
u u US to the iathcr-prior. He is an old man
-, :. tall and thin, with n bearing and counte.
20 nance expressive Of command A long
y , staff is his mark of distinction. Beyond
1e 't this, his woolen robes, scapulary and sabot
- =, were like the others With him rests ev,
- - cry secret. The name each monk has
~ ~ left in the world his family, birthplace
- history, relatives, and attachments, the
I, I. property he may have in expectancy OIL
,m 40 honors devolving by descent, why he il
;" - here and what are his thoughts,-are alone
y known to him. He only receives news
. 3 reads letters, listens to confessions, award,
~, punishments, manages finances, and di
~ ~ reefs labor His power is absolute. From
:" his fiat there is no appeal The term o
:" =: his office is life. He is the father Th,
LIo L others are children. He tells nothing
- :, If Il relative has died, he says at prayers
- Let us pray for the reposc of the mothe
W. W. of one of !" if a property has reverted
49, =" "Let us thank God, who has brought tn,
-, =" estate of one Of us into His treasury" Be
= yond this he utters no word.
~ ~ Our guide put on his scapulary and W
:" started to explore the buildings. He thel
- reminded US that at certain places,-din
= ing rooms, and the church he should b.
N N compelled to observe silence, and that
" " though our questions would remain YER
" baly unanswered, he would still esdeav
81 or to make himself intelligible by signs
w Following him, We inspected chapel ant
- sacrsity, relics and sacred untensils, dor
'us ~. mtory and churchyard The sleeping
-" room is never warmed. In the depth o
u. winter, the monks, trembling with cold
~' rise Mt haEpast one. fastening to tn
=; church, they kneel two hours upon it
o. icy pavement. They then repair to tn
~ ~ common room and read till four. Again
-" the services of the church till five. The
" break fast work in the house and sho
r and field till eleven. dinner and ropos
y till one,-service again till two,-wor
~ till ivc,-reireshments and repose ii
ho h eight,-thc litany and sai'e regina for hal
;.h -" an hour,-whcn, returning to the commo
II" iIn room, all throw themselves upon tn
w. w. ground to pray and repeat tho .upe'o'
.ho ho The father-prior then spriuklcs them wit
Nv ~ holy water, and at half past eight all re
"a tire to rest.
~ We nnssed through The chmrchynrd.