Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-06-22


. attending to travellers. Both were
gentlemen, easy in department, ready
to converse, afhblo to guests Of every
: class, and attentive to all the wants Of
their guests. They presided, partook
of the fare, mingled in the converse.
ton, joined us in the wine, filed our
glasses, aud engaged with rs in the
scientific discussions naturally sug-
gestcd by the place.
After supper, when the other com
pany retired, We gathered with the
two monks closer round tho fire. Be-
tween Latin, French and English,
with laughablo mistakes, which they
enjoyed as well as we, the talk went
on till late at night We learned that
there were ten monks in all ana
prior. One only was a priest. One
had studied medicine, and acted as Il
physician in the household, They
were all young, or they could not
have endured the climate. Their vow
of deyotedness was for ten years, but
most of the brethren, they said, be-
came crippled from rheumatism and
pulmonary affections before half the
time had expired In all, including
domestics, their number was forty
They lived well. No austerities were
practiced. Feasts and iasts alike IN
terfered with their arduous duties, and
were therefore never kept. Winter
and summer, every day, they went
with their dogs through the Pass -
This was their penance. They need
ed their utmost strength and there
fore never denied themselves the most
refreshing food. Their out.ofdoor
garments were of fur. Calamilies
were frequent. In 1868, the prior,
with three associates, three dogs, and
seven travellers, were swept away by
an avalanche The number of visi-
tors annually received averages 49,
600. They have large resources No
money is demanded from guests
Food and fuel are brought, during the .
summer season, from the valleys be-
low. They can lodge two hundred
guests without Inconvenience.
While we were conversing over the
fire, one of our company was sudden.
y taken III. We feared no was dy.
ing. The medical monk was summon
cd. He assured us that it was only
the effect Of the rarfed atmosphere. {
an attack by no means uncommon .
and, rubbing him gently, administer {
ing sugar water and putting him in
a warm bed, showing us, meanwhile,
a great bell in the passage to DO tolled !
in case he became worse,-bade us q
good night. lie was right. The pa {
tient slept well, and in the morning 1
was hearty as ever. For myself anxi- :
ETY. about him kept me awake for {
awhile, listening to his breathing and
to the storm raging without, when {
also dropped off and awoko in the Y
morning, saying to myself, "Woll, this c
beats all; | have been sleeping in the j
Monastery Of St. Bernard"
We had good, plain breakfast
with eggs. There was nothing rcmar.
kablc about it except that the coffee O.
cooled rapidly, as it must necessarily
do when it boils at lS7 deg. Faren.
heit. Issuing from the Hospice, af
ter visiting several Of the monks in
their cells, we saw around us scene
dcsolate beyond description. Upon q
this highest inhabited spot in Europe
there was to be seen neither tree nor
shrub, wild flower nor blade Of grass.
Soil in tho most minute quantity
there was not. Animal life also shuns
this waste Of rocks. The Businesses
hide no wild beasts, nor do the riyen
pinnacles tempt the eagles to build
nests in their cliffs 1t was fine day !
in the height Of midsummer, and yet
ieicles were hanging from the caves
and thin crystals Of frost shooting
over the waterpools. Snow was in 4
sight on every side. Hoar mountains, \
Scared by avalanchcs, formed a hugo c,
nmphitheatre around the dull hospice. n
We were almost within the gates Of =
perpetual winter, upon rocks bare Of ~
all soil, and yet we found thirteen va cr
rictics Of moss, each with its minute Q
but distinctive flower of exquisite .
beauty.
or course, we were prepared to ~
udgc our hosts generously. They an
rave us no scant welcome; it would lif
&c chufllsh TO speak OF them with
liggard praise. Aside from all that,
lowevcr, they appeared to us to be
,ood men, leading godly lives. They
we're free from asceticism. The trials
# their lot they bore chocrfully. No
ovotees were ever moro faithful TO
heir shrine than these Auguslinian
monks are TO their duties. They
'ero correct in opinion, so far as we
ould Judge, and liberal in sentiment.
inc Of the brethren remarked that
be Holy Catholic, Apostolic Church .
onsislcd simply Of those, and those !
My, in every denomination, who POS !
'ssed faith in Christ. They spoke
ARMY Of English and American
rotestants, because they had feeling S
l rnlfUipu Ifpnp n.f.s. se