Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-03-28

THREE sOUTHERN II f. J. l. + S
TAXING THE WHITE VEIL.

| u Four In Europe that Ended in n
Coucrnt-An Imposing Ceremony
! in the Worid-H snOwnct' Convent
os tho Sacred IEoart.
Rosrl, Feb. 2o,-I have jrst learned
that three American ladies were re-
eeivcd on the 10Th inst, at the Convent
of the Presentation. In convcntual
plrasaoiogv receiving means taking
the white veil. During their life in
tho world these ladies were Miss Clara
Devine, native of Savannah. Ga,
and Miss Alice TurlonG and Miss
Mary Fenelon, both of New Orleans.
For nearly two Years these young wo-
men were as soniated at the schools of
the French Sisters of the Sacred Heart
on the Pincian HILL La these famous
schools ladies representing almost
every civilized nation congrcgatc, aud
our own Republic has now several Of
her worthy daughters imb;hing culture
and grace from these fountains oflearn-
ing and virtue.
Two of tho newly received sisters,
the Misses Define and Fenelon, were
W-rapt IL the el, ioyment of a continental
tour when they paid cas71nI visit 70
the Convent Of The Sacred heart It
was merely one of the lions which ab-
sOrbed their interest while in the CITY
Of the Seven Hills. Their visit made,
THE LidRT-HaARrED AMERICAN GIRLS
returned to their hotel to prepare for
the opera Gt the Argentine and plan
the programme of the morrow. During
their visit to the French Sisters, Misses
DeTine and Fenelon promised to call
some other day, and at an earlier hour,
in order to see the schools in working
order and be introduced to several of
their countrvwo:nen who were being
edn"ated there. It was this second
visi: which proba bly, shaped the dcs-
tiny Of the young and huoyant tour
ists. They We're captivated by the ez-
cellent discipline of the institution, by
the manners Of the pupils, and the
benevoience of the uUns in charge
The American girls tlenceforth called
often ut the Convent OF the Sacred
Heart. Nisa nevine waa accompanied
by her father. and Mas Fcnclon by her
brother during thcr European travel,
and these gentlemen while preparing
to leave Rome were urgently pressed
b. the laughter aud sister to consent
to their bocoInins pupils OF the French
Sisters for Mt lrast the period of six
months. M. Devi..e calmly sue
cumhe1 to his daughters entrcaties;
but Nj. Fenci,1n, who is of the Preehy-
terrain Church, Us strongly protested
against his sisters wish. Mr. Fenc-
Ions father and brothers are Presbyte-
rians, his mother md sisters Roman
Catholics. Through Mr. Doyinn's per-
stlasion Mss Fenelon's brother s.,rre-
what relnc :antiy consented
TO NEGOTIATE WITH TIE FRENCH xrNs
for his sisters six months tuition and
board at their convent. These six
months were extended to a year, when
about the anniversary of their entrance
into the schools of the French nuns, a
s-ene was presented in the Convent of
the Presentation which proved that
three Young American ladies' had closed
their accounts with the world-that
Clara Devine. Alice Fnrlong, and
Mary Fenclan had devoted their young
lives Ia the cold, solemn cla;ster.
In describing tl.e reception of the
postlIant> a l!or'hn paper says: THE
echoes 81 sacred! music might still be
supposed tn lingcr aronnd tho precincts
OF the little carvfntual ss.ctnarv, for
on the Foregoing sunday sweet voices
wcr, chanting ii" appropriate HYMNS
Oh tho nrrasio'7 If thu profession OF
five other fore IN ladies'. who ou that
ausp:cipiis 1ar. sacred to tAo name Of
.Icaus. look
TIE HEROIC VOWS or PERPETUAL
ro+raTv,
chastity and obedience. pronounced by
Him 70 he tho better part. The nun
professod irrHvocably de,iicatcs h"r-
self ~ God in :!lo religious lie. The
nun received bat cnt"rs ~ q proba-
t"'iarF term ot two yeas. at the eZ-
!i-a':"I1 III n!Ii.}i, she c:-iler assumes
r." hin.'E r,'ii, Sauu!I she feel assured
0I h1" Tncatl0n, o. wIthlrG"-s again
iut0 TIE wGril r. serve t;c,i in that
state Which is'-,t '..sy i2iea";. Him. The
s,T,san. bell il.d luat :oilcd ihe AN
cclus. which !,aie ;Ee s,.ail congre-
Gati"r. Yros.rafe themselves in PRAYER
IL !itter the r2%innst, ~ the blessed
virgin To t;.e The l!tgci;c sa!utation, and
tu :,.seech Of her rs"therir love 70
G,1ai,i aud i'rsy ior th>:,i now and at
the b"ur Of t::"lr death, viion pro
cn$aion formed h.y little girls hearing
nj IL mead :, rich and rnassi,e cruciGiS,
began IL we,:d its WAY from the recop-
tion r,.nr, to the Chapel. The brilliant
hsl"s al .j},' lji:!" nnes dresses OF hlle
an:i white. "c"r wh;cl, flowed long
w.t.: vel cT"wpcd hy Treaths Of
flowers. contfasted not unpleasing,y
with tho ;ETa:G 0ild s0nlhrc garhs OF
tii. Sisters preceding the postulnnte,
whose rich ;.pp"T0i lar Ontshche even
tn" fashion, glYotv. and magnific
q; ball t;0n wardr0hc4. Trey passed
to tst. foot 81 the altar and kuelt while
th" appropriate prayers were said by
the bis,llo1', Nonsignor Fil;ppi
Throughout tn" imposing ceren1ony
the cl,.,:r. ie! ny III illusti nus Cop
pai"isi, saug appropriate pieces After
the i'e.:.s's,.tr1 rites had been per
formed, sl". ifnst',|ants withdrew from
the ciln..~! She choir chanting I'm
Ezitu ISra"! de Egypt ,inring their
absence. In u few minutes they re-
turned
DIvfSrFD OF THE GAT DEEf>sr:S
il vcicl' tl,"y first appeared, heing
now rohcd III hiaok gowns Of coars..
serge ali.t wearing white linen v"Is.
The Reverend Mother aud ons nf the
Sister, b,rc tn. cinctnrss, beads, and
crosses with which The bishop was to
invest them, AID 10, wllialI they joy
fully sacrificed tile bracelets, .!iaia;a.
! and ornamaats "f procio'!s metal which
had graccd their persons on the first
, entrance. To tIs unus,,al question
pnt to eaci, by the. bishop. What seek
y,u. my daughter:' both answered
! that they desired 20 enter the life OF
, the cloi,ser. Tn. bishop then turning
to th" Reverend Mother, asked her
wl:e:hcr he had made The usual in
qniIies, ani whether she was satisfied
! with the postuiants. and she respond
ing i'll the affirmative, he proceeded tt
invest both with thr insignia of their
religious reception. And covering
their heads with the white wells, he
prayed that they might be an outward
emblem of the inward purity Of the
lives that they had chosen. The choir
then began II joyful anthem
Many American ladies and gentle
| men were present at these cercaonies,
! and among them n few personal ac-
quaintaneeS of the newly received
l