The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-04-26
THE GREAT 81. BERNARD.



Although the St Bernard convent i.
a. ! dare say you know, the highest IL.
habited spot but one in the world, the Is.
cent is extremely gradual and uncolnmcnly
easy really presenting no difficulties It
all, until within the last league, when the
ascent leading through a place called she
valley Of desolation, is very awful and
tremendous, and the road is rendered toll.
some by scattered rocks and melting snow,
The convent Is a most extraordinary place,
full of great yaulted passages, divided from
each other with iron gratings and present
ing series Of the most astonishing little
dormitories, where the windows are 50
small, Con account Of the cold and snow,)
that it is as much as one can do to got
one's head out Of them. Here we slept; sup
ping, thirty strong, IN a rambling room
with great wood FIRE ia il set apart for
that purpose with grim monk, in high
black sugar loaf hat with a great knob al
the top of it, carving the dishes. At Eve
o'clock in the morning precisely, the chapel J,
bell rang in the dismalest way for mathis;
and |, lying in bed close to the chapel,
and being awakened by the solemn organ
and the chanting, thought for q moment
had died in the night and passed into the
unknown world I wish you could see
that place. A great hollow on the top Of
q range Of dreadful mountains, fenced in
by riven rocks Of every shape and color,
and in the midst black lake, with phan-
tom clouds perpetually stalking over it.
Peaks and points, and plains Of eternal
snow and ice, bounding the view and shut
ting out the world on every side; the black
lake rejecting nothing and no human
figure in the scene. The air 30 fine that
it is difficult to breathe without feeling out
Of breath and the cold so exquisitely thin
and sharp that it is not TO be described
Nothing Of life or living interest in the
picture, but the grey, dull walls Of the
convent. No vegetation of any sort or
kind. Nothing growing, nothing stirring.
Everything iron bound and frozen up.
Beside the convent, in little outhouse
with a grated iron door which you may
unbolt yourself, are the bodies Of people
found in the snow who have never yet
been claimed and are now whitening away
mot laid down or stretched out, but
standing upin corners and against the wall,
some erect and horribly human, with dis
tinct expression on their faces some drop
ping over on one side; some tumbled down
altogether, and presenting heap Of skulls
and fibrous dust, There is no other decay
in that atmosphere; and there they remain
during the short days and the long nights,
the only human company out Of doors,
withering away by grains, and holding
ghsstly possession of the mountain where
they died.
| It is the most distinct and individual
place have ever seen in this transcendent
country. But, for the Saint Bernard holy
fathers and convent in themselves, / am
sorry to say that they are piece Of as
sheer humbug as we ever learnt 20 believe
in, in our young days. Trashy French
sentiment, and the dogs, (of which, by the
bye, there are only three remaining) have
done it all They are a lazy set offellows,
not over fond Of going out themselves;
employing servants to clear the road,
(Which has not been important Or much
used as pass these hundred years; rich,
and driving good trade at inn-keeping;
the convent being a common tavern in
everything but the sign. No charge Is
made for their hospitality, to be sure but
you are shown TO box in the chapel,
where everybody puts in more than could,
with any show Of face, be charged for the
entertainment, and from this the establish
ment derives right good income. As to
the self.sacrifce Of living up there, they
are obliged to 60 there young, il istrue, to
be Injured to the climate; but it is an
infinitely more exciting and various life
than any other convent can offer; with
constant change and company through the
whole summer; with an hospital for
invalids down in the valley, which affords
another change; and with an annual
beggingjourney to Geneva and this place
and all the places round for one brother
or other, which affords farther change.
The brother who carved st our supper
could speak some English, and had Just
had Pickscick given him l--what hum
bug he win think me when he tries to
understand ii IfI had any other book
Of mine with me, ! would have given i
him, that ! might have had some chance
Of being ineligible,