Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-11-20
A PRETTY NUN.

Italian COrrespOndence with Phil.
ndeIphIa Bulletin by Anne Brew
Bter.
l asked why; she said since the ltal'
ian government had taken away the
convent property they could not afford
TO admit nuns without dowry. They are
all past middle age, except one, who IS
about twenty-five. She has been in the
convent three years, and seems to be the
life of the sisterhood. She is without
exaggeration, one of the prettiest wo'
men ever saw. She has rich, soft
brown, motherly eyes, clear skin, a
lovely mouth, pretty teeth, a very grace
full fora, with quick, charming move
ment and such a laugh and smile She
seemed to be caFessing and petting me
avery time she spoke or laughed. They
were all delightfully."- innocent and fresh
tbey had charming manners; high-bred
and elegant we should say in the world,
and showed q pretty Difference to one
another the superior they gathered
around with great love: she had been
thirty years a superior. Qunr9pte MIA
madre' {" forty, mother } whispered an
older nun to her. + vero, vero, Ut
is trne), answered the superior, laughing
and ehaking the old nHn'g hand atfec
tionately. / admired the garden which
I could see through the large arches OF
the cloister. The pretty nun sprang up
and threw open glass door to show me
how green and large 1t is, and SAID we
raise our beans and peas, ans all our
vegetables, as well as grapes,
Il a. Lid old nun ms with
sherbet, cake snd grapes, and little
while after another brought me nice
cup of coffee. One old nun showed me,
with great pride, hideous piece OF per-
forsted card paper and silk embroidery
work. The pretty nun cried, All, !
will SHOW you my work. She tripped
of and returned with beautiful Gotta,
the short linen garment RoFn by priests
In the pulpit It was made With eTquls
ite neatness, and trimmed with what is
called Tuscan mountain lace, which she
had also msde; then she had washed,
ironed and plated it. Such plating
Fine, yard-long plats. crlmped, waved
and not plait broken. These she had
done with her pretty, long Italian I'm
gers-6ngers that looked as u peua
Robbia had used just such for the mod,
els of his saints and Virgins beautiful
hands. uu
/ said to this pretty creature: Yog
must be the bambino of the histerhood.
They all laughed, but her eyes bright
ened still more as she exclaimed: Non,
non: moi ahhiamo una vera bambino.
Aspetta, Signora." ("No, no; we have
a real baby. Wait ~; and she ran
swiftly out of the cloisters. Presently
she returned, carrying in her beautiful
strong arms, but tottering under the
weight, huge dwarfgirl, which she
placed on a seat opposite me. The poor
child, they said was fifteen years OLD
aud had been ten years at the convent
she was not three feet high, but bad
great, broad shapeless trunk, large
enough Tor a good.sized mature person.
The face snd bead, too, were also very
large She seemed TO have no neck, and
bresthed with difficulty. But nothing
could be more lovely than the poor crea-
ture' face. The skin was soft as satin,
the features well formed, the large, dark,
sad eyes full of intelligence, the mouth
soft and gentle, and without any siGn OF
QctOrmltyt DOT ehtu Tue NVustAut itic "
suffering which she must have had had
left any pinchsd or Wrinkled mark on
her dear face. The look Of heavenly
natience was al that told the sorrow ful
story. She said her name was "katerins
Teresa" in a very musical voice, and
when l stopped down sud kissed her, she
put up her poor little, slender trans
parent hands and pstied my cheeks low
S6e vas neatly dressed, spSiiessly
e,esn. as al the nuns we're her COVE
vas Of fne wool, q brown meriuo. ior
the day was chilly; around the neck o.
Were toe great head Vas set on ne
broad. heavy shoulders, vas . soit
white plated ruf. and in her ears we're
pretty. old-fashioned ssrrings her
lovely, palisp' fsfs and sH9uisiis clean