The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-09-10
EFor the Morning Star and Catholic Messenger'i
RAMBLING RECOLLECTIONS.


MANY evidences of the growth of the Faith;
and yet our recoliections of the journey recall
many pleasant details, pointing In that direc-
ton, and tending to confirm the hope thai our
next centennial celebration will find America
the youngest, but perhaps the dearest OF the
daughters of the Church!
The ride from New Orleans to Mobile ocou-
pied the greater part of the night Of the @7th
OF July sc there was little to SEQ except the
busy life at oaoh of the Coast stations as we
came and saw, and passed on to the next but
we knew from happy memory that each OF
these places of fashionable resort stretching
along from Bay St. Louis to Pascagouia' nau
its cross crowned chapel and its flower -decked
shrine. a glimpse was even bad of the white
statue of Our Lady of the Gulf as we sped by
the Convent grounds of the Sisters OF 81
Joseph; and we thought that, even thus, In
the rushing course Of life, man is permitted
now and then to catch glimpse of Her WHO Is
the Lady of all hearts, shown to them by tae
pure eyes of children like Bernadette ana Me-
lanie. And as cross, and SHRINE, and cleaning
statue assure us of the Fd;M that has survived
all changes of the past, and is destined to out
live all changes of the future so do these reye-
lations of Our Mothers presence assure us OF
grimage and awaits US with its glorious gner-
don at the portals of eternity
1t was near midnight when called to cnange
cars az Mobile for Montgomery, so memory IN
place Of eyesight, commenced to call up remin-
iscences of this famous city, older even than
our own for Benville, with the other French
Governors of Louisiana, resided there from
| 1902 to 1920. 1t was not until 1923 that the
| seat of Government was transferred to New
Orleans, SO that our little sister of Mobile, as
we are apt to call her, is in reality our elder
sister too.
While passing through the dimly lighted
| streets of this ancient place, it is singular how
| vividly there arose to mind the horrors of an
event which we today can hardly realize to
| have taken place among q Christian people
| In 1857 q couple of Swiss soldiers, who had
been parties to conspiracy to murder D1roux,
the French commander, a british tyrAnt. who
treated his men most iphuEanly, were con-
| demned to death by the French authorities in
| Mobile. They wero placed each one in a
| long narrow box like coffin, nailed up i'll it,
and then the box was cut in two with Cross
! cat saw"
Some writer's have located this cruel deed in
our own city; but we glad that good au-
thority, viz: French MSS. letters obtained
from Paris, in possession of A. J. Pickett, thor
of the History of Alabama, enables us to dis
claim any part in its terrible notoriety.
Isaiah, the prophet of the Messiah, suffered
in the same manner, being sawn in two. The
French were not, at least, the inventors OF this
atrocious mode of execution,
Perhaps it was because our flying visit was
necessitsted by illness and accidents, that this
gloomy death-bed scene came crowding upor
our recollections.
We reached Montgomery in the early morn
ing and were charmed with the first view o
this brave little capital of Alabama. The city
is built in and around basin and affords ez
ceediugly pretty views from either the high
lands or the lowlands Many Of the houses ar
terraced in 'front.' the rear resting against tn
hill side. These terraces are covered with
natural soft-v -verdure, or laid of in tasteful par
terrcs. The white walls of the capital-onc
the seat ofou Confederate Congress- s,-contras
fairly with the dark green groves, abov
which they rear their graceful proportions
while number of variousy built spires pro
claimed at once a choice of creeds and diver
sity of opinions.
Perched up on the tarraced side of an easil!
. Montgomery-under the charge of Rev. D
Savage, whose name is just the antithess o
his character. Under his courteous guidanc
I we visited the Convent of the Sisters of Lo
retta-or " the Friends of Mary at the foot o
the Cross " This excellent Institution occupie
J., one of the finest sites in Montgomery, and
q as attractive in its exterior it is comfortabl
and home-like in its interior. A terraced a.
T cent leads up to the garden gate-hower-t trace
Q walks guide you to the convent entrance, an
q sweet welcome from the mother superio
t greets you at the door. The pupils were at tb
o time, absent for vacation but traces of thei
: pleasant convent routine were to be seen i
classroom, dormitory, refectory, play GROUND
It etc. The Sisters, though not very long estat
Q lished in Montgomery, seem quite satiefe
d with their success, land have already added
f as all Catholic institutions are obliged to do
Q to their original accommodations. With tha