The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1877-06-21
Mad Work Of a Bigoted Mob.
from the New York World

Mrs Whitney has had the fortunate idea of tell
ing again story Of very thrilling interest so old
that to the present generation it will be new while
old people III whose youth the event occurred NAV
not be unwilling to hear of it again
In 1884 the finest Ursuline Convent in New En-
gland stood on Mount Benedict in Charlestown
1t was built expressly for a boarding school for
the children Of rich parents, Protestants pre-
ferTed. Mrs. Whitneys father resolved on send
ing her to the Convent which she entered after
the summer vacation of 1884. DIR. LYMAN Beech
er had, during the preceding winter. been de
nouncing fereely the Devil and the Pope in a
course of lectures delivered in Boston. Mr. God
dard was a violent Unitarian, and resolved to ed
ucate his daughter at the convent from a spirit Of
antagonSm to DR.. Beecher
Dr. Beecher, it has just been said had been
hercely denouncing Catholic converts. At the
same moment there was published a book called
six months in a Convent" which purported to
relate the attempts to make Catholic Of the au-
thor and heroine by force The mother Assistant
of the convent, Sister Mary John. principal teacher
Of music having been ovcrworked in preparing for
the musical celebration with which the academic
year concluded. fell sick of brain fever and one
hot day, eludlng her nurses, fled i'll her night dress
down to the house of Il Protestant Yankee. Mr.
Cutter, Just outside the grounds. He placed her
i'll charge of his wife and gave the news at the
vent, and the superior and attendants drove down
and removed her. Some paSserS-by must have
witnessed the struggle that ensued when the poor
Sister. screaming and raving IN delrum. was half
forced and half persuaded into the carriage hence
1t is not surprising that in few hours a startling
story atoat that nun who had been impriS
oned in the underground cells OF the convent had
at last escaped, but had been followed by the Su
pcfior to the house where she had taken refuge
and carried back to the convent by force in spite
of her desperate resistance The Boston truckmeu
were then well organized guild and had warmly
cspoused the cause of the author of Six Months
i'll Convent" finding her story fully confirmed
as they honestly believed by the escape and cap
,,tN A., I.1
nation meetings, and many persons believed an at
tack on the convent to be impending Mr.. God
dard was warned Of this, but he and most sensible
people thought it impossible that any danger was
to be apprehended for school composed almost
entirely Of Protestant scholars.
After a fortnight in the convent Miss Goddard
was taken home for one Sunday Her father drove
her back on the following day, and on the road
was stopped by an old acquaintance, who laid his
hand on the rcns and endeavored to induce him
to turn back, while he rapidly and eagerly assured
him that mob would probably destroy the con
vent that night On the Saturday, however the
Selectmcn Of Charlestown had formerly notified
the Superior that the building was in danger, and
had sent Committee to consult with her as to her
defense and asked permission to examine the
vaults to be able to contradict the reports
that they were dungeons for the punishment of
refractory nuns and secret places Of torment and
iniquity Sister Mary John however. explained
to the Committee the facts relative to her Illness
and its results.
At dancing lesson the Superior ridicultd unspar
ingly even those who dared tell her She i'll dan
ger, particularly the Selectmens delegation, whom
She called vu garians and plebeians and gloried i'll
her naughty reception of them. her example nat
urally injecting the girls 1t this moment the
FORTRESS entered to say another Sclcctman was in
the parlor and insisted on seeing her OH urgent
business. The Superior tlared out, aud, scol,ling
the FORTRESS roundly, ordered her to go back and
shut the door i'll his face, if nothing else would
make. him The rc1nDtarpI
Madam he refuses to go, and-prav, hear me,
madam-he says the Convent is really in great
danger" The infatuated woman was obduratc,
and only yielded itler a hysterical appeal from
Sister Mary John Bat this nun was leading
the Sclectnan to the cellars the Superior hurried
after them, seized the lantern from the Sister and
thrust it into his hand, flung open the cellar door
and pointed down the steps with pcremptory
gesture There, sir, she cried. IF YOU want to
play the spy i'll my house, you shall do it alone.
90 down with your lantern and look about You at
Your cisure-there is no man here to prevent YOU
The unfortunate citizen stepped forward hestat
ed, and at last, daunted by the mperuus wuman's
eye, suddenly put down the lantern and fed plir
sued by the Supcrior's derisiye laughter and tuunt
ed iguominouSly by the girls who had crowded
the balcony over the entrance to his crest fail
en- exit.
All the pupils went to bed al 30 as usual. after
the vesper bell and chant. and the excitement died
away. Miss Goddard had slipped Oh her NIGHT
Gown over the rest Of her clothing. after taking
off her trock. and had not been discovered by the
nun i'll charge of the ,lorniory NJ retiring hour.
Unable to sleep from the excitement. She stole
softly To the window. raised it very gently and
leaned out. SO cooling and soothing were the
breczeS and sounds Of night that the child'S head
dropped lower and lower; she made effort 10
Waken herself, and opened her sleepy eyes To their
full width to see bright falling star curve down
to the horizon. For an instant She watched it:
the next was the first moment of her life that She
realized the meaning of the word ''appalIed.' She
heard sound-a shout, a cry, Il howl, what =
which. child as She was. she recognized. II came
from more than mile away for the mob gave one
roar as 1t crossed tharleStoWn bridge and then Obj
served profound silence till it reached the convent
grounds.
There was then. silence: SO long maintained
that the little watcher almost tancied she had
dreamed the cry when suddenly ii horrible yell
within few yards of the window. and host of
black figures rushed into view turning the corner
of the Bishops house, rolling the ground as it
seemed in the dim starlight. like cloud She ran
to a companions bed and shook her, screaming.
Wake UP. wake up: the mob has really come.
Al the girls suddenly wakencd, screaming i'll con
cert, and such Il scene OF confusion can be i'm
agincd cnsur,l the terrified children thronging
round the not less terrified nun, who kept hystcr-
lcally lnplornG them to dress themselves, not an
easy task in the panic and with no limht allowed.
lest the attention of the mob should be attracted.
Now they heard two gunshots fired in rapid sue
ceSsion outside. and simultaneously loud screams
from every dornitorv. Some rushed in cry
ing, "Thev have shot the SUPERIOR She went to
the top Of the high steps to speak with them and
they wouldn't listen, and they shot her" Sister
Mary Austin sank back in wild Mysteries, when Il
tall girl came running Ill, crying The Superior is
not hurt; they shot at her but they did not hit
her. q. Sister, q" stop crying So terribly; do hear
me- She is Just rs safe rs YOU are :" and thus con
jnred the poor Sister sat up, hervci drenchcd and
her linen head piece half Off disclosing her round
shaven poll. moment later the Superior en-
tered. surrounded by Il crowd of trembling jun
iors who, forgetting their awe, clun% TO her des
pcraey. She had her usual grand air though cX
cited to the highest pitch.
The mob had never ceased 10 call ior hcr order
ing her, with oaths and savage outcreS, to bring
ont her miserable victims She would have con
tronted them at once, but the nuns clung to her
with prayers and tears, till at las-tor she had Il
mans courage, and the taIlnts Of the mob stung
her to recklessness- tore herself from their
arms and rushed out upon the landing. She
knew nothing of the world and was utterly lack
inc in tact She had been used to command all
her life and looked upon the mob with immeas
urable contempt as cttaaihp-aS creatures to be
cowed by threats. The mob ,autcl her with a
storm of obiurgation, which she bore without
llinchlnr. lnterrupting them AT last i'll her loud,
clear voice. and intimating Il lcsirc to speak. Gu
riosty to what She would av made sudden
silence, and it is possible thinks Mrs. W hitncv,
that had she known how to address the mob it
might have dispersed. But she answered the ri
oters in language as violent us their oWn delivered
with the utmost arrogance and inpcriousncSs of
manner '-Disperse Immediately" She said, '.tnr
if you don't. the Bishop has 10000 lrlShmeu at
his command in Boston. and they will whip YOU
all into the sea" Think said Mrs. hitncy,
''ot the effect of such speech as that upon a
body oi American ruckmen and mechanics"
Breaking the silence with fierce Wells, they fired
at her twice, and the nuns pulled her back by
main force and barred the door.
There was even then IL long wall, and the girl