The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-10-24
cARMELIrE NUNS.

A Queer Sect Which Has Recently ES
capped from Guatemala.
New York Sun.
On the 4tll inst. party Of twelve ex'
lied CarmeiIe nuns, from South America,
arrived in Yonkers and took up their
quarters in vacant cottage on Riverside
avenue. They range from seventeen to
fifty years Of age; several are remarkable
for their personal beauty. Sister Adelaide,
OF St. Teresa, who is by birth an Ameri.
can, but who has dwelt 80 long in Guate'
mala that she has almost forgotten her
English, is the Mother Superior and leader
Of the little band. Others Of their nun.
Der are Sisters dc Ia Paz, Maria Trinidad
de Ia Conception and Maria Dolores del
CostadO de Christie. They were members
OF wealthy Carmelte convent, which
was plundered by the Guatemalan revolu.
tionists In 1877. The church attached to
costly vessels Of gold and silver and orna.
ments Of precious stones, which the revo.
lutionists wished to cOniiscate. Sister
Adelaide and her little company, in dc.
spair, sought the protection of the Ameri.
can Consul. The nuns marched out OF
Guatemala under the American flag, being
allowed to take only their personal effects.
From Guatemala they sailed for Cuba,
and there Sister Maria del purissimmo
died OF yellow fever. From Cuba they
sailed from Charleston, and from Charles.
ton they Travelled by rail to New York.
During their wanderings they were joined
by eight recruits.
On Saturday afternoon last reporter
for the San called Mt the twO.stOry French
rOOfed convent in Railroad avenue Just as
the choir inside were singing "SalyG Rcgi.
na." The house, which has been altered
to suit the purposes Of the nuns, stands on
a pretty grASs.COvered knoll, bGlted toward
the Hudson by thick woods through the
gaps in which the hudson is visible. a
pleasant featured young woman with
subduCd looks and downCaSt eyes, ushered
the reporter into snug little apartment,
one. hall OF which is yelled oil with lattice
work and covered with curtain. At u
given signal the curtain was pushed back.
revealing the mother superior, quiet and
middle aged lady, with dark hair, and pale
wax.like face, behind the screen. She
wore coarse serge mantle, surmounted
by a scapular, and broad leather girdle
or strap about the waist. a CrucitiX OF
bronze and ebony hung suspended from
her neck by brass chain, and She spoke
in low, soft voice, with pretty Spanish
accent.
"Our VOCATION" she said, is q solitary
one. We are hidden from the world, and
pass our time in praying and making sac.
rItiCes for the felicity of souls. One OF
our duties is to sustain the seven CanOni.
cal hours around the sacrament
"What is the routine OF your daily life"
AT quarter TO in the morning We
rise. One sister strikes what is called the
remedial rattle-a sort OF small wooden
gong-Nnd sings short sentence calling
the sisters TO morning prayer. From 5 to
q O'Clock is the first Of the cAnoniCal hours,
in which We sing the Deus in Auditorium
meum. At I We have mass, il we are
fortunate enough to have priest to cele.
brate il. For the last week We have been
without priest, and we hope and pray
that his eminenCe the cardinal will send
us one. Alta quarter to $ we have break
tast-a cup OF coffee and piece OF bread
without butter. After breakfast each one
oI the community takes up her portion OF
the household work. At ll:l5 we ex-
anime our conscience TO see what We have
thought or said Of wrong since daybreak.
AT ESQ We have dinner, Tor which we
have generally good appetites. No meat
is allowed, save in case Of sickness, but we
have vegetables, eggs, milk, and every
thing else that is necessary. We eat on
bare table, with Il skull on the board to
remind us OF the uncertainty OF human
life. Tie floors OF our chapelsand cells are
also bare. After dinner we have one hour
for recreation. WGare very cheerful, and rs
happy and gay during that time as any
worldly people you know Of. We spend
the time in our rooms or walking or sitting
IN the garden, according to choice. We
have good religious books To read and no
cares to trouble us. At o'clock we rest
for one hour in Ourcclls. At o'clock We
so down to the choir to vespcrs, which on
solemn festivals are Chanted in Georgian
music. After vespGrs thirty minutes are
spent in spiritual reading, either alone in
our cells or in the garden. Wei allow.
ed no newspapers, because reading the OK.
citing events Of the day would tend to dis.
hl"L bAl lIuIEIll6 from TtllslDus AT u
O'Clock we are allowed cup OF coffee or
tea, and for the two hours following re.
turn to our respective tasks about the
house. Ats O'Clock the bell tolls again,
and We spend one hour in prayer. On
Saturday afternoons We sing "Salvc regina
mater misericordN." At q o'clock We 20
over our rosarics, and ut $50 have supper,
which consists Of coffee or tea, bread and
butter, aud now and then IL little sweet.
meats. Alter supper We have another
hour OF recreation. AtSo'ClOCk the hell is
rung, the abe profundis" sung, and We 90
down tolthcIchOir to sing Complne. At .
O'Clock the tell rings for mntins aud lauds
We examine our COnsciCnces concerning
what We have done or said since after.
noon, and afterward read the point" or
SnblC Of meditation for the next morn.
ing, Al 10 O'Clock wO retire To our cells,
and the lights arc put out. One Of the
sisters Strikcs the rattle, sings \ small
sentence, and then we all so to bed and
sleep.
Postal Curio~iIiCS- UnmnIInhIC Matter
tHrCIrHsucs. Of LcIicr.M rItCIs.
New York TINES.