National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-01-03

wonder IL any thought Of the long weary
years that were to pass before their order
should again possess the beautiful spot
which they were quitting helped to
make heavy tho hearts Of tho Jesuit
fathers when in the year of grace, 1867,
they wore sent forth by the tyrannical
mandate of the king of Spain.
They were fourishing community,
their church and monastery the pride of
Lima and the viceroy was their friend.
Imagine then tho grief and dismay of this
latter when upon breaking the seals of q
lettor from the king, brought by trusty
messenger, he read that he was at once,
with the greatest secresy and despatch, to
seize all Jesuit priests and fathers in our
territory, place them on board one of our
vessels and send them out of
our colonies for reasons reserved
In the royal mind. To read was
to obey, however, SO the old Spaniard
immediately summoned his soldiers aud
proceeded TO the monastery door on tho
plazuela of San Pedro. Knocking at the
wicket he demanded entrance in the
name OF the king. The doors flew open
and to the great astonishment of the
viceroy and his suite, there stood the
monks In circle with the prior in their
his arm, and before they could DO ad-
dressed, bowed their heads and said,
Sire, we are ready"
so THEY WENT FORTH
and once gone edicts aud laws were passed
time and again forbidding their return,
but what is the uso of edicts and laws
against one branch of the acknowledged
national church of country, especially
when it Is the hardest working, most en-
thusiastic and porsevering branch of tho
whole establishment; the Jesuits simply
bided their time and here they are again;
they have possession of the church of San
Pedro once more, have In part of the adj
Joining monastery, n large secular school
for the youth of Lima and college where
boys picked up in the streets of Spain and
brought there arc educated to be priests.
The greater part Of their old monastery,
If not occupied by themselves, Is by n
branch of their church, for it was re-
stored by the Peruvian government under
President Pardo and presented, en-
certain conditions, to the sisters of tho
Sacred Heart, Pardo was O patriot, and
among other things which he saw wero
necessary for the growth of this country
was education, especially edu cation which
should reach tho masses and be spread
abroad in tho land, so he sent to the head
institution Of the sisters in France offer
ing them
THE BEAUTIFUL OLD MONASTERY
of the Jesuits rent free, and to pay tho
passage out of tho first sisters, If they
would teach free of cost every year
number of girls, not to exceed twenty
five-one from each province-appointed
by the government.
His offer was accepted and tho nuns
came, chiefly from the branch institution
at Manhattanvillo, near New York, and
q now they have hourishing school hero
numbering nearly $50 girls. The other
day was fortunate enough to be shown
over the entire establishment by the nun,
Nine. Keller, who is an American and
second in command.
My friends and l wero expected, SO
after momentary glance through the
wicket the big door was opened by the
portress and we were ushered into the
parlor, which is an oblong room with
beautiful arched ceiling-a fourth -one
arch-which / am told is sometimes
called the Jesuit's arch, as IL appears in
= SO many Of their buildings. This room Is
furnsn6d ~with chairs. sofas, and
q table in the nelter.- whila. some pic
lures Of saints adorn the walls. There
Is an exactly similar room on the other
side Of the entrance. Here we were
Joined by Nine. Keller, who Is much be-
loved, and she proved to be bright,
pleasant woman, quite happy, and de-
voted to her work. She teaches many
things, among them FrenoA history, and
her map of Napoleon's campaigns was
neat, clear, and altogether an admirable
piece of work, looking like an engraving.
She told me that after the expulsion of
the Jesuits the monastery was, for long
while, untenanted, and finally part of it
was given to some monks, who lived there
but had not the wherewithal to keep it
from going to decay. One Of the courts
was used for long while as public gar
den, but finally President Pardo, seven
years ago, took the building, put it in
order. and gave II to them on the condition
which have before mentioned.
THE PUPILS ARE DIVIDED
into four distinct schools, and are never
allowed to communicate with one an
other, being kept in entirely different
parts Of the building. First there is the
Normal school, which is not now very
full. owing to the state of tho country.
However there were fifteen good healthy
looking young women in the class room
when we entered it, all on their knees
saying their rosaries, led by q Castilian
nun with magnificent large black eyes
and olive complexion. The dormitory Of
these girls is large, well aired and
lighted room, neat as q pin, and kept in
order by two of the girls.
The second school is that of the board
ers who pay the rdiculously small sum
of $40 for six months tuition and board,
the tuition including French, English,
Spanish, and music. There are great
number of these, and they were busy
serving when we first arrived, but were
soon marched down to large bathing
tank which they enter every day at @ q.
m. in summer and at 2'30 p. m. in winter,
the water always being cold The sleep
ing apartments are three long dormatories
with row of small white beds down
each side, a curtained bed for sister
being at either end. In one of these
rooms sleep the daughters of five presi-
dents, Miss Iglesias being put in corner
near one of the sisters.
The third school is for day scholars
who pay, and the fourth Is also day
school, but any girl may attend 1t who
chooses to wash her hands and face and
como in, The boarders and day scholars
who pay are from the best families of
Peru, and Nine. Keller said that every
one now wished their children to learn
English, and she Thought the fact that
thof tuuBnJ ~ nlhue tne SCHOOL especially
popular. In the free school for poor chill
dren one saw many different faces and
types, pure and mixed, negroes, Indians
Chinese, and Europeans.
THE CONVENT ITSELF
is a beautiful building There are three
cloisters, two having gardens in them
that are filled with trees and flowers,
ono being the playground for the chill
dren. The building is two storied, and
on the lower floor tho arches are large
and bold, viii above they are tall and
narrow, making a charming contrast
Everywhere on the ground door the COLL
ings are of wood, with carved brack ct
supporting each end Of every beam.
Unfortunately when the conven