Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-04

II the occupant rocelveo nis ivvus -
the brotherhood only dined togsther
on feast days. In this monastery ne
Pcpes Plus VII. and VIII. were kepe
o. prisoners by the First Napoleon. ne
rooms they occupied being those -.
signed to any bishop or cardinal tnas
| might happen to come on . visis.
| Probably they came pretty often IN
by-gone times, for this place has oil tne
appearance Of hospitabls and eenial
residence, with the addition OF the
| security of . stronghold. Tho refecto-
| ~ is capable Of seating at least
| 4 hundred persons, and when we were
there some of the tables were spread
| with cloths and plates ready for meal.
Within the limits Of the monastery Is
spezeria or place where perfumes and
liouors-a kind Of Chartreuse among
them-are made. We returned to Flo
renee by way Of San Jumiato and
| alighted to take . peep at the town
from the terrace before the church. IL
was . clear day, enabling us to see
every campanile and dome and tower
and q beautiful sight it was. The same
| view is seen here as from the tower OF
the vecchio, but in diminished lowell
ness, owing to being much farther of.
pRoPITIAToRY SERVICE.
A propitiatory service and procession
took place in the Cathedral late one
sunday afternoon. The high altar,
which stands under the dome, was
draped with gold and silver tissue, and
at the time of the service temporary
barrier was put up from pillar to pillar
| in the nave, so as to enclose wide CEN
trail space, to which this imposing reredos
| formed the closing part. Candles In
Vulnerable shown on the tissue, and
| created q blaze Of light. For an hour
before the service the spectators began
| to assemble and waited with astonish-
ing patience. First, the priests gathered
by the altar, and then the misericor-
dta came out of the sacristy
tvo-and-two, crossed the choir, and then
one walked on each side Of the barrier
in the nave with a lighted candle in
bis hand. Shrouded in white from head
to foot, with only spaces cut in their
garments for the eyes to see through.
these men we're not to be distinguished
| from each other. One led little Toy
of five years old, carrying candle,
who, though the only child in the pro-
cession, did not seem the least AFRAID
amid this troop of several hum
bred of ghostly.looking beings. After
the misericordia came the priests
in their most gorgeous robes,
then a superior under a baldachin OF
gold.colored brocade supported by four
acolytes, and last of all came about
twenty men in plain clothes. They
passed round the cathedral chanting
a verse OF psalm alternately with the
people. The service was held as a sort
of revival to endeavor to lessen the
blasphemous and treacherous language
towards tie Church. Many people
came to see the procession from
religious feelings, but many also
from curiosity, and precautions
were taken against any disturbance
by having police scattered through
the crowd. Just as the ceremony
began and the chief priest was stand
ing in front of the altar surrounded by
the others, and the first Of the mtseri-
cordia filing through the choir, the
stray dog, inevitable in every church
or cathedral in Italy, came down the
centre of the nave. The attendants
whose duty it was to keep things in
general straight tried to catch him in
q furtive way, but had to give 1t
up, and so he wandered about till
he was hidden by the thickening
procession. No objection seems to be
made to dogs or cats being in sacred
edificc in Italy they seldom annoy any
one. and as rule are obedient to their
owners and stay by them. These do
nestle animals give home-like look to
the churches, and it is almost needless
to say that the dogs belong to the
poorer classes Of the worshippers and
that the cats are denizens OF the place.
A PUBLIC SCHOOL.
We visited one of the girls public
schools, and stayed over three hours to
see them 60 through some of their ex-
ercises. What struck us on entering
was the scrupulous cleanliness of the
building, and afterwards the pureness
of the air in the class-rooms. The 300
scholars are divided into four classes,
with subdivisions, and about forty are
in each room under a teacher and as
sistant. The reading and grammar
were good, and so was the arithme-
tic, but it was not very advanced.
The writing books were kept with
particular care, and the needlework
was surprisingly good. The ages Of
the girls range from six to sixteen years,
and the youngest are taught plain sew.
ing and cross-stitch and then advanced
till the elder ones, and even those OF
twelve years old, do the finest white
embroidery on muslin and in colored
silks, on satin, and other materials, or
pillow-lace of a simple kind. Though
the children seem to study much less
severely than in many OF our pub
lie schools, the education, as fal
as we could judge, Is practica
and likely to lead to good re-
suits. Particular attention is giver
to the study of the French language anC
industrial drawing; to French, because
through this language the Italians ii
general communicate with foreigners
and to drawing, because Of its utility il
the industrial arts. Artistic drawing
.. | is Of course not taught. The girls make
|, | accurate designs of clothing with vari
: | Gus embroidery trimmings, the pat
|. terms for their embroidery for lace
, work and for dressmaking.
: GYMNASIUM AND GARDEN.
The gymnasium and garden adjoil
Q the school.house, the latter being KEEP
I in order by the prefecture. At twelv,
O'Clock the bell is rung, each teache
= rscites prayer in her classroom, thsl
y the children descend two and two 10
g gallery, where their hats and cloak
i are hung on pegs, and below them thei
n luncheon-baskets. They return witt
v their baskets and each eats her luncheon
y at her own place. Then they 30 int,
q the garden till one O'Clock, when thel