St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-20
DR.. Parkman Tells of a Day
With the Priests in the
City of Rome.
A Simple Breakfast With a
Latin Sermon Drawled
During the Meal.
Vegetable Soup, Swelled
Boiled Peas and Cheap
Wine for Monks.
Several Young Italians Offer
to Pray for the Conversion
Of the Doctor.

Parkman in August Harper's
The lay brother appeared at daybreak
and told me that in fifteen minutes
was to join the Italians in retreat, and
20 with them to mass.
The mass was followed by sermon,
after which we were all summoned to
coffee in the room where we had taken
tea the evening before.
The report of my heresy had got
abroad, and l found myself an object of
curious attention. Several young Ital-
ians expressed sympathy for my un-
happy condition, and one of them said
that he should pray the virgin to coli
vert me. He spoke in genuine kind
ness. and thanked him.
After coffee we we're dismissed to our
chambers for an hour, and then listened
to another sermon in the chapel. This
consumed the morning till II o'clock,
when bell rang for dinner, and the
monks and laymen together moved IN
solemn procession to the refectory.
The monks went first, the superiors at
their head, then followed the laymen,
and while the procession was forming
in the. corridor they all kept up a dis
NAL, unintermitted chanting.
The refectory was long, high, dimly
lighted hall. A table of bare wood was
stretched across the farther end for the
dignitarieS of the convent, and was con-
tinued down both sides.
Here, on right and left, sat the rest of
the monks. forty or fifty in number. and
the laymen sat below them, nearer the
door. The seats were wooden benches,
placed on the inner side of the tables
only. On the wall over the heads of the
dignitaries was freScO of the Last
Supper" as usual in refectories, while
on the side walls hung grim pictures of
saints with upturned eyes and palms
pressed together.
High up, near the ceiling, was a small
pulpit. The entire hall was white
washed above and paneled with oak be-
low.
At the head Of the table stood the SUI
perior. who was general of the whole
order, tall, portly man, with stern
and auStere cOuntenance.
The monks, motiOnless and in dead
silence. stood ranged on right and left.
robed in black from head to foot. and
wearing on the breast the badge of their
order-a heart SurmOunted by cross.
Their harsh, cadaver0us faces bespoke
tremely severe.
When all were III their places the SUI
perior raised his finger, and the whole
asSemblage broke out into another
chant. When at last it was ended the
finger was raised again and all took
their seats.
Not Il word was spoken; but Il monk
entered the pulpit from a narrow door
in the wall. and in drawing, monoto-
nous tones read Latin sermon, which
lasted throughout the meal.
He had hardly begun when a file of
lay-brothers entered, each carrying a
receptacle formed Of three trays, one
above the other, connected by an up
right wooden rod, and holding a great
number of bowls and small dishes.
The monks we're served first. Before
them were set bowls of a diSmal-look-
ing vegetable soup, along with dishes
of dried peas, boiled whole and Swelled
TO wonderful size by the process. Each
then drew cup, a fork and a wooden
spoon from drawer in the table, and
with rueful cOuntenance, proceeded
to eat, first filing the cup from an
eathern bottle of cheap wine which
stood on the board before him.
We of the laity Jared better. being
served with rice, eggs, fish and dried
fruit. The Italians seemed little edited
by the Latin sermon, which few of
them could have understood.
The meal was followed by a PRAYER,
with low responses from the monks,
after which they all filed off through
the dim galleries TO their dens, looking
like living originals of the dreary por-
traits ranged along the walls.
When had got to my chamber, and
was refreshing myself with the "Pio-
neerS," one of them came in TO convert
me.
my father" said l, II am afraid
your kindness will be thrown away"
But he clapped me OH the knee and
exclaimed. cheerfully: "Ah, figlio, you
will be good Catholic soon. No doubt
of it,
There was an amusing vivacity in
him, quite different from his extreme
Solemnity when at dinner.
In the course of his talk. which was
rambling, though pious, he kept offer
ing me his snuff box, freely using it
himself meanwhile; and when he
thought he had made good hit in his
argument he would wink at me with a
comical look of triumph, on which we
both fell to laughing.
At length the bell rang for more
prayers and sermons i'll the chapel. and
this sprlghtly old apostle went back to
his cell.
After the sermon the laymen were
turned out to walk for while in the
convent garden, attended by Padre
Luca. He was not, | think, one of the
Passionist brotherhood. but secular
priest, and his pleasant. plump, good
humored countenance contraste d
strangely with the dry, leathery Wis
ages of the monks
As we walked up and down the paths,
shaded with olives and Oleanders. he
took me by the arm and talked of mat
ters of faith, stopping from time tc
time at the little groups of Italians who
after reverently kissing his hand, be-
gan to chat and laugh with him in an
easy familiarity, gracefully tempered
with respect.
He seemed to have their full affec.
ton and confidence, at which, Judging
by what ] saw of him, did not wonder
mo cant, twaddle, or campmeeting
long faces here" find recorded in my
dairy.
Next came vespers, monks, laymen
and all crowding the little chapel, which
Shook with the din of hundred voice.
Joining il the service.