Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-08-27
IN A ROMAN CONVENT.
The Life OF Monks and Lay-Brothers De-
scrIhad nv nr- ParIr,nan

The Life OF Monks and Lay brothers De-.
scrIbed by DE-. Parkman.
The lay-brother appeared at day.
break, and told me that in fifteen min
utes was to join the Italians in retreat,
and go with them TO mass, writes DIR.
Francis Parkman, in Harpers Magazine.
The mass was followed by another SER
mon, after which we were all summoned
to coffee In the room where we had
taken tea the evening before. The re-
port of my heresy had got abroad, and I
found myself an object of curious atten-
ton.
After coffee we were dismissed to our
chambers for an hour, and then listened
to another sermon in the chapel This
consumed the morning till eleven
o'clock, when bell rang for dinner,
and monks aud laymen together moved
In solemn procession to the refectory.
The monks went first, the Superior at
their head, then followed the laymen,
and while the procession was forming
in the corridor they all kept up the dis
nal, unintermitted chanting The re-
fectory 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 continued 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 dignita-
ries was fresco of the Last Supper, as
usual in retectories, while on the side.
walls hung grim pictures of saints with,
upturned eyes and palms pressed to-
gether. High up, near the ceiling, was
small pulpit. The entire hall was
whitewashed above and panelled with
oak below
At the head of the tables stood the,
Superior, 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,
cadaverous faces bespoke the rigor OF
their discipline, which is extremely se-
we're. When all were in their places
the Superior raised his finger, and the
whole assemblage broke out into an
other chant. When at last il was ended
the finger was raised again, and all took
their seats. Not word was spoken:
but monk entered the pulpit from
narrow door in the wall, and in drawl-
ing, monotonous tones read Latin SER.
mon, which lasted throughout the meal.
He had hardly begun when a file Of
Ia NT-h
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 were served first. Before them
were set bowls OF a dismal-looking veg
etable soup, along with dishes of dried
pease boiled whole, and swelled to g.
wonderful size by the process Each
then drew cup, fork and q wooden
spoon from a drawer in the table. and
with rueful countenance proceeded to
eat, first filling the cup from an eartheni
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 edi-
fed by the Latin sermon, which few of
them could have understood. The meal
was followed by prayer, with low re-
sponses from the monks, after which
they all filed off through the dim gal
leries to their dens, looking like living,
originals OF the dreary portraits 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, 81 am afraid
your kindness will be thrown away"
But he clapped me on 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 Offering me his
snuff-box, freely using it himself mean
while; and when he thought he had
made good hit in his argument, he
would wink at me with comical Look
of triumph, on which we both fell to
aughing. AT length the bell rang for
more prayers and sermons in the chapel,
-+9N Olo dpOob4o went DacKs
% his cell.
After the sermon the laymen were
urned out to walk for a while in the
convent garden, attended by Padre
1uca. He was not, / think, one of the
'assionist brotherhood, but q secular
PRIEST, and his pleasant, plump,
countenance contrasted
trangely with the dry, leathery visagesl
# the monks. AS we walked up and
Iown the paths, shaded with olives and
leanders, he took me by the arm and
alked of matters of faith, stopping from
ime to time at the little groups of Ital-
ans. who, after reverently kissing his
and, began to chat and laugh with him
an easy familiarity, gracefully tenn
cred with respect. He seemed to have
heir fun affection and confidence, at
Ihich, judging by what l saw Of him,
i'd not wonder.