Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-26
Frank Joseph. Bewitched by a Black
Eyed Girls Roguish Smile, FL
nally ElopeS With Her.
METNAC CONVENT NEAR, ,SALTILLO
The Maiden Stole Away, and Crossed the
Border on Horseback With Her
American Lover.
THE KNOT TIED ON THE TRANSFORMER
Pleasant Outcome of Visit Of Company Of
Students to a Nunnery.

She-was a Mexican, he q native of'Ten-
nessee The bewitching beauty of the girl
and the modesty of the young man attracted
the attention of people to the couple at the
Union depot last evening. 1t was the old
story They had recently been married and
were going to New York TO spend their
honeymoon.
when / was a nun. Frank, " the girl
said as she showed her pretty white teeth,
81 didn't enjoy such perfect freedom as L do
now"
The remark was overheard and to the ex-
cited brain of reporter it at once conjured
up story of the romantic type. A married
nun is, indeed, rarity, but it is not surpris-
ing al all that man should fall in love with
4 beautiful woman. She was pretty and
petite Her skin was swarthy, the eyes and
hair dark, the features clear cut and regular.
Never Cut Out for CIoister.
She was perfect specimen of Spanish
womanhood with roguish smile that the
cloister could not chain. She never should
have been dedicated to religious life, in
the first place, and here is where the mis-
take was made 1t was no fault of hers that
she followed a natural instinct, and jumped
the high walls with her Romeo.
The story of the marriage of Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank Joseph is quite romantic and
out of the ordinary. \ young doctor in
Pittsburg, who was at the station to meet
them. and great friend of the groom, fur
nished the facts.
Joseph and L" he said, ''met at college
and during the summer vacation we went
with a party into Mexico to collect the
fauna Of the country and geological speci-
mems This was about FIVE years ago. On the
road between Monterey and the little town
Of Salrillo is located an ancient convent,
and ii was there Joseph met his wife. 1t
seems in Mexico that girls are not given
their choice about accepting the veil, but
the parents select one from the family to
follow a religious life. There is no other
alternative and she is expected to obey.
A Rule That Prevents Romance.
The result is that in many Mexican con-
vents YOU find plenty of young women who
are not actuated by a deep sense of duty.
They arc there because they can't help
themselves, or because they don't wish TO
disappoint their parents. With this ex-
planation it can easily be understood how the
nun in question threw aside VOWS and con-
scientious scruples and followed the teach
ings Of her heart, and will say head also.
well, one hot afternoon as we were
tramping along the dusty road beyond Mon
terey, complaining about the heat
and wishing we had something to wet
our parched throats, the convent loomed
up in the distance We didn't know what
it was at first, and supposed it was way
side inn. With warwhoop we made run
for the old stone building, but found the
gateslocked. We made considerable racket,
when one of the nuns came out. We told her
We were thirsty and hungry, and asked if we
could rest awhile. She invited us in and
we sat on the grass inside of the stone wall.
The lady was kind hearted, and she directed
the girls TO bring Us food and drink, which
they did freely. I noticed most of
the nuns were young and pretty. They
appeared TO be glad 10 see lot of young
fellows. and enjoyed it as much as we did.
They smiled roguishlv as well as sweetly,
and after the awe of the place had worn off
the boys took great pleasure in flirting with
them. The Mother Superior scowled,
but it was no good. The girls
didn't see men very often, and
they were determined to enjoy the sight
while il lasted. L suppose we remained
there an hour or more when we returned to
Monterey well pleased with the afternoons
visit
Counting Cne of the Sisters.
''As long as we stayed in Monterey
after that 1 would frequently miss
Joseph. He would suddenly disap-
pear for a time, and then
turn up. None of US dreamed he was court
ing one of the Sisters, but this was what he
was doing. He was in the habit of meeting
the girl outside of the wall, and the
romantic courtship soon ripened into love.
The dav we were going to leave he confded
the secret to me and wanted ME 10 help
him steal the nun out and get her to the
border. 1t was a risky piece of business at
thar time as there had been some trouble
along the frontier, and the country was full
ot Mexican soldiers. ] saw looming up be-
fore me a Mexican prison, and II
had no desire TO spend any time
in dungeon. L knew very
well if We attempted it, we would be ar
rested before we got out of the country.
joseph was very disconsolate over the pros
7,ect. hut he said he was determined to take
the girl with him to the United States and
marry her. l thought it a play
fll fancy, and did all could
TO dissuade him. 1 argued that
she was Mexican and he Yankee. The
chances are the love for each other would
soon die out, and their lives would then be
miserable. 1t was wrong to steal the nun
from the convent ana lake nef INTO q strange
land. Above ali, the danger of being caught
WAS too great, and if such a hitch occurred
thev might never be married This line of
argument had its effect, and in a very un-
happy frame OF mind he returned
10 the North ana went back to his college
studies.
Married to the Mexican Nun.
81 had forgotten all aboIt the affair, when,
2 short time ago, l received a telegram from
Juseph's father, IN Tennessee, asking me if
] had heard that Frank had married Mex
lean nun. The old Inan was worried about
il, and he feared the consequences. 1t turns
out that the vuung man finished his educa-
1ion and then went back to Monterey He
still loved Inez, the pretty girl in the con-
vent. Frank hired horse, and
the girl made a break for liberty.
They started TO ride across the country to
the border, hut fortunately the trip was
without incident. Once ON American soil
they were married bva backwoods preacher,
the bride still wearing the convent gar
mcnta. She then changed her clothes for
nattv street costume, and with great
CIee :hey went back TO Tennessee. His
father was greatly pleased with the daugh-
rer-in-law aud everybody was happy. He
told me last evening that he had notified
the girls parents OF what he had done No
reply had been received from them, and he
supposed they are very angry. He
thinks, however, that time will heal the
breach and all will be forgiven. 1t is not
often thar men have such romantic exper-
fences in getting married"
Called Down for Neglect.