The rustler., 1891-11-13
a VISIT TO TIE TaApPisrs
II. m.-a. rr.y An slrAs. 1T Me- o.s.
n.F sna nlr thslr owa orases

- rtMlt the muumMterY OF Ia hrAn1n
Traps. which lics nestled In the wood
land between Mortarne and soliguy.
Visitors Arc not 80 numerous ~ one
might expect during the holiday season;
the Grand chartrcuse appears 10
monpolize the tourists curiosity. This
may be owing 10 the renowned cordial
fabricated there II il true the Trap
pist also distill liquor. but Il h not 20
far-famed Besides. too. the joyial
monk whom every body likes Il not 20
b. found there; the Trappist is grave
and austerc. III must BE- hard 20 live.
but sweet 20 die there" remarks my
companion. for they leave behind
them nothing 10 regret in this world "
lie was about 20 develop his proposition
wis we reached the worm-eaten door
Of the monastery. which bcars some
resemblance 20 an old farm house Of
the middle agcE Rising above the an
cient building Is the spire of new
church. which the Trappists have just
constructed In the grounds ai cost Of
fifty thousand pounds fact which
proves beyond dispute that the republic
has not confscated all their wealth.
The door Is gurnished with deaths
head and crossbones In iron. symbolical
of the charnel house TO which they have
condemned themselves We knock, and
the door is opened by porter, a good
looking monk tall and active, who
contrary 10 the general rule Of the mon
astery. Is the only inmate allowed 10
speak 20 strangers.
so You have come all the way from
Paris to see our little house." said he
with calm but evidently gratihed
smile "Come in; Il is now half-past II.
and you will be in time for breakfast
The fare is not Lucullian, but you will
have TO put up with IT, He then con-
Quoted us into the garden. where we
were received In silence by a Pere
Blanc, who beckoned 10 us 20 follow
him into n large room with white
washed walls, on which hung religious
emblems and engravings, the portrait
Of the Pere de Ranci. the reformer of
the order, and framed cardboard
bearing in big letters the admonitory
word "Silence" There were three
other persons besides ourselves present
! On the table at either end were two
dishes-one containing kidney beans
and the other macaroni-and In the
center stood tureen of bread soup;
glass of cider and a few peaches com
pleted the menu. which had been pre-
pared expressly for visitors Mutely
we set TO devouring this Spartan cheer,
! for the morning air had sharpened our
appetites During the repast the Pere
| Hotelier, kind of head steward who
presides over the tables of the guests,
sat in an armchair at the end OF the
room, and as we were eating read aloud
the lives OF St Robert, 81. Albric and
other saints Who took part in the foun-
dation of La Traupe ] may say that
the name Of TrapPe comes from large
pond, called trappe in the ancient
tongue of the country, by the side Of
which the monastery was built
Breakfast over, we strolled into the
garden, and waited for the moment TO
visit the interior, for the monks, as
soon as they have finished their meal at
1850. return TO their cells TO sleep until
1880 To understand this IL must be
borne in mind that they pass the night
in prayer, and so they need little re-
pose in the daytime. / must also add
that while we were eating our beans
and macaroni the monks were dining
in their refectory on rice and water,
served up in wooden bowls. They
make only one meal day, which is al
ternately composed of rice and beans
The porter monk, however. soon
came to our rescue, and under his
guidance we visited the different parts of
the monastery. ! must confess there
was nothing particularly remarkable
TO be seen, and the stories told about
the monastic life must be taken with q
great deal of salt Having shown us
the dormitory where the monks sleep
on straw, and the cells in which some
of them shut themselves to fast and
pray, our cicerone conducted us to
the graveyard, where a few of them,
with their faces covered with a
hood with two holes for the
eyes, were digging their graves
in preparation for their final exit from
this world. Our presence did not dis
turb them in the least; they went on
working with the piclS-axe and the
spade like so many automatons Out
side, in the forest surrounding the
monastery, monks were engaged in
various occupations-some cutting
down trees, some gathering herbs
some watering the kitchen garden
while others were engaged in the
liquor distillery. Here they work eigh
hours day, and appear to be full o
: life and vigor, despite their poo
nourishment / inquired about Ger
tain young count well known il
French society, who, having beeI
crossed in love, had Joined the Trap
pists short time ago. II know hin
, not" answered the porter; ''all win
enter here leave their names outside
and are dead to the world, and we ar
forbidden under heavy punishment t
, speak to one another"
, was going to venture another ques
tion when he made a sign that II wa
time for us to withdraw, as vesper
ware coming IN and the door Of th