San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-07-08

been, | knew, a mere monkeyiSh trick,
designed to vex the religious scruples OF
Mere Marguerite. / knew not what tC
say to the stately woman who remained
confronting me with downcast eyes. and
lips that moved dumbly as though ia
prayer. AS the door closed after my
wife's r%etreating figure, the nun looked
up; there was a slight flush on her
pallid cheeks, and to my establishment
tears glittered on her dark lashes.
Madame" began earnestly, 81 as
sure you"
Say nothing, slgnor," she interrupted
me with a slight deprecatory gestures;
lit is quite unnecessary. To mock a
religieuse is a common amusement with
young girls and women of the world. 1
am accustomed to it, though l feel its
cruelty more than | ought to do. La
dies like the Countess Romani think that
we've, the sepulchres of womanhood,
-sepulchres that we have emptied and
cleansed to the best of our ability,
so that they may more
fittinglY hold Ethe body of the crucified
Christ; these grandes danes, | say, fancy
that we are ignorant of all they know,
that we cannot understand love, tender
ness or passion. They never reflect,
how should they? that we also have had
our Observation-Disclosures, perhaps, hat
would make angels weep for pity! L,
even /" and she struck her breast
tercely, then suddenly recollecting her.
self, she continued coldly-''The rule of
our convent, signor; permits no visitor
TO remain longer than one hour IA
hour has expired. l will summon a sister
to show you the way out"
Wait one instant, madame" | said,
feeling that to enact my part thoroughly
| ought to attempt to make some de-
fence of Nina'S conduct; 'permit me to
say a word! My iancie is very young
and t~houghtlesS, l really cannot think
that her very innocent parting caress to
me had anything in it that was meant to
purpOsely annoy you"
The u glanced at me;-her eyes
flashed disdainfully.
You think it was all affection for you,
nc doubt, signor? A very natural sup
position, and-I should be sorry to I'M
deceive you"
She paused a moment and then re-
sumed:
You seem an earnest man-maybe
you are destined to be the means of saw
ing Nina; | could say much, yet it is
Wloc W Ut SlltnIs II you lON6 neT 40
not flatter her: her overweening vanity
is her ruin. A firm, wise, ruling master
hand may perhaps-who knows?" She
hesitated and sighed, then added gently,
Farewell, signor! Benedicite!' and
making the sign of the cross as l re-
specially bent my head to receive her
blessing, she passed nOiseleSsly from the
room.
One moment later, and a lame and
aged lay sister came to escort me to the
gate. AS l passed down the stone cor
ridor a side door opened a very little
way, and two fair young faces peeked
out at me. For an instance l saw four
laughing black eyes; l heard a smoth-
cred voice say, ''Oh! c'est un vieux
papa!" and then my guide, who
though lame was not blind, perceived
the opened door ana shut it with an
angry bang, which, however, did not
drown the ringing merriment that
echoed from within. On reaching the
outer gates l turned to my veneer
able companion, and laying four twenty
franc pieces in her shiyeriDg palm, l
said
Take these to the Reverend Mother
for me, and ask that mass be said in the
Cudptl bOLlOIlOW v Gu6 ItpOS6 VI liz
soul of him whose name is written here" |
And l gave her Guido Ferrari's visit
ing card, adding in lower and more SOL
emn tones:
HE met with a sudden and unpre-
pared death. OF your charity, pray also
for the man who killed himl'
The old woman looked startled, and
crossed herself devoutly; but she prom |
Used that my wishes should be fulfilled,
and | babe her FAREWELL and passed out, |
the convent gates closing with a dull
clang behind me. l walked on a few
yards and then paused, looking back.
What a peaceful home it seemed; how
calm and sure a retreat, with the white
Noisette roses GROWING its ancient gray
wallsl Yet what embodied curses were
pent up in there in the shape
Of girls growing to be women;
women for whom all the
care, stern training and anxious solicit
tude of the nuns would be unavailing;
women who would come forth from even
that abode of sanctity with vile natures
and animal impulses, and who would
hereafter, while leading a life of vice
and hypocrisy, hold up this very strict
ness of their early education as a proof
of their unimpeaChaOle innOcense and
virtue! To such, what lesson is learnt
by the daily example Of the nuns who
mortify their flesh, fast, pray and weep?
No lesson at all-nOthing, save mockery
and contempt. To a girl in the hayday
of youth and beauty, the lite of a reli-
gieuse seems ridiculous. The poor
nunsl" she says with a laugh;
''they are so ignorant. Their
| time is over-mine has not yet be-
gun" Few, very few, among the thous-
ands of young women who leave the
| scene of their quiet school days for the
| social whirligig of the world, ever earn
L N tnEn kfn In nnrnnSt lnNa In nnrnaaf