Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1891-11-19
4 VISIT no THE TRAPP,sTs.
The Monks Fray All Night, Eat Rice Ono,
Day and Dig their Own Graves.


8 Day and Dig their Own Graves.
The morning was fine as we set out
to visit the monastery of La Grande
Trappc which lies nestled in the wood
land between Mortagne and Soligny.
Visitors are not so numerous SIS one
might expect during the holiday season;
the Grand Chartreuse appears to
monpolize the tourists curiosity. This
may be owing to the renowned cord :al
fabricated there. 1t is true the Trap
pist also distill a liquor. but it is not so
far-famed. Besides, too, the jovial
monk whom every body likes is not to
be found there; the Trappist is grave
and austere ''It must be hard to live,
but sweet to die there" remarks nv
companion, 'for they leave behind
them nothing to regret in this world. /"
He was about to develop his proposition
when we reached the worm-eaten door
OF the monastery, which bears some
resemblance to an old farm house of
the middle ages. Rising above the an
Gent building is the spirc of new
church, which the Trappists have just
constructed in the grounds at cost. of
fifty Thousand pounds-a fact which
proves beyond dispute that the repu bile
has not confscated all their wealth.
The door is garnished with a 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, good
looking monk, tall and active, who,
contrary to the general rule of the mon
astery, is the only inmate allowed to
speak to strangeS.
$50 you have come all the way from
Paris to see our little house." said he,
with a calm but evidently gratified
smile. "Come in; it 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 Pere
Blanc, who beckoned to us to follow
him into 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 maearoni-and in the
center stood tureen of bread soup; a
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 aiishad sharpened our
Appetites. During the repast the Pere
Hotelier kind of head steward who
oresides 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, ST. Albric and
other saints who took part in the foun-
aation of La Trappe. 1 may say that
the name of Trappe comes from a 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
1880, return to their cells to sleep until
l:3O. To understand this it must be
borne in mind that they pass the night
in prayer, and so they need a little re-
pose in the daytime I 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
;ernately composed of rice and beans.
The porter monk, however, soon
zane to our rescue and under his
guidance we visited the different parts of
he monastery. I must confess there
Eas nothing particularly remarkable
70 be seen, and the stories told about
ihe monastic life must be taken with
sreat deal of salt Having shown us
he dormitory where the monks sleep
IN straw, and the cells in which some
# them shut themselves to fast and
pray, our cicerone conducted us to
he graveyard, where few of them,
With their faces covered with a
hood with two holes for the
Eyes, were digging their graves
n preparation for their final exit from
his world. Our presence did not dis
urb them in the least; they went on
working with the pick-axe and the
pade like so many automatons. Out
ide, in the forest surrounding the
monastery, monks were engaged in
'arious occupations-some cutting
Town trees, some gathering herbs,
iome watering the kitchen garden,
while others were engaged in the
liquor distillery. Here they work eight
hours day, and appear to be full of
life and vigor despite their poor
, aaurishment, l inquired about GER
sain young count : we'll known in
French society, who, having been
crossed in love, had joined the Trap
oists a short time ago. Il know him
aot," answered the porter; ''all who
enter here leave their names outside,
and are dead to the W orld, and we are
forbidden under heavy punishment to
speak to one another"
! was going to venture another ques-
ton when he made a sign that it was
time for us to withdraw, as vespers
were coming on and the door of the
monastery was to be irrevocably closed
.feF:theidays Jas we parted he Shook us
! by5 tie hapdsS and said. in a solemn
zones, 'sFreresy IL faut MOURN! n'oubEez
pas ca To which my companion, who
was determined to have his little joke,
responded: II have no doubt you are
right, holy friar, but l prefer to live y
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