Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-12-04
A VISIT TO THE TRAPP,STs.
The Monks Pray All Night, Eat Rice Ones
Day and Dig their Own Graves.

Day and Dig their Own Graves.
The morning was fine as we set ont
20 visit the monastery of La Grande
Trappe, which lies nestled in the wood
land between MortAgne and Soligny.
Visitors are not so numerous as ore
might expect during the holiday season.;
the Grand Chartreuse appears to
Inonpolize the tourists curiosity. This
may be owing to the renowned cordial
fabricated there 1t is true the Trap
pist also distill q liquor, but it is not SO
far-famed. Besides, too, the joVial
monk whom everybody likes is not TO
be found there; the Trappist is grave
and austere. st must be hard to live,
but sweet to die there" remarks my
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 All
cient building is the spire 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 republic
has not confscated all their wealth,
The door is garnished 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 a porter, a good
looking monk, tall and active, who,
contrary to the general rule of the mon
astery, is the only inmate allowed to
speak to strangers.
$50 you have come all the way from
Paris to see our little house." said he,
with 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 a 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 macaroni-and in the
center stood tureen of bread soup; {
glass of cider and 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 uul
appetites. During the repast tine Pere
Hotelier, kind of head steward VINO
presides over the tables of the guests
sat in an armchair at the end of tht
room, and as we were eating read alouC
the lives of St Robert, st. Albric an(
other saints who took part in the foun
dation of La Trappe. | may say tina
the name of Trappe comes from larg,
pond, called trappe in the ancien
tongue of the country, by the side o
which the monastery was built.
Breakfast over, we strolled into thu
garden, and waited for the moment t.
visit the interior, for the monks, a
soon as they have finished their meal a
1880, return to their cells to sleep unit
1870. To understand this it must b
borne in mind that they pass the nigh
in prayer, and so they need a little re
pose in the daytime / must also ad,
that while we were eating our bean
and macaroni the monks were dining
in their refectory on rice and water
served up in wooden bowls. The,
make only one meal day, which is al
ternately composed of rice and beans.
The porter monk, however, 500
came to our rescue, and under hi
guidance we visited the different parts O
the monastery. must confess Their
was nothing particularly remarkabl
to be seen, and the stories told abou
the monastic life must be taken with
great deal of salt. Having shown u
the dormitory where the monks slice
on straw, and the cells in which som
of them shut themselves to fast an
pray, our cicerone conducted us t
the graveyard, where few of then
with their faces covered with
hood with two holes for tn
eyes, were digging their grave
in preparation for their final exit fror
this world. Our presence did not di'
turb them in the least; they went o
working with the pick-axe and tn
spade like so many automatons. Gu
side, in the forest surrounding tn
monastery, monks were engaged
various occupations-some cuttin
down trees, some gathering herb
some watering the kitchen gardel
while others were engaged in tn
liquor distillery. Here they work eigl
hours day, and appear to be full {
life and vigor, despite their POO
nourishment. / inquired about ce
tain young count well known
French society, who, having bee
crossed in love, had joined the Ira
pists short time ago. II know hi
not" answered the porter; ''all WI
enter here leave their names outsid
and are dead to the world, and we al
forbidden under heavy punishment
speak to one another"
/ was going to venture another que
ton when he made a sign that it WI
time for us to withdraw, as vespeI
were coming on and the door of Il
monastery was to be irrevocably close
for the day. AS we parted he shook
by the hands, and said, in a solem
tone: "Freres, il faut mourirl n'oublit
pas ca" To which my companion, wi
was determined to have his little iolk
responded; II have no doubt you al
right holy friar, but l prefer to live
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