The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1893-05-20
A STRANGE STORY
The Daughter of Ethan Allen Mirac-
ulously Saved From the Claws
of a Monster.
nBEAUTIFUL AMERICAN NUM-

nBEAUTIFUL AMERICAN NUN, .
Many Prominent Protestants Fol
lowed the Puritan Maiden into
the Catholic Church.
Many interesting stories appear in
the volume of Personal "reminiscences
recently Issued by Hon L. E. Chittenden,
who was Register of the Treasury under
Lincoln. The following story of ''The
Beautiful Nun" is told in the reminis-
cences at length as it was told to the au-
thor by the Rt. Rev. Louis dc Goesbri-
and, Bishop of Vermont. In the Bishops
story the saving of Gen. Ethan Aliens
daughter from the monster Of the water
is referred to as ''the only accepted and
well-authenticated miracle ever wrought
within the limits of Vermont
The Bishops story is reported as fol-
lows:
After the War of the Revolution, as
you know, Gen. Ethan Allen came to re-
side on the Winooski intervale in this
town, where he lived at the time of his
death. His dwelling was farmhouse
on an unfrequented road, and he had no
near neighbors. One spring morning,
when his daughter Fanny, aged 9 years,
was gathering wild flowers on the rivers
bank, she was startled by the sight of a
monster which was rushing through the
water, apparently to devour her. Stricken
with fear, she was unable to move and
utterly helpless Just as the savage
beast was about to tear her with his
ferocious claws she heard kind and
gentle voice saying: "Have no fear, nay
daughter, the monster has no power over
YOU" Trustfully raising her eyes, she
saw standing beside her an aged man of
venerable aspect, white hair and beard,
wearing long cloak and carrying long
staff in his hand. His words reassured
the frightened maid; her fears departed
and she started for her home. There
she related her fearful adventure and
described the appearance of her deliverer.
Her father and mother Immediately
went in search of him, but he was neither
to be found nor heard of. No one had
seen him along the road where he must
have passed; her parents gave up the
search, believing that their daughter
was the victim Of her own imagination,
and that no such person existed as she
believed she had seen. The incident
passed from their minds and was for the
time forgotten.
The Bishops account then proceeds
with the pretty love story of Fannie AL
len. who grew into beautiful woman
and became engaged to the son of a
wealthy Boston merchant. He loved
Fannie Allen with all the devotion of q
brilliant mind and pure heart. She
gave hum in return the treasure OF her
first love. The parents OF both approved
of the union, and he was always a vel.
come visitor to the home of his beloved
The love and society of her promised
husband were completely satisfying to
Fannie Allen, She envied no one and
wanted nothing more. The year which
closed on her eighteenth birthday was q
year of contentment and unalloyed hap.
piness.
Miss Allen had received an excellent
English education, but at this time she
conceived, ian irresistible DESIRE" to &C.
quire the French language. This wish
was opposed by her mother and he1
afianced.
As further resistance promised to i'm
peril the health and possibly the life OF
his adopted daughter, her step-fathe1
yielded and her mother accompanied
her to the city of Montreal in search OF
school in which the daughter might be
taught the French language. Then, az
now, the schools in the converts bore a
deservedly high reputation, and were
successively visited by the American
strangers. Their final visit to the con.
vents was to the celebrated sisterhood
known as the Convent "Hotel Dieu.'
They entered it's chapel. walked up enc
of the aisles until they stood before 9
large painting near the altar. To the
mothers amazement, the daughter sud
denly fell upon her knees, bowed hel
head IN prayerful alteration, and point
ing to a figure in the painting, exclaimed
"There is the man who saved me from
the monster" It was the figure of St
Joseph, the husband of the Blessed
Virgin, in large painting Of the Holy
Family.
Believing she had been directed hithe1
by divine influence, Miss Allen in.
sisted on becoming scholar at the con-
vent and her mother left her in charge
Iof the sisterhood and returned TO he1
Vermont home. At the convent g new