The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-07-22
ETHAN ALIENS DAUGHTER.
Her Romantic History and Final
Assumption of the Veil.

The story of "The Beautiful Ameri-
can Nun" is told in Mr.. Chittenden's
remlniscences at length as 1t was told
to the author by the Rev. Louis de
Goesbriand, Roman Catholic Bishop of
Vermont. In the Bishops story the
saving of General 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 New York." The
Bishops story is reported as follows:
After the War of the Revolution
General Ethan Allen came to reside on
the Winooski intervale in this town,
where he lived at the time of his death.
His dwelling was a farmhouse on an
unfrequented road and he had no near
neighbors. One spring morning when
his daughter Fannie, 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 feroclous claws she
heard kind and gentle voice saving:
"Have no fear. my daughter, the mon
ster has no power over you" Trust
fully raising her eyes, she saw standing
by her side 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 home. There she
related her fearful adventure, and de
scribed 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 for
gotten.
The Bishops account then proceeds
with the pretty love story of Fannie
Allen who grew into beautiful woman
and became engaged to the son of
wealthy Boston merchant. The we'd
ding was postponed in order to give her
an opportunity TO satisfy an ambition,
can irresistible desire" to acquire the
French language. This wish was
opposed by her mother and her aft
anced.
As further resistance promised to
imperll the health and possibly the life
of his adopted daughter, her stepfather
yielded and her mother accompanied
her to the city OF Montreal in search of
a school in which the daughter might
be taught the French language. Then,
as now, the schools in the converts bore
a deservedly high reputation, and were
successfully visited by the American
strangers Their final visit to the con-
vent was to the celebrated sisterhood
known as the Convent "Hotel Dieu."
They entered its chapel, walked
up one of the aisles until they stood
before a large painting neal the
altar.
To the mothers amazenent, the
daughter suddenly fell upon her knees,
bowed her head in prayful alteration,
and pointing to a figure in the painting
exclaimed "There is the man who
saved me from the monster" 1t was
the figure of Joseph, the husband of the
Virgin, IN large painting of the Holy
Family.
The story concludes with an account
of Miss Aliens conversion to the Cath
olic faith, her admission as nun-"the
beautiful American nun"--.o the Con
vent "Hotel Dieu," and the subse-
quent conversion of her former lover
and many members OF her family to
that faith.