The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-12-06


long, blask wells, going up the steps, he
rushed before them, screaming: oh! the
British hab come to take away my ole
NASSAU
"Then they went to our dear old home
on Asquith street and there they stayed
for many, many years The fact that We
were pemitEted to have a private Gene
terry in the large garden undoubtedly
started the story about which you ask,
that we dug our own graves, each sister
throwing out a shovelful of earth each
night. That is only done by the Trap
pists, and not | believe, by any other
order in this country. Are we happy"
The laugh that followed this question
was so merry that it was impossible to
doubt the peferct content of the lady who
was talking.
Then she said: "As an evidence Of the
old age to which the Carmelites lived, /
must tell you this: In 1886, when our
community was sadly in need Of money,
we asked the Paris house to assist us, and
among the sisters alive that time was
Mother Raphael who was 81 years old,
and who had been a novice with Nine.
Louise de France
Think of that! Think of lady who
lived before the French Revolutionary,
one who had made her life, from the
physical standpoint. life of continual
seleelenial, and we read books and listen
to lectures on how to live so that we may
have many years of life, and we never
once think of the certain effect of a
good life, a pure life. and n life of un-
sefishness. A few questions. and | was
told that, year in and year out, no flesh
is eaten. On fast days neither fish, eggs
nor milk are INDUCED in. The bed is
Of straw. sheets of serge, the habit is
serge, the long black veil is always worn
over the face. Speech is never INDUCED
in, except during the hours of recreation.
After a little more chat, during which
Mother Raphael highly commended the
energy of the women of to-day, said
AN revoir" for few minutes and went
into the pretty chapel. l stood by the
grating before the choir and. as special
favor, the serge curtain was drawn up and
| saw the stately figure of Mother Rap
hazel and the slender one of the younger
sister who had been talking to me.
You who are out in the world, who
think, much of work, may ask
What do the Carmelite ladies dog"
They pray and pray and pray withou
ceasing. When you are at the opera.
when you are at the gay supper, when
you are interested in the play, or when
You are whirling around in the dance,
their voices are going up to God asking
Him to keep you out Of temptation. They
say to you when they talk to you that it
Is good for you to have a pleasant time
that they are happy in knowing Of your
tfaac hot L.
in the world; and they urge upon no one
to come to them. But be you Jew or
Gentle, AIohammedan or Buddhist,
whether you have faith or whether you
are an unbeliever, yon need only ask for
a special prayer and it will be said for
you. The wife whose husband is out
in the storm at sea, the mother whose
boy is a profligate, the young girl who
doubts the love of her betrothed, each
one may go and ask that the gentle Sis
said, said with joy, said with faith, and
said without asking for gold.
When the Sisters moved into the house
in which they now live, closed carriages
were brought to convey them from one
convent to the other, but the street, for
TO see them step over the threshold.
across the pavement and into the car
riages. Mother Raphael laughed hearth
" at the curiosity, but she did not tell
me what was said to me by a man of
the world, that is, that in this crowd,
collected to look upon the kindly nuns,
many fell upon their knees, called Gods
blessing upon them and thanked them
hn
advice, when more than mere material
assistance was needed.
1t seems strange that, although none
of these expect to leave the house until
the kiss of death has been pressed upon
their lips, and they are carried away to
that Gods acre, which has been dedi-
Gated to them, they are all not only happy
of heart and pleasant Of speech but
there seems to be about them a special
halo of womanliness that makes the
bicycle-riding, loud-speaking, positive wo-
man of to-day appear vulgar and unfe-
minnie. Neither you nor / can explain
this; only I, believing that much good
is gained by silent prayer and quiet
meditation am convinced that by con-
tinual prayer they are brought so close
TO God that they exhale sweetness and
purity as an Annunciation lily sends
forth perfume Their faith may not be
yours, it is not mine, but not matter what
your faith may be you cannot pay a
visit to the Carmelite Nunnery in Balti-
more without feeling the better for it,
And when / said good-by to Mother Rap
hazel I felt honored by touching her hand,
for / knew that, as surely as there are
many roads leading to heaven, she GER
tainly was upon one that leads directly
to the throne of God.
Once more / am out in the sunshine.
To-day is before me, and kindly con-
ductor helps me into the electric car.
Where have / been? With ladies to
whom the French Revolution was but
yesterday, with ladies whose genealOgy
goes back to that first community upon
Mount Carmel.
How great is their aristocracy, and how
Aoor and mean is the aristocracy Of the
ddlor! Incorrectly, it is called almighty, .
ana yet you and / know that it's great
nessts as nothing compared to the sin
ceer payers that are said by the Car
melite mus every day. The man who
made has fortune yesterday has some
sfa So. fAf,f.ess