The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1896-11-07
perform a little Of the task Of dig

ging their W graves.
On the sole of each foot is fasten-
ed with thongs a piece of leather
two inches thick. This leather and
the brown robe are ali that the monk
wears. Wind, rain and snow beat on
his unprotected, closely shaven
head, but he must not murmur. Pri-
walton is the lot in life he covets.
None can doubt the fact, in one in.
stance at least. that ambition is
grati6ed.
Nor is the garb the only peculiar
ity of these barefoot brothers. Ev-
cry morning at dawn, be it fine
weather or bad, each brother takes
the iron spade from his cell and ST.
lently wends his way to the garden,
where, in the lifting mist, he sol.
emily delves in the dewy ground
and slowly raises a weight of earth
from the spot whore one day his
own body will be laid. Day by day,
shovelful by shoveiful, each brother
digs his grave, and if he do not die
by the time his grave is finished he
begins, shovelful by shovelful, to
return the cast up soil.
Should death come while the grave
Is unfinished, the dead mans COM
rados complete the task for him.
Then, after hours of silent prayer,
the uncof1ined body is lowered into
the ground, clad i'll the garments he
has worn during life. A simple
wooden cross marks the head of
each.
On the southwest outskirts of the
CITY of Ottawa is the chapter house
of these eccentric brethren. 1t is a
one story affair, of rough wood, and
the premises are surrounded by a
high fence of the same material. In
the early morning the inmate of a
cell jumps from his bed, which con-
sists of three rough planks. Refresh
ing his face with the cold water in
the tin basin, the brother tightens
the rope about his waist, proceeds
to the chapel and thence to the
breakfast table. After breakfast he
slings two cotton bags over his Shout
der and starts out in the city on his
regular tour of begging.
The rules of the society forbid its
membership to do any sort Of world
~ labor. They are not permitted to
own a penny's worth of anything,
and none can eat any article which
is not received by begging. The
brothers pass almost their entire
time in begging and praying, The
remaining portion Of the day not con-
suined in eating, sleeping or digging
their own graves they are supposed
to devote to tying knots in the ends
of the rope about their waists and
then untying the same knots.
When a brother was once asked
why this knot tying and untying
was performed, the brother gravely
replied, ITO keep the thoughts of
the brethren from dwelling on the
world, the flesh and the devil"
Strange to say, these brothers are
seldom scoffed at, though most peo-
pie know their habits. On the con-
trary, as a brother walks along the
streets the small boy stops his game
of marbles and doffs his cap as be
passes by. Girls, too, cease their
chatter as he approaches them and
lower their heads in s%alutation as
he calmly passes on the sidewalk.
Even grown up men are seen to
throw their hands to their hats
when they meet a brother on the
street, and nc one seems to doubt
that these men have a divine right
TO beg their living, and an undenia-
BILE right to be revered of the multi
tude.
The society is recognized by the
Roman Catholic church, and the
members receive the respect and
homage of all devotees of the Ro-
man Catholic faith. - New York
Journal.