The herald., 1897-08-19
LEAVING WORLDLY PLEASURE
Countess Mailman and Her Daugh-
ter Will Enter a Convent


NEW YORK, Aug. 1O.-Two women OF
noble birth-Mme. Const tance Mahlmanr
and her gifted daughter, Miss Marie
the former, according to the statements
lof her dearest friends, a countess of the
German empire, are soon to forsake the
world and it's pleasures for the seclusion
Of cloister cells.
When they assume their wells as brides
OF the Order of the Visitation they will
surrender their wealth and their mag
nificent estate at New Brighton, S. l.,
as dowry to the sisterhood. They will
be received into the order by his grace
Archbishop Corrigan, within the walls
of the convent now in course of con-
struction upon the estate. This build
ing is an additional gift from Nine
Mailman to her chosen sisterhood.
There will be an imposing gathering
of dignitaries of the church at the re-
ception of these two postulants, for the
countess has had as guests at her beau
tiful villa many distinguished men,
bers of the Roman Catholic hierarchy
and they are proud to call her friend.
Nine. Mailman. is a daughter of the
famous old German Catholic house OF
Wisthoff. She will not speak of it's his
tory in world of science, but she is
proud to recall the fact that her father
was known throughout Rhenish Prussia
as the pillar of the church." She re-
lates with pleasure, too, that during the
dark days of the revolution of 1910 his
retainers drilled themselves to defend
their master" and when his body was
borne to its last resting place the citi-
zens of Dusseldorf fell upon their knees
in the street and prayed for the repose
of the soul of their benefactor.
In his castle on the Rhine she met the
great leaders of the Catholic party, and
after she became Nine Mahlmann they
were familiar figures in her own salon.
She will not speak of her rank and sta
ton in Germany. She refers to them a S
though of the dead past.
The countess left Germany forever in
1876. Her husband. one of the masters
of the art of manufacturing the fine
vases that have made Dusseldorf ia
nous, left her fortune, which, added to
her dowry, made her wealthy beyond the
dreams of avarice. She settled on Staten
Island, where her great estate was laid
out and the mansion built under her di-
rection. Five years ago the eldest daugh-
ter, Gabrielle, became a member of the
Order of the Sacred Heart, and a year
afterward her other daughter, Marie, de-
cided to embrace religious life-a de-
cision in which the countess Joined. The
only son. Paul, is manager of the family's
interests in Dusseldorf.
II had decided many years ago." said
Nine. Mahlmann, 'to end my life within
a cloister, but it was my duty to wait
till my daughters had chosen their lot
in life, and 1 have done So"
1t is the purpose of Archbishop Corri-
gan to make the new convent retreat
for gentlewomen who are not physically
fit for the austerites of other orders.
When the Sisters of the Visitation take
possession of their new home they will
abandon teaching and resume their for
mer attitude as contemplative order
They must attend mass in a choir set off
from the main chapel. Only on special
occasions are they allowed to look upon
the blessed sacrament, and they can
only hold converse with the outer world
through a window barred and yelled.
Anna, the maid of Miss Marie, will ac-
company her mistress into the cloister
as lay sister. The faithful girl will
cling to her mistress through life.-Chi-
cago Times-Herald.