The morning times., 1897-01-03

and chase each other in flocks over the
lawn among the trees.
In sunny spot of the graveled walks
the children are playing at skip-the-rope,
are twittering and scolding among them
and their innocent laughter nngles with
the chirping of the birds. The roar OF the
city intrudes but little. The place is se-
Guided and the world seems far away.
Another two hours OF meditation and 81
lence follow and then the visitors goiuto the
chapel to hear the chanting OfveSpers. The
nuns are assembled in the choir, which is a
room to the right OF the sanctuary. shut off
| from the chapel by a grating yeiIed with
| a screen of black gauZe.
The sun falls through the stained glass
| windows making emerald lights on one
prayer book and violets on another. The
! high-treble voices OF the nuns break forth
and die away in the Latin words of their
office. Silences intervene and are mu-
| sically stirred.
| The great picture over the altar is a
painting of Our Lord, with a nun kneeling
| before him in alteration. Two sculptured
angels kneel at either side Of the marble
altar and an atmosphere Of awe envelopes
the penitents.
and this time when they seek the chapel
it is almost in darkness. Out of the gloom
glows the ruby -colored light that hangs
perpetually in the sanctuary and the two
small lights OF the same color before the
altar of the sacred heart, and the kneel-
ing figures of the "out sisters,'' as they
are called, may be seen in the farther side
of the chapel.
hn inf 1n cl,pfr ,;y,f 70
chant their office and later the sister who
is looking after them comes to fetch them
She whispers as they leave the chapel and
touch their fingers in the holy water, Say,
Wash me and L shall be whittier than
snow"
Meeting the Superior.
Everywhere they turn some reminder of
the holy life is given them, and it Is
almost with a sinking OF heart that they
settle with the sister for a little talk.
But her conversation is always sprightly
and they are revived and animated by it,
l After supper the ladies meet the superior
and go into the cabinet which is a small
receiving room, to have a little talk with
her. She is deeply interested in them and
| draws them out about their worldly and
} spiritual life, and before they know il
they are chatting almost merrily.
She tells them of her own life in the
world and how she came to have the vo
cation, as the nuns call it, for the super
natural or religious life. She isn't one
, bit melancholy or reserved. just woman
like themselves, only a yelled woman witt
the crucifix by her side.
They separate from her to go to evening
prayers and then retire to the dormitory
1t is bare room with white beds sur
rounded with white curtains. There i
no softneSs or luXuriousness here. rudi
wash stand and chair are all the luxurle
of this austerity, and they must for-onc,
| brush out their hair without a maid, with
out a mirror even, with only a crucifix tt
gaze upon.
The sister comes in and gives them th
: evening benediction and the gas is turne,
out. They can hear the nuns again chant
ing their office as they fall asleep.
1t is an unusual sacrifice to be awakened
| from sleep at 6 O'Clock by the lighting Of
the gas and the words that go with tn,
sign Of the cross, but these penitentS ar,
{ | soon able to throw off slothful sleep ant
bestir themselves for the early mass. 1t il
the spirit OF the world that surrounds then
and they must needs obey. No elaborat
4 toilette this morning. No chocolate in bet
J with the morning papers and letters.
Just cold splash in the earthen BASH
| and hurried settling Of attire. Then the