The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-06-10
STRANGE NaLlolous ene1lnsn
Every Day They Dtg Ther Grares-
Bat only what They Beg.

Every nay They Dtg Their Graves
Eat only what They Beg.
The strangest religious body Ia
America exists at Ottawa. Canada. Its
members daily dig their graves and
only eat what they secure 10y begging
says the New York Journal The
members Of the organization number
a dozen all told but Jesuitical rule is
no more severe than theirs. Their one
garment is a loose brown robe. they
wear neither hats. shoes nor stock
ings. Each day they perform a little
OF the task Of digging their own graves.
On the sole of each foot Is fastened
with thongs a piece Of leather Two
inches thick This leather and the
brown robe are all that the monk
wears Wind. rain and snow beat on
his unprotected closely shaven head.
but he must not murmur Privation
is the LOT in life he covets None can
doubt the fact in one instance at least
ambition Is gratifed Nor is the
garb the only popularity OF these bare
foot brothers. Every morning at dawn
90 +'N'' 'tANAlNA VI bsANt N''NA-
takes the iron spade from his cell ana
silently wends his way to the garden
where, In the lifting mist, he solemnly
delves in the dewy ground and slowly
raises a weight Of earth from the spot
where one day his own body Will be
laid. Day by day, shoveful by shovel
ful, each brother digs his grave and II
he do not die by the time his grave Is
finished, he begins, shovelful by SHOW
elful, to return the cast-up soil. Should
death come while the grave is unhn-
ished, the dead mans comrades com
plete the task for him Then, after
hours Of silent prayer the uncofined
body is lowered into the ground, clad
In the garments he has worn during
life simple wooden cross marks the
head OF each On the southwest out
skirts OF the city of Ottawa is the chap
ter house of these eccentric brethren.
1t is 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 cell
jumps from his bed, which consists of
three rough panks Refreshing 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 shoulder and starts out
in the city on his regular tour of beg
ging. The rules Of the society forbid
its membership to do any sort OF
worldly labor They are not permitted
to own a penny's worth OF anything
and none CIT eatAany article ~ sicaf
not received by Begging TheKbrob-
ers pass almost their entire use in
begging and praying The Wmaining
| portion OF the day not consumed In
eating sleeping or digging their own
graves they are supposed to devote in
! tying knots in the ends Of the rope
about their waists and then TO untying
the same knots. When a brother was
once asked why this knot-tying and un-
! tying 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 people know
their habits. On the contrary, as a
brother walks along the streets the
small boy stops his game OF marbles
and doffs his cap as he passes by Girls.
too, cease their chatter as he approach
es them, and lower their heads in sal
utation as he calmly passes on the side
walk. Even grown-up men are seen to
throw their hands to their hats when
they meet brother on the street and
no one seems 90 doubt but that these
men have a divine right to beg their
living and an undeniable right to be
revered OF the multitude. The society
is recognized by the Roman Catholic
church and the members receive the re-
spect and homage Of all devotees of the
Roman Catholic faith.