Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-02-19
THE SILENT SISTERS.
Never Word Is Spoken In This Gloom
French Convent Near Biarritz.

French Convent Near Biarritx.
Ncar Biarritz-hnppy. brilliar
Biarritz-standS the lone, yew cn
bordered convent of the silont won
en-, the spurs silencieuaaS.
Here, not far from the suundin
waters of the bay Of Bisray, >: Ii
dies of birth and breeding have see
hit to immune themselves in what j
nothing less than Il living tun,|
Wonan's tongue has, justly or III
justly, been Il centuricd bywogu, y,
the sUurs silencicuses vOluutaril
resign their right to speak ard sen
teuco themselves for the rest O
their natural lives to absolute, IN
broken silence.
The convent, which is modelled OF
that for men at La Trappe, wa
founded many years ago by II lad,
of the French court who, in coui
pany with some friends, sought tn
solitude and gave her life to Gu,l
Who she was, her very identity, j.
In dispute. Indeed it was he" owl
wish that the authorities of til,
Catholic church should preserve heI
name Il secret, and all the womcl
who have followed her into seclu
sion here have likewise endeuvorei
to sink their identity.
"A league from Biurritz, in the Iii
rectiun of the Pyrenees, one turns
aside from the direct road and en-
tiers a narrow ravine stretching to
ward Mauleon. Through woods OF
beech and wild olive an i'll kept,
deeply rutted lane leads to Il high
walled Enclosure. Over the walls
there is Il glimpse of yew trees, ami
If the visitor be a man that is ali
DO can see of the silent sisters
home. Even women travellers arc
rarely admitted past the heavy
wooden gates, with their lunettps
for lay sisters to peer through.
The convent walk is l,il out IN
long, straight walks, planted ON
each side by yew trees. Each nun
has walk to herself 1t is allotted
her when she enters, and she PAGES
1t until her death. Up and down
the walk she goes, with silent tread,
never raising her eyes, save in
prayer, and never exchanging Il syl-
liable with mortal being.
A recent visitor to the convent
thus describes what she saw:
1.-The lay sister who received us
Clay sisters do all the household and
garden work and are allowed to
talk) would net allow us to APP
proach near enough to the nuns to
get even II glimpse of their down
cast faces We saw, however, that
they wore long black cuwls, with
great white crosses between the
shoulders and reaching to the hem
OF the gown. Save for the crosses,
they were arrayed wholly in black
and black wells drapod their faces.
''As we watched the chapel bell
tolled out, and the snurs slencicuses
moved toward its open door. We
were admitted to the gu.,ery and
saw them kneeling in the half light
below us. A mans voice was read
ing prayers, but no man could we
see. Afterward we learned that he
spoke from behind a screen. He
was admitted to the convent chapel
by an underground passageway
leading beyond the walls.
AT present the chaplain is rev.
erend able of nearly so years of
age, who enjoys a reputation for
ascetic sanctity throughout Ma
varre. The only time tho nuns zoe
him is when he celebrates mass.
lin chapel they bend almost to
the floor, their hands crossed upon
their breasts. They cat only vege-
tables and drink only water. In the
entire history of the order, it is
said, there was but one nun who
failed to obey the rules of silence
and submission. The poor women
dig their own graves, and, when
they are buried, no cross or monu-
ment Of any kind marks their rest.
ing place.
1T is very wholesome for the gay
bellies of Biarritz and Pau to visit
the sGurs silencieuses and their con-
vent occasionally. Our party could
not get the remembrance out of
their heads for weeks after. 1t Dur.
sued US like a haunting horror.
Last season some of the Catholic
ladies at Pau asked leave to make
what is called a retreat at the con.
vent. They received IL brief note
from the mother superior, which
read, My children, when you join
us, it must be for life. The idea of
the retreat was quickly abandon
ed. Boston Globe.