The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-27
FOURTEEN YOUTHFUL NUNS.
A Story About a Remarkable Religious In
stitution in Montreal.
From he 81. Louis Globe. Democrat,

btltutiOh III E"VhtTe"'
From he 81. Louis Globe Democrat.
MONTREAL, Nov. 1.-THE city Of Montreal
can boast Of the stlanGest convent that can
probably be found in the civilized world. 1t is
known as the Convent OF the Holy Face. and
tho public is generally unaware of its exist
ence. 1t Is u very strange place. and very few
people have ever rot much further than it's re-
ception room.
Imagine an old Fren ,h Canadian doctor
founding n convent In his own house. where at
the same time he keeps upthe practice OF medi-
inc, the first members Of the community being
the FIVE daughters Of a married couple whom,
he had known for years, Tho eldest OF these
was. at the time OF the inception of the instl-
tuition, not over lS. Then think OF these girls
leading a life Of religious riGor, in which
scourges and chains and collins as beds and
deathbcds rs ornaments Of their cells play the
most prominent part. while. though they have
a mother superior In the eldest sister. the doc
tor Is the final ar5iter of al. questions that per-
Many OF the good Catholics OF Montreal vowed.
whss as aSS po aeSt o sne iasdi'Rf% unare Gss 3. q la xGtS
90 there monthly to have prayers repeated
and noyenas said, and TO obtain rosaries which
An EnGlIsh, lady who visited the place in
GG,omrSny with mare q i FFre : sbiISrnn Ron deSer!TESe s
nuns. some OF whom arc not, more, than ~
wears Of age, laugh and play about the house
like 80 many happy little ones who are, quite
contented with their lot. The two ladies
interview, with the supesrloress, a Young wp o,
man OF about % years Of age, From whit she
told them, IL appears that there ARE at present
fourteen nuns. most of them under IL years
old. and that they take them as young as u.
The black dress vas the regular everyday
uniform, but at night and on feast days they
nut on q dress with a crimson front. upon
which was painted~th he saint fnce"-the face
or the Saviour-and wore n crimson veil.
Dressed like this, the" slept in their collins. e,
! After some trouble. ,nermission was ohiaihel,
They first entered the chnpel. which waE nndo
out OF q fairly large-si2ed room with benches
M the side. A little altar was erected against
| the rear wall. containing an altar lamp. soWc
wax candles and a ltte-sized statue of, the VIZ
Gin Mary, To the tight Of the Ghanel was The
cushion at the top and Q blanket. and the whole
was covered with n black nall and decorated
with n large silver cross, The suncrioress eX-
blamed that their cells were exactly the same,
nothing. When she was asked, II they did, not
ind them uncomfortable and horrid 10 sleep
in. she replied that although NJ the beginning
the collins were rather creepy aud, strange,
they had become so accustomed 10 'hom that
they would he really sorry II they were
In summer they had q beautiful garden he
hind the house. with the stations of the cross
hut. beyond goin : there and 10 mass. the nuns
never went out. Every Friday they chained
one another up and scourRed, each nther NV
harsh measures either affected their %nlivsica
welfare or their good spirits. and lhtoughou
the visit the superloress did not act anyway
! different from any other young woman whoi'
Having a good time and is enjoying mo-