The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-13
srn1EeE CoxTrwr IN MoNrREhE
Founded By n Physician, the Only Male oo-
cupnnt-Nuna RIeop In Conlna.

cupsnt-Nuns Sleep in Cofins.
OTTAWA, Nov. 1.-THE city Of Montreal can
boast Of the strangost convent that can prob
ably be found In the civilized world. Il IL
known az the Convent Of the Holy Face. II is
a very strange place. and very few persons have
ever got much further than It, reception room.
An old Frenoh-Canadian doctor founded the
convent In his own house. where at the came
time he keeps up the practice Of medicine.
The first members OF the community were the
1--WE daughters OF 4 couple whom he had known
for years. The eldest Of these was. at the time
Of the inception OF the institution, not over 10.
These girls lead a life Of religious rlgor.
In which scourEes and chains. and cofins
as beds, and. skulls as ornaments Of their
cells play a part. Although they have o
mother superior In the eldest sister, the doctor
10 the final arbiter OF all questions that pertain
TO the management OF the community In
which he, the sole male In the place, lives.
Many OF the good Catholics Of Montreal have
declared. when asked, that the institution 10 a
very proper and good one. and hundreds Of
women 60 there monthly to have prayers re-
peated and to obtain r~osaries, which the little
nuns make.
An English woman who visited the place in
company with = French-Canadian describes IL
as being more like q children's home. The
nuns. some OF whom are not more than IA years
Of age, laugh and play about the house like 80
many happy little ones who are quite contented
with their lot. The two women managed, after
s sSBs1i Siflcalty; y 20 oSt %on an i ot SSasy y NTH Sss the
From what she told them. IL appears that there
are. at present fourteen nuns. most OF them
under IL years old. They take them as young
as II. The black dress is the regular everyday
uniform, but al night and on feast DAYS they
put on a dress with o crimson front. upon which
Ia painted the saint face the face OF the
Saviour-and wearA crimson veil. Dressed like
this they sleep in their collins, After som
tor TO show the visitors his cell. They first en-
fairly large-sized room, with benches at the
eide. A little eltaS was erected against the
rear wall. containing an altar lamp, come wax
candles, and q ~life-siZe statue OF the Virgin
Mary. To the right OF the chapel was the doc
The doctors coffin had a small cushion ut tho
top aud o blanket, apd the whole was covered
with 4 black pail and decorated, with a large sill
YER cross. The spperioress explained that their
and their collins contained nothing. When she
was asked II they did not nnd them uncom-
Portable and horrid to sleep In, she replied that,
although at the beginning the collins were
rather creepy and strange. they had become so
accustomed to them they would be really sorry
IL they would be Obliged to do without them,
In summer they hayo a beautiful garden be-
hind the house, with the stations OF the cross.
but beyond going there and to mass the nuns
other III and scourge one another. but their
appearance does not show that these harsh
measures have either affected their physical
welfare or their good spirits.