The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-29
DINING IN SOLITUDE.
Customs That Have Been Kept Up
for Thousand Years.


home of silence-such a name APP
pears to be almost an anachrouism at the
end of this noisy, busting nineteenth cen
fury. Yet such it really is, for, surround
ed by lofty walls, the two hundred in
mates Of La Grande Chartreuse speak but
once a week. Monasticism is looked upon
as thing of the past yet in this, the
chief home of the Carthusians, the same
ceremonies and customs and service have
been conducted without break for nearly
a thousand years, and as a monk told u.s.
with pride without needing to be reor-
ganized or reformed" We have Travelled
by train to Grenoble, where a diligence
was waiting to take passengers along fif-
teen miles Of the road. But no! The old
pilgrim feeding was uron us. and, dusty
as the road looked, we decided to do the
twenty or thirty miles on foot.
AT last we came within sight of the
monastery, with its vast extent Of high
walls, with its quaint roofs and many
towers rising up behind the walls in
strange fantastic confusion, nesting at
the foot of mighty plne-clad cliffs towering
thousands of feet above the Home Of ST.
lence The gray walls looked strong, SOL
emn ana gloomy, yet who can tell how
beautiful-how passing beautiful upon
the mountains"-have they seemed to
many a weary soul! We stood before
the doorway, noble yet simple, and rang
the bell-that bell which no traveller had
ever rung in vain, whatever his nation or
his faith; for while swords have been
clashing and fires blazing in the name
OF Christianity throughout the plains be-
low, its witness nearest heaven has always
been one of peace. Strange feelings were
experienced as we heard the bell echoine
in the corridors within.
/ dined alone in the Pavilion de France
1t was somewhat lonely, there being only
one small light to illuminate a chamber
that would seat comfortably 200 or 300
Years ago, when there were between 200 or
300 Carthusian monasteries scattered all
over Europe, all these rooms would be an
nually flied by the prors and their at
PENDANTS; but changes have taken place.
and most Of the religious houses being
suppressed or in ruins, there are few prlors
and monks left TO attend the solemn con
ference. At en- early hour / asked 20
be conducted to my chamber Il had been
used by monks long years ago; all tnat
remains Of them now is a naneless grave.
The furniture. however Is apparently the
samoa plain cell, almost a tomb. brick
noored and stone-vauitod; a bed two feel
wide, with thick wooden coverets: q chair.
a table, with basin and towel and a "prie-
dieu." The only ornament a rough wood
en- crucidx, no carpet, no looking-giass
These, | suppose, are vanltos.
A hard straw mattress. bolster stuffed
with The same material, two black blank
cts, an icy wind descending from the
mountains and a cell cold as a tomb. are
not conducive to an easy or hasty journey
TO the land Of dreams. ] fanc.ed ] had
only jus, fallen asleep when I was awak-
cned BY the s5norous clans OF the convent
bel Il was an mccarthy sound in the
still darkness OF midnight. and In the
gloomy depth Of this wooded gorge Quickly
dressing, / went, candle On hand down
The long. lonely corridors, looking for the
door which a brother he'd pointed out
az che entrance 20 the chapel gallery. This
les at the end Of a huge vau.tod nall. d.
vided inlo parts by a hgn rood screen II
carved oak with a tail crucihx Que os
which Is rogarYed for the fathcra. ana the
other for he lay brothers. Beyond This
screen the chor and altar could b. dinly
seen by the lght OF a solitary lamp burn
ing before tho sanctuary. Leaning over