The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-08-17
RiETl'''UI,iRI|.N'iI:S''TO'WORLD.
After Being In a Convent Forty-aye
Years, Mother Cecilia
LEAVES FOR THE FIRST II : 7 TINE IlE ;.
Her Initial Ride on a Train---Amaz-
ed at its Rush and Roar-she Finds
Great Wonder in the Electric Cars Jars.
Goes to Babylon for Her Health.
citv,s sights Impress Her.

New York World. "a 4. x Z. ~
After forty-fve years spent as ga "a
clustered nun in the Ursullne Convent
at Bedford Park, in the Bronx, Cecilia
Lawrence, known in the slsterhood as
Mother Cecilia passed for the first
time since she entered beyond the CON
yen,Ion walls and for the first time in
her life rode on agrailroad train. IL
Permission to leave the convent for a
brief period was obtained by u special
d!spensation from Archbishop corri-;
gan on account OF Mother cecllia's fail
lug health, and yesterday she went to
Babylon, L. I.,swhere she will be
nursed by the sisters Of the Convent Of
st. Joseph.
Mother Cecilia is a daughter OF Bry-
an Lawrence, who lived in New York
and at his death left 800, 0dofto the Ur-'
suline Convent and a Ike sum to his
daughter. She assumed the white veil
when she was a girl graduate. seven
teen years old.
Gave, Fortune to the Convent.
:. d.
On taking s.hc final vows Miss Law
renee devoted her whole. fortune to the
convent OF which she mas now been an
inmate nearly half a century,
She is the. aunt of Joseph Lawrence. a
son.in-laws Of John Byrnssone Of the
wealthiest OF Bebylon's summer resi-
dents. Z. il.
1t was with the utmost reluctance
that the venerable nun was persuaded
to leave her lifelong retreat,
Accompanied by:two Of the sisters,
she left the convent early 4 yesterday
morning and went by train from Bed
ford Park to the Grand Central Sta
ton.
Thence an electric car took her
through the bust!lns streets and anosh-
er across the great bridge the Flat
bush avenue station. where another
train was taken to Babylon
she was like a being suddenly trans
latedSfrom another world. All was
strange beyond realization. She was.
stunned by the rush and rear of the
trains, by: the speed of the electric cars,
by the, noise and hustle OF the great
city, by the imrensity of the crowds,
the towering mass of the buildings.
Like One in a Dream.
Throughout tbs. long journey she sat
outwardly impassive and almost silent,
onlytopening her lips to murmur Won,
derfui! wonderful.' She was like one
( in a dream.
Grave fears were entertained lest the
shock of the journey and excitement of
her.new= experience. would have SER
ious .effect in her! enseebled condition.
but after 81, had rested for while at
Babylon she dwell With eager pleasure
on he.. new experience.
The trans, she said. frightened her
at first. but she soon became treasured
and positively enjoyed, the rapid mo-
ton. The electric cars she thought
even more wonderful.
What impressed her more than any
thing else was the mighty tide of hui
mainly flowing along the streets
through which, she passed,
In the afternoon she wis able TO
make q visit to Oak Island. There she
had her first view of the ocean and said
that 1t was the most glorious of all the
sights she. had seen.
Mother Cecilia Will remain at Baby.
lon until her health Is restored