The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-17
LEAD.LoNELY LIVES.
women Who Have Achieved the
Art of Being Silent.


mind you walk out one day and visit
the humble retreat of the self-sacrific-
ing Bernardines, or, to put it more
plainly. the sisters of silence. They live
close by the convent of Notre Dame du
Refuge, among the sands and the
wild coast Of the Bay of Biscay, half
way between Biarritz and Bayonne.
You will doubtless be staying at the
Hotel du Palais. which, as you know,
was once the summer residence of the
Empress Eugene, when hew now sad
dened life was all sunshine and happi-
ness; and you may take it from me. for
l happen to know, that her majesty the
Empress of the French, took no greater
interest in any religious order than in
her favorite penitents, who are bound
to mortify the tongue and eye. who
never speak and who never look into a
human face"
LA SOLITUDE"
All this was whispered in my ear by
an old friend before left London for
my winter holiday. which was to be
spent under the shadow of the Pyreness
close by the border line between Spain
and France. confess that had never
before heard Of the Benardnes or knew
that there was any religious order Of
women which observed the laws of ST.
lence and abasement. OF course know
the Trappist monks. who never speak,
and who dig their own graves, and
have seen them at their dumb and iso-
lated work in more than one country;
but had yet to become acquainted
with La Solitude" near Biarritz where,
under the very hardest and strictest
conditions, of life, women rescued from
the world-as in the case of the peni.
tents Of the Good Shepherd at Mill hill
seek pardon in self-denial and good
works
But do not believe for a moment that,
however bitter their task, however hum
BILE their dwelling in the lonely dunes.
however lowly and unadorned their
chapel. their refectory and their "ecll-
ules"-which almost resemble q pris-
oner's cell. with nothing but sand for
the floor-these solitary and silent wo-
men are never idle. They till the bar
rem soil and make 1t fertile; they cul-
tivate flowers and grow vegetables in
which are freely sold in
the markets Of France as well as Of
Spain; they make lace. they make
shoes. they paint cards with exquisite
taste-ali Of which produce is sold for
the benefit OF the Convent of the Ref
uge. with Its sister and adjacent home.
La Solitude" All they cannot do, by
the rules Of the severe order to which
they have voluntarily bound themselves
for life. Is to speak or to life up their
eyes to look into human face. Speech-
less and with ever downcast eyes. they
mediate hour by hour and day after
day on the life that Is past and the
life that Is to come. toiling. working.
praying. and doubtless rejecting on the
motto which hangs on the convent wall:
II en- coute de Bien Vivre. mails
Gull sera doux de Bien Mourir.
So, one bright. sunny morning I set
forth from the famous hotel facing the
blue Bay Of B!scay. once the palace Of
a luckless empress. and naturally. her
favorite home. being go near to her
native and beloved Spain. to discover
the convent Of the Bernardines or Sis
tiers Of Solitude There was little ST.
lence as ] walked along The birds in
the air were singing bells tangled on
the collars Of the horses and the oxen;
the steam cars puffed away en- the road
from Biarritz to Bayonne' they were all
laughing merrily on the golf links by
the sea. and in the club house adjoin-
ing. where the English residents and
visitors seem to spend the best part Of
the day between meals. all as golf-mad
out here as we are in England. The
blue sea dashed upon the rocks fiinging
a torrent Of white spray into the air.
and one felt in this glorious atmosphere
bracing as tonic. the full exhilirat ton
and Joy Of existence. This was the ex.
act contrast that was required before
visiting the retreat in the pine woods
the home Of solitude and silence. was
evidently nearing the spot that was to
end my little pilgrimage. As passed
along the pasture and the fields. in
stead Of rough patients and laborers
saw silent women in the somber habit
Of black and white. hooded In black.
and with large white crosses on the
tabard-like NANTES. hoeing the turnips.
filling the soil. gathering the fir cones.
guiding the cattle. all speechless. all
with eyes cast down on the ground.
bell rang out Of the con-
vent. Down went these silent workers
on their knees: they had taught the
cattle to do the same. or. at any rate.
to humbly stoop when the good sisters
INDUCED in few seconds Of silent
prayer. At every quarter Of each hour.
day and night. this bell on the convent
clock strikes out ITS ominous message,
q moments meditation to
those sad women, who. we may hope,
after their grievous trouble, are at last
at peace with all the world.
You approach the lowly solitude by q
sandy lane. with small hedges on either
side starred with camelias. cacti. and
Towering laurustinus. 1t is nearing the
sunset hour and frost Is expected, SO
the Bernardines are surrounding the
q .lAA