The age-herald., 1900-06-03

background, and the peasant woman steps
 from her fower-covered balcony to field
 of waving grain. The influence of the wo-
 men in their native land has done much
 for Germany, and Americans who know
 anything of German villages and the peas
 ant life have the most refreshing mem-
 ories of the industrious and thrifty peas
 ant woman.
 In this country the effect of climate Is
 to be considered, and when all the new
 conditions that confront a foreign element
 are fully weighed, it is surprising that the
 air of prosperity and a certain content
 ment should be in evidence to the extent
 that it is at this mountain village.
 I confess that I have touched upon the
 characteristics of the peasant woman in
 a way that would class her as a problem,
 but the very qualities that I have dwelt
 upon are her redemption and with her in
 dustry and thrift she will always be an
 example to the American woman whose
 environments are similar and who con-
 fronts conditions alike with the strong and courageous peasant woman of Germany who has cast her lot on American shores. THE Convent of the Mary Help, formerly known as the Convent of the Sacred Heart was established at Cullman more than twenty years ago. It remained in charge | of the Notre Dame Sisters up to two years ago. when the Benedictine Nuns were
 
 Catholic church and the church and con- vent grounds, which contain also the priests residence and a large study hall occupies an extremely beautiful site. Il 1 fronts an avenue planted by magnificent l maple trees, and as I saw it one summers | afternoon, with the shadows of early even ing falling over the rose-eovered wall ant | saw a group of white-veiled novices pass l ing into the little grotto of the Lady O l Ioudes, it became memory that will no | soon be effaced. l Since the Benedictine nuns have been ir l charge of the convent the academic l branches have been added and the con- vent possesses better advantages thar formerly. There were one hundred an6 1 ty-five pupils, with possibly twenty O. twenty-five accommodated in the convent and on bright afternoons along the wood. l land pathways a gay little procession oi l children, headed by a sweet faced nun l could be seen. The children and tl>s sis I ters are occupied at present with prepara- | tions for the commencement exercises that will take place this month and the duties | of the latter have been very great. One | of the Benedictine nuns with whom I talk | ed one morning l learned later was the | nun who had presided at the church orgar | the previous morning at a confirmation | service, and in addition to her convent | duties she has the choir in charge.
 | The stone grotto at. the rear of the con- l vent Is open at all hours, and al all hours one may see quiet figure kneeling across | the threshold When I was shown the | grotto a woman was at prayer, and l in | voluntarily paused quietly at the entrance
 But she had heard my approach and I was | somewhat startled when she bade me good | morning and then bent again to her beads
 The grotto of the Lady of Loudes is 8 miniature after the famous grotto 1T | France. The interior is pyramid of stones | in the center of which is statue of the Virgin. In the inches were the candles, and l with the sunlight flooding the grotto, had l momentary sense of disappointment. | It seemed as if there should have been l vast dimness with the flicker of candles. Outside a nun, white-veiled, was coming
 along the little pathway, and when later 1 on I stepped through the doorway of the l church, I caught glimpse of a novice al l the altar. She filtered out like a dove, and l when an hour later Sister Mary Grace waved me goodby from the convent gate little black-robed procession was passing | through the church yard. The mother su- perior was standing in the doorway, and | through the quietness of everything a peal | from the organ reached us. Father Theo- i dosia had just breakfasted in the convent | parlor, and there was an air of great 1 peacefulness over everything Altogether it | was a very charming morning that l spent at the Convent of the Mary Help.