Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-03-02
NUNS LEAVE OLD CONVENT.
carmelite Convent I'm San Juan, POr-
to Rico. Vacated After Three
Centuries Occupancy.


For the first time in 25S years the feet
Sf the worldly tread the floors of the an.
elent Carmelite convent in San Juan.
and the nuns who were sheltered in the
Sid structure have gone forever from
The capital of Porto Rico, and the shad-
wv of the cathedral, says a recent San
Iuan correspondence in the ST. Louis
alobe-Democrat. Fifteen of them were
transported by steamer and overland to
San German, where better quarters have
been provided for them Some of the
Nuns are very old and feeble and some
re young girls who have recently en-
cred the convent. Many of them en-
cred the convent when they were
5oung girls, and are now old women.
NO one enters their apartments.
When one of their number dies the
huns themselves bury their dead with
heir own peculiar ceremonies, doing
III the work incident to the interment,
he cemetery being in the immediate
premises of the convent.
During the time OF the bombardment
luns were removed from the little con-
rent building for few days, and were
aiken care of in Rio Piedras, but with
his only exception, it is said the nuns
u this convent have never left the Sc
fusion.
This is the only order of this kind on
he island, and these nuns occupy their
lew quarters in San German possibly
lever to again be disturbed in their per-
oetual devotion to God for another
pooh of centuries
II was not intended that any one
should know Of the movement of the
nuns, and that it should be done as Sc
:retly as possible after dark, but they
lad no sooner left the building than il
became noised about town, causing
lutte a stir, for every one knew of the
tbsolute seclusion of these pious wor-
'hlpers and the character of their devo-
ion and sacrifice
opeclal preparations were made on the
steamer so that they could be as abb
'olutely secluded there as they have
oeen IN the convent. They were in
charge of two priests, the pastor of the
San German church and Father CaneIla.
# San Juan
Inc scene at the pier was one seldom
witnessed. When the carriages con-
aiming the nuns arrived a crowd fought
o see the yelled women. Many relatives
we're there and some of the sisters went
utterly. while others said they were
perfectly happy. Sobs and cries. how
syer. predominated, and the gathering
Vas weird one. The steamer sailed at
,wo O'Clock in the morning. The nuns
d THIS order are, perhaps, the most
PiouS and sacrificing of any of the Cath.
Bic church. They are welded 10 God
alone, and when they enter the con.
vent they leave all earthly things be-
hind them. never again to look upon the
tace OF a mortal but themselves. They
nave some communication with the out.
ide world, but do not see those with
whom they communicate. A high
screen is arranged over which thew can
converse with their friends upon Ger.
lain occasions. but the door between
hem is never opened. so that they may
come in actual contact with even their
parents or closest relatives.
The only recorded escape from the
Sistine convent in San Juan occurred
Turing Spanish times. Then pretty
Eoung senorita crawled out of window
IN the Christie street side to join friends
f her lover, Spanish officer in Cuba.
She fell to the sidewalk and broke her
leg, but was safely carried away. recov-
sred. and later happily married her cav.
alier She is living in Spain
Preventing Pauperism.
There are few able-booied paupers IL
Holland. A tract of public land con.
tanning = 600 arrac iC Divided into CO.