New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-05
A CARMEIITE NUNS STORY
Her Vo1cs ReUoked at the Insisteue,
of Her Mother.
Paris. October .,

storm has been raging round a auist ~,
meltte convent not far from Paris The younv
est nun in the establishment Is Nile I>d.,
seurs. who took the veil a few months ago. an
the day she attained her twenty-frst wear a.
the usual novitiate. The young girls moths-
who had been kept in ignorance OF this st.o a,
the part of her daughter. has demanded an IN,
quiry into the circumstances attending ira
child's entrance into cOnventual life. life ,o,
which she had always professed the stronzes,
antipathy. Nine. Ledanseurs Is the heroine OF a
tragedy whose denouement startled Paris sona
five years ago. modern Griselda. Nine. Ls
danseur's married life was far from being
happy one. and after some years OF suffering
she took her three children and left her hus
bands roof Kept in the utmost poverty. sorns-
times lacking even food. she found herself CON-
yelled to allow her two sons to be taken from
her by their father. and at last. unable to pro-
vide for herself and the little girl. her only
daughter. Nine. Ledanseurs accepted the assist
of friend. This step. however cost her
her daughters society," for NJ Ledanseurs re-
moved her to his own house
But Mime. Ledanseurs had in her possession
some documents which were for her husband
highly compromising and which she had always
refused to give up Some time after her parting
from her daughter she received a letter from
n6r huSOan1, informing ner JnaL the ChLQ was
seriously III. but that if she would hand over
these important papers she should be allowed to
see her. An appointment in one Of the offices
at the Paris Omnibus Company mentioned.
and thither the unhappy woman FASTENED. TAX
ing with her the discriminating papers Hav-
ing given them up she discovered that the story
had been a ruse that the little girl was not III
end that she was not to be allowed to see her.
Furious at this last injury. she procured re-
volver, watched for husband on the Boulevard
de Clichy, and shot him as he passed. For this
she was sentenced to five years imprisonment
Having recovered her liberty Nine Ledan-
seurs's first step was to find out what had be-
come of her daughter. Mile. Ledanseurs IN
herited 100000 francs from her father. and this
sum passed into her possession on her reaching
her majority Her mother has been shown let
tiers written by the girl from her convent. IN
which she declares her satisfaction with her new
life. but Mime. Ledanseurs refuses to attach any
credence to them. The Carmelte rule IS very
strict No nun is allowed to see her friends
relatives. and the only interview possible Is
held in the presence Of the prioress. the visitor
being behind thick curtain In the way
letters are written only beneath the eye OF the
prioress, so that as Nine. Ledanseurs claims.
her daughter. If unhappy, could hardly make
the fact known by letter. The mother, in ask
ing for the inquiry into the whole matter. de-
mands that the young nun shall be withdrawn
from her convent and that she may herself
question her as to whether her action in taking
the veil was entirely voluntary.
Meanwhile the young Carmelite had been re-
moved to the Convent Of Rabastens. near Tou-
louise. Rabastens IS a verttable fortress dat
ing from the Middle Ages. with massive stone
walls. drawbridge. towers and portcullis. A
oIo ra7
her two sons and couple OF newspaper report
ers went to the Carmelite Convent OF Rabas-
tens where after two days delay, she was re-
ceived by Monsignor Mignot. Archbishop OF
Abb. The kindhearted prelate, after listening
to Nine Ledanseurs's story said that. owing
to the anti-religious campaign now raging IN
France he wished above all to avoid any scan
daI and that although contrary to the strict
rules Of the Carmelite Order. he felt justified in
making an exception and allowing the mother
to see her daughter and to talk with her IN Sc
clusion without any third person being present
This was done. and after Nine. Ledanseurs had
related to the Archbishop what her daughter
had told her, and after further conversations
between the nun. Sister Edna-the name IN re-
Hgion Of the young girl Claire Ledanseurs-ths
Archbishop did not hesitate to pronounce the
revocation OF the nuns vows and release her
Meanwhile petition has been submitted TO the
Vatican begging the Pope to pronounce the re-
siliation of Claire Ledanseurs's vow of chas-
tity. Nine. Ledanseurs returned yesterday 20
Paris with her daughter This IS stated TO be
almost the only instance in recent years OF a
Carmelite nun who had duly passed through the
regular novitiate stages and had taken the nnal
oath and VOW Of seclusion being released. ISIS
ter Edna" has naturally resumed her name OF
Mile. Claire Ledanseurs. and has expressed the
intention Of writing a book recounting her SEN
sations and impressions CIB
'PAPA WILL WORRY SAWS AcEn MAN