The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-10

of the community is sorting and ar- ranging a number of Latin tonnes. He | is young man with clean, fresh skin and with brown curling hair above his
 dark, shapeless robes. He rises and stands silent as we walk about the
 room, examining aged parchments and | books, which were in monastic libra ries in Europe two and three centuries ago.
 The library contains many old
 books" says my guide and conductor | Some of them were published in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries. Here, for instance. is a volume pub | lisred in 1858. It is treatise on Judas
 and Is of course published In Latin. ' The volume which was selected at ran | dom from a number of others was of decided interest. It was bound
 staunchly, if a little heavily, in sheep skin. Four strings dangled from the binding at the edge oi the book, four ! strings of sheepskin which were used to tie together the two covers of the volume.
 Judas in Torment. The frontispiece, a wood cut, excel
 lently done, showed Judas in torment
 suffering the punishment of the 1 da mned. Demons were cutting the | ncSu IIOAn HiD bOaJ'
 The old latin books, however, were but a part of the library. The shelves in other portions of the room were filled with standard works. his | torical and fiction, and with encyclope- dias and books of reference. The | furnishings of the room were bare and | uninviting. The long library table
 was of bare blanks and these bare blanks formed the benches or seats for the community members at their read ing.
 There is theatre on the grounds Of
 St. Bernard's College. One learns Of IL with surprise, knowing the strictness of the college discipline. and the reli- gious observances required of the stu dents. And yet there was not cause for surprise. The Benedictine fathers
 regard the theatre as an effective useful adjunct of education, means of im- parting knowledge and learning that might not be had so thoroughly in other ways.
 It Is a beautiful playhouse all com plete in a detached brick house. built
 exclusively for the theatre. It has
 scenes, drop curtains. and proscenums.
 all artisticaIly painted by members or
 the community. Moreover, 1t has an
 excellent orchestra of fifteen pieces, un0eT the 1lTeCllOu Ol <NONSAScs The members of the orchestra are stu
 dents in the college. They were prac-
 ticing earnestly as Father Charles, my
 conductor and made our examination
 of this theatre. probably the most
 unique in the South.
 The theatre is used principally for
 the production of plays by the students, yet approved road companies of merit producing plays of moral worth are sometimes secured by the college au-
 thorities for the instruction and enter tainrnent of the boys.
 The Art Studio.
 The art studio is a place of peculiar
 interest It Is so by reason of tho remarkable talent of Father Placidles. the instructor in painting and draw ing. The most striking object in the handsome parlor where visitors are re- eeived Is a fine life sized portrait of Bishop Edward P. Allen of Mobile in his episcopal robes. In artistic con- ceptfon, in execution, in coloring and in resemblance to the original 1t is as fine a portrait as one could find. The large parlor is well furnished with em- nressive canvasses, the product of