The Grit-advocate., 1905-02-17
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I. S,> Tie ryrcnrr>. iS III, nun
t,:&-z.I merry OF Anglrt. The home
". one ". ihr most remarkable bodies
of WON. iu the world. VINO have vol
untarii' deprived themselves of their
seXs M cherished priNiirgc, She us"
of lon.I and eyes.
To >lua. away from EialTiiH with it,
gay crowds, whose days are PASSED IN
pursuii p. pleasure. to This home of
silcnc" 80 the foo; ot the equally silent
hills. l. 10 touch within Il few hours
the two "Ntr"mes of human lie. and
the conuHstcd picture t" those who
have -.'u il is one that lim-.rS i'll
cfiacah.l in the mcmor'N.
one uIght think hat such II place aS
this rrnsat of the Sisters of 81. B"r-
nnrd would be ieaously guarded from
the world of curious observers. hat 1t
is not. Ih" only condition imposed on
visitor Is The no. zee that -irrtS them
at the entrance 10 the nunHc:y grounds
a r,H1'>t 10 speak in II low voice"
The tiIs' glimpse that tile writer got
of thr mysterious occupants of this
lttI'''' Wis wien ne NdN ''lllN'ith
into thn ..IriCu. surrounded on three
sides ul llain. onr-Storicd buildings.
and on the fourth by the equally myS.
teriou> convent chapel.
Scattr,od over this square garden
were H'uut thirty women. rnhcd in
loose-ar'u% white garments. with thr
SaHoi> Of In" peasant on ihcir feet.
and harM hoods coucealin@ their faces
and bearing Il large white cross where
they flowed Gown the back. \ few
were pIrn" up and down in. paths
bowel in deep meditation, bur the ma-
.iority were busy with spade auL rake.
worku@ on the soIl. Most rrmarkab!"
of al. although these women must
have U.nn aware that Il stranger WIS
gazir- at them. not II Slng!" move
ment OF the head. much less Il glance.
showed the slightest consciousness or
the fact.
While | was taking III this strange
SpectHri" my cicurOnc told me. in Il
whispcr how the convent WAS found
ed siNty-Iour years ago by the Able
Cestac, a priest of Hayonnc, famed for
his aSrrliciSm and ricty: al how The
nuns, many OF whom entered rs Young
and beautiful girls. are pledged 10 life
long solitude ANA silence. holding no
communication whatever even with
each other. although constantly thrown
toge hen. nj meals, work. ana ut rClig-
ious exercises.
"a to I In
s Iers of 81. Bernard are always smut
OF by curtains from the nci:sEDoring
Sj>terS of ST. Mary. who occasionally
worship in The same chapel: and
surics are told of women VINO in the
uu"r world had Dccn close friends and
or n the convent without even know
in of each others presence.
This state Of things is rendered more
brIrablc by the constant work that oc-
cuuies every hour of the day. Except
nj meals or dcvotions, each nun must
never spend an idle moment. They
nrp famed for the beauty of their
nngllcwork. anl-Strangc iron!-many
Of he most lovely trOuS>"auX in Eu-
ropr are wrought by the hands Of
lnu>c silent women. with whom it is Il
sin to look even on each others faces.
The refectory in which they take
tlrtr meals, and which was permitted
10 sec, is Il long. thatchcd building.
with whitowaShcd walls and an earth
"l tioor. ana its iuri:iturc consists Of
Il wooden table and benches. Dry
bread, vegetables, and water in an
H.llenwarc Jug constitute each days
munu, with the exception o' It small
GuJntity of meat on alternate days.
This refcctnry and many of the orig
uaI convent buildings, It is intcrcStn"
To- rccord. were built by til" nuns them
snycs, who can tlIatch Il roof, drive Il
pow, or do an exquisite piece Of cn-
b-uidcry with cGua! skill.
devotion naturally enters largely
into the lives of these Sisters of st.
Hnrnard. Every hour. rs the c;cck
strikes, they cease whatever work they
are engaged on and, dropping on their
Euoes. spend Il few minutes in .,:ayer;
and much time is spent in religious
81. hi''s III lllt 'IHl'tI- WIN It's btsth''-
lW image of our Lady OF SORROWS"
ol which Il romantic story is told. or ir
Imr Yer Mt the shrine Of Our Lady Of
IIty' in the garden.
70 each nun is allotted one Of two
rows of tiny. narrow whitcWaShcd
rnUS, containing only a hard. rough
IHI and Il wooden chair and Opcuin"
m,u long, drcary corridor. which is
the only drawing and reception room
irn convent boasts: and SO Spartan ar"
these sisters that in the coolest wealth
or 4 fire is unknown.
II is little wonder that life lNd under
su.h conditions should b" short, or
Shat before half their possible" days
81. numbered. many of these mute sis
tn.S should be taken to rest in th" cy-
I.ass-fringcd graveyard. where a rude
m0und is the only memorial.