The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-03
THE IRISH FUAPPETS
VISIT TO TEE MONASTERY
ar MOUNT MELLARAY.
Hospitality OT the silent MOnBs-FamMlAr
MpmOP In n Retrcat-PrlvIIewes Of n
PrOtestant-FAthor Davsh's Diversions
--Rast Day and Feast Day-SnapshOts.

DUBLIN, Oct. 24.-Many persons whom
/ inst In Ireland told me that 1 ought TO go
to Mount MelLaray for my sins. Mount
Mellaray Ito those who don't know Is
n Trappist monastery set among hills
That would be az once h temptation and
despair Of a Colorist In landscape.
To It 20 the brain and heart weary from
an countries. and the good monks there's
no doubt that they are good welcome
them whether they have money or not.
They tell OF a man who went TO Mount
Mellaray and accepted the hospitality OF
the inmates and on his going away he did
no more than bid them gOod-by. Not a
penny did he leave behind him. although
he had sat at table with the other guests
several days.
rest, and the monks received him as an old
friend. Those who were not under vows
Of silence spoke to him. the others nodded
&c him. and once more he rested on the
side Of the purple hills and partook OF their
generous hospitality.
When il came time for him to &c away
he left behind him-a pleasant impression.
but net a cent did he contribute to the
cause OF Christian charity.
Another year passed by and he came
again. Hundreds had come in the mean
time and none so poor but had left something
IN return for the restfulness and peace that
are TO be had there.
Quite as an old friend he was now received
and was made to feel welcome. No one
knew who he was-perhaps he was nobody
but on his going away for the third time
be showed that he had been but acting the
part Of an migrate, for he gave the keeper
Of the rate n hundred pounds.
This story l told to the iarvey who too
me up the billy road to the monastery, and
hs listened with interest, and when l had
finished ne said:
ITS quite true
As l did not expect to visit it again 1 made
up my mind to do my giving on leaving the
place, but my hundred pound notes are
all In the future and therefore no one can
svsr tell q similar tale Of me.
must confess that, being a Protestant, I
felt q little conjunction ABOUT going TO the
place, but l had been assured that my sect
would make no difference, that the fathers
were glad to receive all who came and that
] would be as we'll treated there as though
were a saint.
On my way up my iarvey told me Of the
amount OF good that the monks do, not
only In a spiritual but in a material way,
by providing work for the able bodied men
Of the vicinity.
We passed a neat stone cottage with ivy
growing on it and a vigorous fuchsia tree
blooming in the garden, and he told me
that It was a Government cottage and rented
for the absurd sum Of a shilling a week.
And how much can a man earn in the
iseldsp' said 1.
"A matter OF ten shilllngs a week. was
the reply.
Query: II a man gets $40 a week in New
York m lives in n crowded Harlem fat
for which he pays at least s. a week, is he
a. well on as this I~rishmsn, in his native
land, with all the fresh air in the world,
fowls and fresh eggs, and butter of his
wife's making, and one of the ~loveliest
views imaginable before him7
But you'll find the man in the neat little
Government cottage anxious to fly to the
land of dollars. and when he's there he'n
hand out more dollars to his landlord for
inadequate accommodations than he could
BARN at home in a month of Sundays.
Human nature is human nature. and the
daisies In the field over the pond are always
more beautiful than the ones that lie at
your feet.
1 was received at the monastery by a
monk, who on learning hat l wished to
become a guest took me over to the guest
house. and there a white ROBBED father took
my surname and l began TO feel that I
had renounoed the world, and hat per-
haps I was trying something that l would
regret, n wouldn't mamma came and
get mel
But the bearded man before me was
kindly. and when l told him mot wish
ing to sail under false colors) that I was
Q Protestant. he told me that it was a fast
day. and had l dined?
Fortunately 1 had eaten heartily at
noon.
~H We rave not dined we can give you
something substantial said he. but /
decided that IL would be better 70 he treated
as the other guests we're TO be treated. and
90 / told him and he said that at o o'clock
there would be tea. and hat at 3 l would
retire to my room and at 10 all lights must
be out.
II was raining dismally. but he said that
I could go for a walk in the garden or stay
In my room. or go to the moke shed, to
smoke a pipe or a cigar.
chose the smoke shed, as I understood
there were other human beings there, and
although I ! had only been in the monastery
1--WE minutes I felt imperatively the need OF
oompanionship.
After a brother had taken my traps 70
my room l yer out TO the smoke shed, and
found there ten or twelve guests. five or six
Of them priests and all Catholics.
They were very quiet as / came up and
, I feared to speak above a whisper myself,
but a Jolly looking priest. seeing a news
paper sticking put of my ~raincoat pocket,
said: Els that to-day's paper?" and on
my saying that it was. he asked me II he
might borrow il. and then he stood up in
& front of them all and said:
THE news of the day Irish Ireland
A Leaguer's Point of View The French
Trunk Horror The Bachelor Tax dis
cussed by Mr.. Dooley.'
-Rade that. father" said a young char
with o. %twinkling eye.
Sure. it's in dialect said the priest with
q smile and his own brogue.
Never mind. Go ahead It's a dreary
day"
The paper was the Dublin Independent
and in a moment more | was listening to
the familiar humor of the funniest man
In America. and hat in a monastery. OF
all places.
This here pa-aper says said Mr..
Hennessy. that they're gOin' to put a
kax On hachelora- Thaf's fright WIN