The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-11-20
First American Girl Who Ever
Dined at Monastery De
scribes Experience.

Special 10 The Tribune
DARIS. Nov, la.-Miss Florence
- Christensen of Salt Lake City
Utah. is the first American girl
probably the only girl, who has
ever dincd in the famous Trappist mon.
astery at La Trsppc in Normandy. Miss
Christensen is an art student IN Paris
and went TO Normandy for holiday
and incidentally to paint the monastery
II is quite close 10 the historical feud,
NJ tower Of Briuueluc, with whose his
tory is interviewer the name Of William
the Canaueror. \ magnificent stretch
of timbered and cultivated country,
covering about three square miles, be-
longs to the monastery. II was after
having attended mass IN the chapel OF
the monastery that Miss Christensen
received thc invitation TO dine. Inc
part Of the chapel reserved for the pub
lie is shut off bv high partition from
the place occupied by the monks. MISS
Christensen took her place near hole
in the partition and through that she
observed te long row of whitc.cloakcd,
pale.faocd men fixing their dreamy
ewes on heaven or prostratlng them
selves to earth in prayer,
Invited to Dine.
As someone must communicate with
the outside world the father superior
is permitted to speak. 1t was lie who
invited Miss Christensen 10 dine. Her
host did not sit AT the head of the
table and WAS not even in the dining
room during the rcpast \ man from
a neigbboring convent was told off TO
accompany the solitary guest. Miss
Christensen thus describes her visit;
''Thc room in which We dIncd was
long and low and sOmber. The walls
were hung with badly painted represent
atives Of saints. | found, however,
that whatever may be the monks taste
in pictures, their taste in cooking did
not lack art. The dinner was one TO
be remembered, The cook must be in
spircd We had all sorts of fish and
fruits aud vegetables and desserts. but
no meat, The monks ere not vcgetar-
ians by conviction, but the rules of
the order prevent them from eating
meat.
into so many dishes. But then the
cook. now turned monk. was once as
sistant chef to the formerly famous
MaIson Dore in Paris. And though he
wears the coarse habit of the Trappist
his culinary hand has lost none Of its
cunning, But the winc II was Gov
cred with ancient cobwebs. Now ] I'M
derstand the old poets better when they
sing the praises of wine.
Fast Until Noon.
"Tbc most characteristic thing about
this order is that the voices Of it's
members arc used only 10 sing the
praises of God Sometimes they chant
for three hours AZ n time. This gives
their voices a peculiar nasal quality.
They sleep on plank beds. No wonder
they are able TO rise at clock in the
morning They partske of no food un.
til noon. When they die thev are
placed on plank in the clothes they
have always worn and lowered INTO the
grave. Their tombstopes bear only their
names in religion. Those given 10 them
hy their parents died when they took
up the monastic life
''The community is complete body
polite and deos not depend much on
the outer world. The clothes of the
monks are Of the coarsest brown wool.
en- material and except during divine
service they wear wooden shoes At
divine service thev wear garments OF
creamy white which harmonic with
their cold, colorlcss faces Their outer
garment is hood and cape. Their
heads arc not shavel. but In many cases
nature mas done the work for them