Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-11-28
A CELEBRATED MONASTERY
Highest Permanent Winter Habitation
In the Alps.
UI II. Parker. in the Manchester Guard


IN the Alps.
&c. II. Parker, in the Manchester Guard
ian)
The celebrated IIospicc OK St. Bernard
| Is invisible both from tho Swiss and the
Italian side unti1 a bend in the road
| brings you within few yards Of It. 1t
was founded $50 years ago, but It does
not appear to he quite certain whether
the name is taken from Charlcmagne's
| uncle Bernard who marched an army
into italy in 7I3, or from the monk Ber-
nard who founded 1t nearly 200 years
later: it is the highest permanent winter
habitation In the Alps, the col, or top
most connecting ridge. whero the mon
astcry stands being $40 feet above the
sea level When we saw It lately, re-
pairs and further engagements were pro-
ccedlng. and a number of rough-ookIng
Italian workmcn were employed both In.
side and out. Moreover, it was a wet
gay and the premises looked exception.
ally gloomy and dirty. But inside all is
discipline and order. No matter who
rings the bell and at what hour. he or
she Is ut once admitted ana supplied with
ample food and lodging. Not the slight
est charge is made for anything. nor Is
the faintest hint given by anyone that a
tip" gratuity. or offering is expected
Local persons arc aware. and all the
guide books inform tourists. that there is
~ box in the church for "offrandes pour
| Eglise' Mass was being said when l
put in my contribution, and I had to
walk down from the organ-box gallery
among the worshippcrs in order to get
ut the box | mentioned to the steward
that II was carrying charity rather too
Gar to place obstacles in the way OF per-
Fons wishing to contribute. He said he
had himself mentioned II 10 the "Pere
Aumonier." but that the good monk
would not think of hanging the box In
the salon or departing one iot from old
custom.
When | first arrived, accompanied by
d lady. baggage. and coachman, tho
| Father Almoner was on the steps out
eide receiving some other guests. He
said: Est-ce que vouS Voulez mdnger
Oucluue chose dc suite? (That was at
four o'clock) | asked him what was
| the ordinary cating-tme: II was $3.50 and
| ] said I would wait TIL then. He said
! the bedrooms were not ready yet. hut
|
wants are relegated to humber quarters
I to step into the salon, which was arti-
| ncially heated. No further notice was
taken of us or OF anyone else; the priests
came and went; the st. Bernard dogs
| prowed about all over the place: every
one was free to go anywhere. except
| where doors were marked "Entrcc in
terdite" We inspected the church and
= l. X,,., ..1
! that anyone could buy pup for CO te-
malc) or 81 nnnle), examined the three
floors OF bedrooms, and walked round
the tiny lake on tho summit Of the pa IS
! to inspect the Italian frontier mark about
6 hundred yards away. Rooms are al
lotted at five o'clock, and no blandish-
II ents will avail to Obtain favor. All the
looms have two beds in them.
There was an hours walt for dinner.
| Il vas too cold and wet to hang about
outside. We all sat saring ut each
ether, in the salon. much as patlen = OF
= popular dentist do when the servant
Genes in from tise to time to select a
! victim. At last "A bell rang. The Pere
| Aumon"r gently pressed us back whilst
| he went to see that all was ready, but
| We followed him close. and lined up two
occp like 4 crowd of unemployed wait
| ing for free teas on "A Sunday evening.
| The steward stopped us as We throngcd
| IN and made us sit down with the single
| qualification How many in your party?)
strictly IN line. There were two tables
| lensthwise, with one Joining them at the
| farther end 16 or II at each table. the
fourth side being left open for the side
| board plates, and walters apparatus;
| two quart bottles OF good plair red wine
| lin decantcrs) stood between each oppos-
ing pair, so each person had a pint of
vine. No grace was said the priest left
| the room the instant all were seated and
| the guests set to at once on the chunks
OF bread and the wine whilst the hot
dishes were being handed in. The soup
came in a huge silver or pewter turcen.
and was excellent. Next came plain. we'll
cooked beef and pommes sautes, follow
| ed in due course by a la mode mutton
without vegetables: finally good stodgy
| rice pudding of the public school type.
| No butter. no cheese, no dessert No Soc
Cnd helpings Of anything; those who ask
| ed for II were gently refused. In word,
the dinner was wholesome and suflic
in fact liberal, II plain AZ $50 david
lers myself included were requested to
"move on" apparently in order to make
| way for the eight o'clockers, for there
| are two dinners We were Informed that
| cafe au lait would he served in tho morn
| ing at and from $50 We took ours at
$50. The butter had not turned m on
| account OF the wet but nice mild cheese
was served instead. with excellent honey,
The bedrooms We're adequately hut plain
| " furnished In the usual style OF priests
| rooms: hut they were deadly cold There
was no one to see us of In the morning
the priests were all In the church. and
there was fair congregation Of guests,
| too, including coachmen, carriers. and
| porters. NV cocher told me he had eaten
the same dishes as myself. wine Included,
| Any tourist who wants n curious expert
snce should take in the St, Bernartl's. 1t
can be done equally we'll from the Italian
| (Aosta) side or the Swiss (Orsieres) side