The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1913-02-22

= lives OF the monks OF st. Bern
ard, of the men who assist
them or Of the dogs who co
operate with them in the snowy
and frozen wastes of the Simpion pass
in the Alps
The rescue force consists Of II
monks and Is assistants who under
take the work for the sake Of human
ity. The men must be strong Of limb
and lung and robust in every way to
stand the life. Even with perfect
physical endowment most Of them
break down in their twelfth year OF
service. A few last fifteen years and
then death follows. No member has
lasted more than twenty years. The
constant exposure and attendant hard
ships are too much for human endur-
ance. As the monks live 5000 feet
above the sea level the cold is intense
and the breathing Of such rarif1ed
air Injuries the health and hastens the
end. They live near the region Of
perpetual snow, for the winter lasts
nine months of the year and even in
July snowstorms occur which bother
greatly the tourists who make the
passage Of the steep road to the
monastery in large numbers.
When BrIgands Assaulted Them.
The hospice was founded 94S years
ago by nobleman, Bernard de Men
thehn, for the benefit Of pilgrims trav-
cling to Rome. For long time after
the monks were installed they were
harassed by the brigands who infest-
ed the surrounding mountains. Some
times the demands of these vaga-
bonds were refused and then the
thwarted would 60 away after threat
ening vengeance. Soon squad of 25
or 30 of these pirates Of the noun
tains would appear, but they found
barricaded doors and windows impos-
sible to pass and the monks lived in
state of siege until fierce storms
drove the brigands away.
Napoleon in leading his army of
10000 across the Alps. in 1900, headed
for Italy, used the hospice as a bar
racks for his weary. frost-bitten SOL
diers At ST. Pierre. the last village
on the Swiss side, are shown the
small table and the armchair used
at breakfast by Napoleon before start
ing for italy.
The monastery is plain, unpreten-
tious block of gray buildings with
thick walls to withstand the terrific
gales and snowstorms. The snow is
frequently eight or ten feet deep round
the hospice and sometimes forms
enormous drifts which reach to the
roof of the building. Shelter can be
provided for nearly 400 travellers and
dormitories for about 100: anyone
crossing the pass is welcome to the
Of the monks. Voluntary
can be made and. for
there is a generous response
for the cost Of keeping up the monas-
terry is very heavy, as everything has
to be hauled so far over a dangerous,
long and none too good road Mules
have to haul the food and other sup
plies for many miles each day. Two
meals are served-one at ~ m and
one at p. m. Every nation is repre-
sented in the crowds at the tables.
The monks mingle freely with the
diners and make them feel at home.
Two pianos presented by King Ed
ward Of England are played in the
evening after dinner to make the
hours pass pleasantly. More than
10000 persons cross the pass every
year and more than two-thirds ofthe
number make the journey during the
winter. The majority are laborers. on
their way to work, who cannot wait
for more favorable weather. and II
speaks volumes for the vigilance of
the monks that a life is very rarely
lost. now The monastery is con-
nected by telephone with stations on
both sides OF the pass and whenever
travellers start to make the ascent
the number is telephoned to the
monks 30 that they can look out for
them and send rescue parties to their
aid II they fail to put In an appear
ance.