The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-03-27
ana was alone IN The Convent Of the

length of theB corridor toward the
chapel door, for it. neared the time to
sing the hour of the Office. She
stepped before the angels shrine and
lit the lamp there, and hearkened,
and on her features was the selfless
calm. of perpetual submission. Sud
denly a succession of shots sounded in
the valley, was repeated, echoed, and
again all was still as the Sister en-
tered the chapel door.
The chapel Of the convent was rigid
Units simplicity. High stalls, each con-
tanning a straight backed carven seat,
were along the sides of the room in
linedtarray; the floor was of cold, gray
stone, and before the altar at the, end
of the,chapela grill of woodwork was
built head-high to screen the nuns OF
the community from the gaze of, those
in the church outside. In this hare
choir, where worshipped the Sisters
Of the Order, the only decoration was,
austerity.s As symbols of it's ascetic
rigor and as ever-calling watchWords
of a. stern and cenobitic life, three
notices hung upon the wall. On the
wall to the left the white placard bore
in strong black letters the one word,
Poverty. In the rear of the chapel
choir hung the snowy emblem, Chasti-
ty... On the wall to the right, where
all who entered the chapel must first
see it's subiugating meaning, was. the
one clear word, Obedience Through
| this lane of summoning cloistral vir-
ture Sister Mary Stanislaus passed to
the priesdieu at the opening in the
grill before the altar
/ More than marked in contrast to the
Imeager simplicity of the convent
chapel was the church that extended
| to the right of the nuns choir and
Twas connected with it by the space for
the altar. The community, chapel
faced the altar, and through and above
the open grill work could be seen. the
marble altar that rose in pointed col
umns; "a cross of gold could be seen
in the fiat space in the middle of the
altar, a shining cross of gold with a
white, carved figure of Agony on it.
The altar steps of rich, red carpet
went in a velvet smoothness up to the
gold lace-hung table. High in the air
hung the ever-burning sanctuary lamp,
moving a tremendous pendulum of sill.
yer studded to fiery glow of splendor
with rIbies, emeralds, and topaz
stones. On the prie-dieu before the
grill the young nun knelt and watched
the clock for the moment to begin the
office. The hour was ten, and she
Earose.
sLaudate, pueri Dominum; laudate
Enomen Donini," sang the nun in the
ritual Of her Order. z"Give me power
against Thy enemies: in tower OF
strength uphold me-" sang on the beau.
tiful voice, and it rang through the
Iemptiness of the barFen chapel-choir
against the wooden stalls, up to the
vaulted ceiling of the church beyond
and away to the world outside
Clearer and ,firmer grew her voice in
the Joy of her praise as Sister Mary
Stanislaus sang alone in the chapel
i choir. ~ ~
| Crack, snapped a lone shot in the
VALLEY. Then, more steadily, more
Erapidly,1 morea deadly, sounded the
i Prussian fie1d-guns in their openins
fire on the fortress'of Mazieres. Sis
| ter Mary Stanislaus' shivered. She
: pressed her hands more firmly in thei
clasp of prayer, and her voice did no
Z falter as she sang on and rejoiced il
4 her lonely duty.
II With the shots came the sound o
calling voices and of hurrying feet il
81 the streets outside the convent. Out
i side in the cold of the. winters da.
4 there was haste and fear and terrify
! ing sound. The quick ears of Siste
u Mary Stanislaus heard between he
Il chant a tumult of voices on the step
T of the church. She heard the churel
II door, which she could not see, open
4 and then close noisily; she heart
A coarse laughter and ribald voices; VI
VI through the aisle of the church sh
r heard the tread of rough and SLOUGH
t ing feet, as some came forward. Flo
s moment the nuns voice was stille,
ell as she saw two evil figures wal
! through the chancel-rail and up tn
e steps of the altar. In horror she say
. the men take the gold and silve
t candlesticks from their places. an
j throw the candles on the floor. Sh
r saw the, men look, at the altar an
e then glance with greed at the higf
I swung sanctuary lamp they might no
reach. In anger they ripped the gol
lace from the altar and stuffed it j
q their bnlging pockets. Then, benin
the grill, Sister Mary Stanislaus san
Ell again the office of her Order.
: The two evil figures preying o
{ their nations sorrow heard an
q looked, and quickly descended TIL
altar steps. They,came to the ope
; space in the grill-work and peered i
e. at the young nun. With one impulse
e they placed their feet in the inches G
Il the grill, and with bound they wer
+ in the chapel of the convent.
@Giye me power. against Thy emf
!, mics; in a tower of strength uphol
! me- = sang on the nun in a light an
; feeble voice. The men looked abor
: the chapel in disgust, looked at tn
E bare walls, at the hard wooden seat!
: and at the cold stone floor.
"There is nothing here" said one.
There is a woman here" said. tn
8 lether and schuekled, and laid roug
land heavy hand on the white-habite
. figure of the num- The. bosom of Si'
0pry HSnI1 aTnd