The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1915-03-27
OBEDIENCE

The long corridor of the Convent of
the Alteration held but two living
things-a woman, and the spirit of
holiness. The woman stood by a mar
row, elose-barred window, and watched
and listened, and sanetity surrounded
her. The essence of conservation, of.
a something set apart, was in the.
lofty, calm reflection of her attitude,
and in the cloistral quiet that brooded
over the hail. The quintessence of a
something that was hallowed rested
/ on the pictures of the saints along
| the wall; it lowered over the statue
Of ascending angels at the far end of
the corridor, and it fingered with the
light ray of morning sunlight over the
head of the Mother Mary Clotilde.
The nun looked out of the window and
over the valley. .E @ u
! The Prussians lay before Mazieres.
High ON a spur of the mountain, the
town nestled in the shelter of the
wooded heights, and in the fortress
the French garrison awaited an attack.
Down in the valley below the hills the
French volunteers skirmished, fell, or
were wounded, crept, or we're carried
back to the town for succour.
| The ground was hard and FROST
packed on that December day and the
windows on the corridor of the con-
vent were closed tight from the bit
ter cold outside. The gaze of the
Mother Mary Clotilde now rested on
the stone courtyard of the convent as
she planned for her. community the
orderly events of the day. Clad in the
rough, white habit of her order. the
nuns ample form made a striking
/ figure in the barren space of the wide
hallway, and her glance of conscious
power turned slowly and questioningly
from the glittering winter daylight to
corridor.
Every door along the quiet hall was
shut, and every nun was busy at her
task of preparing bandages and rene
dies for the wounded who had been
brought within the town in the past
few days; all possible love and service
must be given to the volunteers who
brought the news of the Prussian
larmy advancing on Mazieres. Even
now a shot sounded from below the
hills and told Of war, and disturbed
the peaceful silence in the corridor OF
the convent. :. &H
The Neither Superior'ss planning
gaze grew froubled and perplexed
The community of the Order of the
Alteration had offered their services
in the hospital across the town, and
there would be need of all the nuns
in this sad duty. Yet, some nun who
could sing well must remain alone
within the convent to chant the hour
of the office. Y
All, Sister Mary Stanislaus must re
main, thought Mother Mary Clotilde
She whose beautiful voice led the
chanting each day, she who sang the
solos for the festivals, she could offer
. in the beauty of her voice alone the
apology of the Sisterhood for this new
and compelling duty that called them
from their Office in the chapel to q
Iservice in the hospital across the town
Ell It were better that Sister Mary
7 Stanislaus remained within the con
e went; Mother Mary EIotilde's lip:
: lsoftened at the tenderness of this
e thought. Sister.Mary Stanislaus wa!
one whose beauty the white veil coult
,. not conceal, whose grace the CLUMSY
k habit could not hide, and it were bet
ri ter that she be singing the chant il
S the choir-chapel than moving, even il
b the deeds Of mercy, among the soldier
S in the hospital and in the streets out
|. side. =
d The Superioress went quickly to
r door on the corridor and heckoned t,
e one within the room. The slim, girlisl
!, figure came with the eagerness o
+ youth to answer the call and stood il
d the sunlight. with the elder woman
n At once, the sun streamed more bright
It ~ through the window, as if it say
l. the young nun and offered a stronge
ell homage to, her beauty. The sunligh
oil showed how the white band acres
d Sister Mary Stanislaus' forehead mad
If the deep blue Of her. eyes more starr
S ling in their width and depth; it shon
S on the white veil which fell in tW
It straight lines from her head, and. !
n threw into bright relief the youthfu
of hers eheeksy Then, owe
lher head the sunbeams danced NOR
+ riotously, as if in wanton mischie
!, they longed to show that under he
! leap and veil blue black hair must sof
!, ~ nestle. Meekly, the young nu
!. waited with her hands folded in tn
! loose sleeves. Of her habit and felt tn
: love in the glance that rested on he
" Some, one must sing the. hour G
Office began the older nun. Eve
if the town and fortress are bombarc
Q ed by the enemy some one must r,
= main within the convent to. sing tn
:. hour and Mother Mary Clotild
e looked for a flicker of fear on the low,
p ly face before her. Sister Mary Star
81 Iislaus' eyes were as steady as he
he own. 49, taE
Never, my child, has the Office {
our, order been unsung since the e.
H. Establishment of this convent. All th
q, other Sisters must go at once to tn
IS hospital, for, if / hear Alright, we hay
le "a sad day before us. You renal
d within the convent and sing the hou
re Unless come for you do not leav
here. You will be safe, for the deol
are safely barred" she added in su,
den conjunction. You need feel n