Year: 1859

Convent


We have Just learned the particulars Of
one Of those cases Of sudden disappearance,
anxious and leng-baffied search, and final
recovery which now and then come to light
from the mainly secret history of Roman
Catholic convents. The story is in every
respect strictly true, but for reason of pro-
priety-we suppress all names.


An Englishman of wealth and tsste,
who has recently been honored with seat
iu one of the Queens Provincial Cabinets,
has been for some years past residing in
Montreal. Prior to this period he lived in
England. He had an only daughter, q
young lady of uncommon beauty and re-
markable intelligence. Upon her mind
and person, everything that paternal love
could dictate and wealth procure, was law
ishad. She was sent to the best schools
at Paris, where, for several years, she was
engaged in pursuing her studies under the
best instructors, and where she attained
astonishing proficiency, becoming thor
ough classical scholar and most perfect
linguist.


But in the prosecution of her studies,
she very naturally fell under the infence of
Roman Catholics who composed the large
majority of those engaged In teaching, as
well as the othe. professions in Paris. The
doctrines of "the church" were sedulously
inculcated, and she was urged to separate
herself from the world and join the sister
hood of convent. All this was kept
from her parents, who knew nothing save
the rapid progress which their beloved
child was making in her studies, and noted
with admiration her development into
dawning, beautiful womanhood.


At length her education was completed,
and her parents-Sho had resided in Paris
during ber stay there, TO watch over her
returned to England. Shortly after they
removed to Montreal. They had noticed
that their daughter was particularly con-
scientious in all her religious duties, and
were pleased rather than otherwise, to
know that to the charms of cultivated
mind their idolized child should add the
graces of renewed and Christian heart.
The wealth of affection bestowed upon her
by her parents was returned in all its boun-
ty of blessings by their afeetionate daugh-
ter and the cup of happiness was full.


Seven weeks ago they arose one morning
to terrible revelation-to sorrow, almost
despair. Their daughter was not to be
found in her room. But upon tie table
was brief note informing them that she
deemed it her duty TO renounce the world
and become nun, and that she hoped
they would be reconciled to her renuncia-
lion, and not attempt TO follow or discover
her, as it would be useless. This was in
her own handwriting, so there could be DO
doubt of the truth of the announcement.
1t was evident that the influences which
had heen set to work upon her susceptible
mind in Paris, had followed her, and that
by the wonderful secret police system of
the Romish Church, she had been traced
from place to place, and the ecclesiastical
officials informed of her history, position,
and tendencies.


The blow came to the family like a thun-
der clap. 1t was the last thing they would
have expected-that the child upon whom
they had freely la 'isbed everything, and
who had so dutifully returned all their af
fection, should leave them so suddenly,
without an hours warning, and 90, they
knew not whittier. The mother became
well nigh distracted. The father, satisfied
that she had been wrought on BY malign
influences aud urged to the point of COM
pulls on to take step of the consequences
of which she could know little, resolved to
recover her if possible. In an excited con-
dition, bordering almost upon frenzy, he
set to work.


Application was first made to the high
est functionary at Montreal-lord bishop,
we believe is the title. In that city is a
convent of gray nuns. The father suspect
ed his daughter had been taken there
He went to the official, announced his loss
and the object of his visit, implored his as
sistance and offered anything which he
might see fit to ask, even if ii took his en-
tire estate. The ecclesiastic expressed
great sympathy with the father, declared
that the convent was open to bis inspection
from top to bottom, and assured him that
if he knew where his daughter was he
would gladly restore her to the arms of
her sorrowing parents. But no daughter
was found N the convent. Subsequent
events, however, revealed the fact that she
was hidden at this very time 10 the convent
and that the prelate knew it.


Every avenue of information was sought
and used. The father soon learned that
the daughter had been sent away from
Montreal. To Kingston, Bytown, and To-
ronto he successively pursued her, search
ing every convent, but failing in all his en-
deavors. At Toronto, however, he gained
some new and important information. By
means which, only parental love, aided with
money, could devise, he ascertained for a
certainty that his daughter had been sent
TO Detroit or Toledo, that she was sick and
wasting away, and desired to return to her
parents, being heartily tired of convent life,
but that she was kept in duress.


He fastened to Detroit, arriving here
week ago last Sabbath morning. He rec
objected that q gentleman whom he had
met in England years before, resided here,
and to him he applied for aid. His man.
ner was strange. and he was evidently dis
tressed and anxious. A kind offer Of as
sistauce in any secret difficulty opened his
heart, and the story was soon told. He
urged hast, as he was fearful that his daugh-
ter's keepers might discover how close he
was upon her track, and she might again
be removed beyonl his knowledge and