Year: 1869

Some people may be under the impress.
sion that nuns are free to leave their con.
vents if they choose Let the following
fact speak for itself. Early one morning
in December, the little postern gate of the
convent was slowly and cautiously open
ed, and lady, closely muffled in long
cloak and thick veil, issued from it. 1t
was too dark for her to see to any distance,
but after an anxious, searching glance on
every side, she hastened along narrow
lane that wound past the convent wall in-
to the village, and made her way to the
place where post car was just about
starting for town some thirty miles off.
In very excited manner she made ar.
rangements fol taking her seat upon it
and the members Of the little crowd which
had collected to see the car start, indulg.
ed in many surmises as who she might be
the darkness and her close wrappings
preventing their distinguishing her fea-
lures. At last, to her evident relief, the
car began to move, aud was soon out of
sight of the group who had watched it.
About two hours afterward however, a
rumor ran through the village that nun
had escaped from the convent, and in an.
swer to the impatient inquiries of those
seeking her, it was speedily discovered
that strange lady had just left the
place on the post car. As soon as this
was established,two young priests mount
ed their horses, and set off in hot pursuit.
The road was very hilly, and as they spur
red their horses swiftly up one hill and
down another, they strained their eyes to
catch view of the post car ON which the
poor fugitive was escaping from her pris.
on-house, but they looked in vain The
car had got good two hours start ofthem;
and when they arrived at its destination,
they foundt to their chargrin that the freed
captive had taken another conveyance
and was far on her way to q small town
some twenty miles further from the con-
vent. As soon as they could procure
fresh horses (for those they had ridden
were staggering from fatigue) the two
priests again set forward, eager in the
chase but the short December day clos
ed in around them, and still no traces of
the runaway could be found. Late in the
evening they reached the town where she
had gone, and on inquiry found that sh e
had certainly stopped there, for the car
on which she had travelled was safe in the
inn yard, and she had not taken any 9TH
er conveyance. She was not, however, in
the inn nor had she applied for room
in any of the lodging houses in the neigh
borhood. 1t was too late to prosecute the
search that night so, baffled for the mo.
ment, the priests sat down to their supper
in very bad humor, discussing many
plans of operation for the coming day and
recording VOWS of punishments to come
for the offender when she should be once
more in safe keeping.


! Early the next morning thorough in.
yestigation Of the town, which was quite
under priestly control, was commenced
Not house from, garret to cellar was
left unsearched, but without avail The
fugitive had evidently managed to get a


way. But how ? That was the question


AT last an old woman said she had seer
lady stealing along the shadow of the
houses late the night before, that she had
taken her way toward the open country


1t was plain that the hunted creature hao
sought to throw her pursuers off the seem
by proceeding on feet and alone through
the wild passes of the mountains, Mer
with spark of manliness-human being
with even the smallest touch of humanity
in their hearts-Christain with but thu
faintest glow Of Christianity within then
would have felt an overwhelming pity
for the poor frail woman with such cour


ageous spirit who having been, without


a crime, held in bondage worse thar
that of the lsraelites, was flying from til,
scene of her imprisonment-from grated
windows and barred doors-througl
the darkness and wildness Of December
night, alone aud unprotected, along rug
ged roads and mountain gleus But nc
such emotion Of pity was felt by those who
dogged her terrified footstep. No; lik,
blood-hounds thirsting for their prey they
FASTENED upon her track with savag,
kind of ferocious Joy that BODIED Ill for thu
poor victim should she fall into theil
hands. For several days the priestly de-
tectives searched among the retired glen'