WITH NUNS IN FRANCE.

Evening Post, Volume LXVIII, Issue 62, 10 September 1904, Page 13

In tho Pall Mall Magnzino for July, Miss Alico Dow-Smith doscribos what cnino under notico whilo making a short stay in tho Bcncdictino Convent at Bayoux, in Franco. It quito disabused hor mind of tho idea thnt nuns load a dismal, sad, solitary lifo. "A nun who attracted mo greatly by her npponrnnco was Mcro Angoliqno. Each nun hud hor own department j whilo ono swept nnd dusted tho rooms, another brought Iho nicnls, and another wns 'mistross of tho bath.' Mero Angcliquo, I was\ told, Voccupe dcs feux et dcs nicifbles.' Sho was a middle-aged nun, with a tall, spnro figure, and a groat air of distinction. Thoro was a look of prido and roscrvo in hor bonring, a careworn expression in hor oyos, and a divino sympathy in hor smrlo. I was cold ono morning, and asked for a (mi; and Mero Angcliquo, accompanied by the sislor who did my rooms, came to light it. Sho fascinated mo at first sight, and I found mysolf absorbed in watching her. As sho knelt at tho open ftroplaco, piled tho shavings, and laid tho logs carefully nnd skilfully, now and then looking up to givo a word of instruction as to Iho manner of managing this particular firoplaco to Sister Muria, who stood handing hor the tilings us sho wan tod them, all her movements woro restrnincd, graceful, exactly suited to tho task. "After applying tho match they both watchod (no flamo licking its way through tho logs aud up tho chimney, fcho ono knooling, tho other standing. Then Mcro Angeliquo rose, and with a brisk 'Ca va maintcnant!' and a quick smilo at mo, rctrcntcd down tho woodon staircase, and I could hear hor footsteps going ncross tho courtyard to afctond to other duties. 'How vulgar thoy niako ono fool!' I thought — oven tho nuns do tho menial work of sweeping tho rooms nnd lighting tho fires, with their simple lack gowns, their snowy whito linon, and tho dignity and courtesy of thoir manners. When rooms woro being prepared for visitors, Mere Angcliquo was always to bo soon going about thoconrls, carrying pictures, looking-glasses, writing mnicrinls; so thnt I often caught sight of hor. But though I had been introduced to her over tho lighting of tho fire I nover vonturod to ndclross her. Thero was something detached and unapproachnblo about her, ns if though hor body still worked in this world her soul wero already in another." "Ono day," proceeds Miss Dow-Smith, "it was so hot that 1 sat and basked in a sunny corner near ono of tho greenhouses all Iho morning. At my back tho white wall was warm with sunshine. Against it a penr-trco lonncd lazily, sunning its fruit. Boforo mo stretched a patch of inngnificently grown cabbages, glistening with recont raindrops. A chnflinch darted to and fro over thorn, dropping occasionally for nn unwary caterpillar. I had a book on my kneo, but my eyes wandered ovor tho garden watching tho nuns .at work. Near mo an oldorly.wenthprhoatou nun, onvoloped in a conrsn sticking apron, aud with a straw lint of tho mushroom shape on the top of her voil, wns busy with a wheoibarrow nnd a wooden rako, now and tlum diving in among tho cabbages, which wero nlmost up to her waist. Further off, ilown tho path in which I was uoated, a young sister was up a ladder [licking peaches from a troo on tho wall into her apron. Sho was a comely cronturp, healthy and sunburnt, and with a glow in her checks that rivalled (hat of tho fruit sho wns gathering. And in tho distanco, boyond tho cabbages, mv oyes woro fascinated by tho picture of two .young nuns, with faces liko mediaeval saints, knooling in begonias and roses, picking flowers for tho ehnpcl into a largo haskot. Thoir black voils and wTiito guimpos, caught now and then by tho gontlost of breezes, thoir movements ns tlieV leant ovor tho flowcr-beda or strpt child thoir arms to the roses, tho » gold) dovicos on their breasts swaying and glistoning in tho sun, mado a picturo to givo wings to imagination."