MONKS OF ST. BERNARD.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LVIII, Issue 8944, 19 December 1907, Page 7

MONKS OF ST. BERNARD.

TEN CENTURIES OF HOSPI-

TALITY

For nearly oue thousand years the world-famou-s hospice of St. Bernard has stood opeu to travellers by the Great St. Bernard Pass, oue of the highways betweeu Switzerland and Italy, aud never turned away a suppliant asking for shelter or food. In the V spring, the aufcnmu. aud the winter, yfteu mists hide laudmirks, aud great of suow cover the Pass, the monks, with their famous dogs, act as guides to travellers. Mauy a niouk has giveu his life in searching for a lost traveller. They receive for their hospitality and services no reward but gratitude, aud if a writer iv the Daily Express is to be believed, there is sometimes little of that, 'lhere now are touches of moderuity about this old place. Supplier for the hospice are brought up from Aosta by motor waggon. Telephones ou both sides of the Pass link the monks to the outside world, aud give the dogs less work to do thau before, for the movements of travellers are noted, and the information is at once sent to the Monastery. The building is vast, of simple desigu, and capable of accommodatiug some three hundred travellers. The" rooms are simply furnished, but spotlessly cleau. Ou the eveuiug that the writer arrived, the first dinuer was over, and he had to wait half-au-hour until a second was got ready. The cosmopolitan compauy numbered about eighty, aucl was composad chiefly of British, Freuch and Germans. The dinuer, which was admirably cooked and served, was made up of soup, two kinds of meat, "with the most delicious potatoes I have ever tasted," rice rjjA stewed primes, cheese, aud as lSrch light wine as the diner wanted. At six next morning the traveller rose for Mass, at seven breakfasted ou coffee, milk, and bread and honey ; and after iuspectiou of the buildiug set oft" -. to walk to Italy. Apparently the spleudid hospitality of the monks is taken. by mauy travellers quite as a matter of course. "Although the monks never ask oue guest for eveu a centime, no one should leave the hospice without hauding the almouer, or placing in his box iv the church, from eight to teu francs (Gs 8d to 8s 4d). It is estimated that, ou au average, ouly oue person iv twenty leaves enough to pay for a very moderate hotel charge. The remaining nineteen leave au average of uothiug. To the credit of our owu country, it must be said that the great majority of British visitors are uot guilty in this respect. Freuchmeu in' many cases leave a small sum. often inadequate to pay for what they have received. The Germ a v , however, scarcely ever leaves a penuy piece behind him. " For the sake of human nature, let us hope that with some of these offenders it is a case of waut of aud uot waut of heart.