Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXIII.—April, 1852.—Vol. IV.: NoneVarious
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. XXIII.—April, 1852.—Vol. IV.: None
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
The establishment at Dinan, over which Jeanne Sugon herself presides,
being under repair, and not quite fit for the reception of visitors, we
will go over the Sisters' house at Paris, which is conducted on exactly
the same plan.
We are ushered into a small parlor, scantily furnished, with some
Scripture prints upon the walls. A Sister enters to us with such a
bright look of cheerfulness as faces wear when hearts beneath them feel
that they are beating to some purpose in the world. She accedes gladly
to our desire, and at once leads us into another room of larger size, in
which twenty or thirty old women are at this moment finishing their
dinner; it being Friday, rice stands on the table in the place of meat.
The Sister moves and speaks with the gentleness of a mother among
creatures who are in, or are near to the state of second childhood. You
see an old dame fumbling eagerly over her snuff-box lid. The poor
creatures are not denied luxuries; for, whatever they can earn by their
spinning is their own money, and they buy with it any indulgences they
please; among which nothing is so highly prized or eagerly coveted as a
pinch of snuff.
In the dormitories on the first floor, some lie bed-ridden. Gentler
still, if possible, is now the Sister's voice. The rooms throughout the
house are airy, with large windows, and those inhabited by the Sisters
are distinguished from the rest by no mark of indulgence or superiority.
We descend now into the old men's department; and enter a warm room,
with a stove in the centre. One old fellow has his feet upon a little
foot-warmer, and thinly pipes out, that he is very comfortable now, for
he is always warm. The chills of age, and the chills of the cold
pavement remain together in his memory; but he is very comfortable
now--very comfortable. An other decrepit man, with white hair and bowed
back--who may have been proud, in his youth, of a rich voice for
love-song, talks of music to the Sister; and, on being asked to sing,
blazes out with joyous gestures, and strikes up a song of Béranger's in
a cracked, shaggy voice, which sometimes--like a river given to flow
under ground--is lost entirely, and then bubbles up again, quite thick
with mud.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account