TOLD BY A NUN.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 516, 25 May 1909, Page 3

TOLD BY A NUN.

■ ;: !.Of intense', interest is.the story told in, :hthe.last.,.',!,,Ceritury." by:ilobert:Hichens,.tho. ;!brilliant novelist, who-visited'Messina within .■. ; .o!feiv days.if the disastrous i tail-iof.-.hbrror : . is Sspared■ '"inj-iheV recital,! though the~.intensity of i'horror-is inferred. .'.'.Sister; Mary, ?bf- -the! Sanctuary^Franciscan Jlissionary'.of Mary,'attached to the Convont. : . of Sarit' r lOrsola,.. Foruaci,: Messina^r but: who has lived. a!hd in Taormiria,.; : -andjis,known,tovall!who;go,there, told mo ,: eeveral strange; arid■ interesting 'incidents conV cected with the earthquake, whioh I have not ■'■ Been! in ■Jprmt,".:.ho. I says,..and! ..'inay''think of the stories,.there is no' denying the fact that-theyw!ere worth telling:':; : . : !" : -t''-!rh6 :i first : ;is!.the' stbry!of- the' !man with .-..the .■bell;' : About-three - months pro. .the .earthquake, /oiio- of- -the .sisters of : tho coh- ■ :vent was.'passingi:alorig..a busy street of.Messina:at evening, -when, above.the many.noises ofothe•''city;.-:sne: heard the:loud, sound of a. .Vbeil;:'■ It came nearer,'!and presently, afc-'a .cor- . v ner she saw an" old man,:.. _He had a. big bell j in-His .hand,, and waKcryingV/mt sbriietmngi in?ltalian.'- .When he:was!close/to the:sister . .she heard the-words;' ',Theipeople of Messina better v lives r :fo;r a' great' disaster, is coming upon. the. city._ Re-;-.pentl Repent! ! A great disaster is coming 1"; ; .Round.'about x the"dld.m'an',were people laugh-!-■;iiigVat'-him;;:saying. that! he was an old -ma'd- :' 'man. .'.Twp .or, three,, thinking,that he was^a crazy 'mendicant;:offered him ■money.' But ho refused 'to take it,"Vand !: disappeared, ;still - 'ringing, hi-s bell-arid- cryingvhis .dismal.. pro- -.' phecy'. At': intervals before.the earthquake he reappeared,- and many people in 'Messina saw, ■ ! ana- heard^n'imv^Never /would;.he.^receive ; • :alms! iwa-s"ttere;Jie■ said/not.to;; gain "0 moriey,'but''to,wafn '.the people of of "tfis3stiy;andAto;-urge.-them/to. prepare by leading!'g6b'd'livesv;-and avoiding: eyil.ways. * Noone seemed: to kriow.who;.the. old man was,; :■':. or: beforothe : 'earthquake. he. vanished.:-;.->;';: '■■: •.-'• .-: .. V:- ■■■•"•- A .wbmari; after the shock, was' buried alone in. ' her 'room".. The door was .blocked:_by.,fallen :'-iria«bnry.-!;Thefe"!,was no'means of ingress-or. 'egress, 'And.tlie' Test-of thehouse'was fallen was;'uninjured, but^he^was.: imprisoned. ■'■'■ In !this room she remained for. f eight days.'. It was a- bedroom,',and contained "■no-'focJA^DurinV-ithe'.eight'.'day's-ehe.'.'paye. ■■;' birtli'to twins.''- ; When searchers with picks (ind they ..found : !her' arid':!the.;-twins;;strong ; and well. 'them-.-btit,! arid ! questioned;-;oer;^s. ■'to h6'wshe'had'!.manaEed'-to.liv,e,;and:why ; 4he : ha!d l not;starved. 1 "!' '-Every day;.a"^ornan' •. eame : and brbught'.mo food'/'sheanswerecl^., ■-.' They- pointed out.that this , -was.lmpo-ssiblo, '": efithe're was no means of getting-into or-out '.' arid, 'the; rest .of ~ther house; had; ■''■■■ ■■' >' I^knoW; , !■ sh'.:saM." .^'Nevertheless,;it .is - true';-; 1 I do'ript -know how she , cAme^or,went.;. She never spoke!to-me'or!!obked at me."she : ( ~ was there every' day,-. put food. for -me; on the ■ '■• tabli,' and ■ disapneared.":: : :l: hod';never se»n. ''her'before, and do not'know whoshe.was. .. ; ':'! >They ■'; asked ! for: ; sotiie.' . description, of ' the, ■ " risitor, but cpnld obtain ,v.o details. ■ : ;; :.;/'■ ■ ; '-This■'vforaaiivwns.iiM)t':raving. ; ,r-She : .ws*. p m. ■- -good 'health; !wll! and, the? '■'■'w ihriving.;!! Phe^perswts ; -m'-hwstory. 'I ■ -toldMt'fovn'Sicilian. theivladoima ;;!:who:!brou<# herffood.-' She often does such ■;'Rings',":he^said^;-:;;-;-;;-*:;;;-^.:;! , '/.' !;■ -.■.' . .;;!-