Westbrook High School - Blue and White Yearbook (Westbrook, ME)

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20 intt-ntly prayt-tl nn tht- I'USIll'j' i11 spite nt -lanc's cttrst-s, tht-1' prulnalmly nt-vt-1' wnnltl have ht-t-11 alrlu In nntwit tht- tlevil nn that trip. XYht-n crnssiiig tht- St. l.IlWl'l'llL'C on a lorry, tlant- attuinptetl tn jtnnp intn the angry watt-rs. hut wristhaiitls claspctl tn t-ach wrist hy two powt-rfttl pnlict-incn ht-ltl lll'l' in plact-. Slit- was hrnnglit tirst tn thc Clllll'Cll. llll'll ltr thc shrint-. lt was tht-rc that hlant- tirst attt-niptt-tl tn licliavt- ltt'1'st-li. Still, slit- l'l'lllSL'Cl tn listt-11 tn tht- holy pt-t1plt- who t1'it-tl tn talk to ht-1': sht- wnnlrl lnnlt at ahsnltitt-ly nnthing. 'l'ht-rt- wt-rc Sistvrs nf nt-arly t-vt-ry nrgaiiiza- tinn visiting St. .Xnnt-'s. Nu niattt-r wht-rc nnt- lnnltt-tl ht- Cllllltl st-t- tht-st- nuns, whnst- vt-ry fact-s cxprt-sst-tl swt-t-t CHlllL'lll1lll'lll. Tltt-ru wt-rc tht- W'llltC-l'llllCKl Sistt-1's: thnst- guwnt-tl in cninplt-tc lmlaclt: thnst- wht: wort- lmrnwn garint-nts antl lmlaclt vt-ils: thtmst- whost- gowns wt-1't- hlaclt with whitt- vt-ils, antl thnst- whnsc clear, lrlnt- gnwns inatlt- a pt-1'lt't't st-tting fm' thsit' whitt--picltt-tl llL'1lKl-lll'K'Ss. lt was a vivitl I3lL'llll'L' that hlant- rt-lust-tl to nh- st-rvt-. Wht-n tht- grntip it-aclit-tl tht- hnttnin nt' St. .Xnnt-'s hill. tht-y patist-tl. hlant- tlitln't lnnlt tip at the splentlnr nf tht- totittltini' Statinns nl tht- Vrnss, Slit- tlitln't st-t- thnst- lit-antifnl gartlt-ns in fnrins nf crnsst-s that cahnly paintt-tl tht- hillsitlc. 'l'ht-yt-a1nt- to tht- stairs. Sistt-1' Klary antl Sistt-1' Xnnt- lt-tl ht-r tn tht- Iirst stt-p. 1lht-tlit-ntlysht-ltnt-lt. a nnn nn citht-r siflt-, 'Ilht-y saitl tht- prnpt-r lll'Il3'l'l'i. l'p tn tht- nt-xt stt-p. l'iZl.lllK'l' xlttintnix antl f4istt'1' -lnseph remaint-tl nn tht- stairs nt-xt tn tht- hnly tint-s. watching, waiting, limping. plant- shnwt-tl nn l't'slSlIlllCl' as vt-t. Wnnlfl sht--W? 'I'ht- lntn'th stt-p V -hlth -sixth, l atht-r, whispt-rt-rl tht- nnn, sht-'s lbl'llYlllQ'. ht-t'st-lf. nnw. l.nnk, ht-t' lips Zll'k' 111-wi11g'l 'l'ht-rt- wt-rc tt-a1's in tht- prit-st's t-yt-s. 'l'ht- st-vt-nth stt-p, t-ighth. ninth. llnly a lt-w 1nt11't- tn gn, This was tht- stairs nf lllll'IlClt'S. ll'nnltl Alant- lit- t'111't-tl? XX-L'l't' thnst- hnly pt-nplt-'s llI'Ilyft'l'S t-ntmttglir If sht- rt-aclit-tl tht- tnp stt-p: it sht- only cnnltl rt-at'h tht- tnp stt-p withnnt any tlt-vilish pranks. Un t'at'h stt-p tht-v pravt-fl. tht-n kin-t-lt-tl tn tht- nt-xt, ttn' nn tnnt hatl t-vt-1' stt-ppt-tl XYllt'l'i' tmnh' pt-nitt-nt ltnt-t-s hatl p1't-sst-tl. .Xt the tnp tht-1't- was a llllllllllllll' ttinilu til' thc Christ who lay in it tlnitc rt-alistically. Sistt-1' .ltnseph antl tht' prit-st wt-rc stantling hy tht- tnnih, hrcatlilt-ssly waiting'-a prayer in tht-it' ht-arts. .lane was nn thu nt-xt tn tht- last stt-p. She hc-sitatt-tl, lnnltctl at lfatht-r hltnnnttx. llt- sinilt-tl t-ncntiragiiigly. lt was nnly fl ft-w st-t-niitls that hatl passt-tl, lint it st-t-nit-tl likt- ct-nt111'it-s. Vlant- was on tht- last stt-p. Qnitt- sntltlt-nly :intl natttralli' sht- was stantling ln' tht- tnnih with tht- p1'it-st. 'l't'a1's rnsltt-tl tn ht'r cyt-s. llK'l' lips lllllYl'l'C'1l antl trt-inhling slit- lnnltt-tl Ilftllllltl ht-r. lint' tht- tirst tinit- sht- saw tht- ht-atity nt St. .XllIll' tlt- lit-anprt-. Sht- saw t'1'ipplt-tl littlt- hnys at tht- fnnt nl tht- shrint- nvt-1' ynntlt-1': sht- saw a wninan lt-avt- ht-r t'1't1tcht-s at tht- ttvp nf tht- stairs antl walk away. .X strangt- lK'ZlL't'l.lllllL'SN st-ttlt-tl in ht-1' tirt-tl llllllll antl put lli'l' snnl tn 1't'st, Illllflllllg' tn tht- th1-t-t- Sistt-rs :tntl tht- prit-st, slit- saitl qtiit-tly: HIL lfatht-r, l'lJllllt I', ht- is guilt-. llt- is gt 1nt'. llt111't t-vt-1' lt-t him Cthlllt' l1at'k. l'lt-:tst- rlt1n't lt-t hint twnttt- l1at'lt. 'liht- l'L'!lllZZlllUll pn111't-tl :wt-1' llCl' that sht' was nnt't- innrt- frt-t- tn :lo with ht-r snnl antl hnth' as sht- plt-ast-tl. llt-1' fatht-1 s t'111'st- was lranisht-tl tt11't'1't'1'. 4- A1 -li -k wk plant- llt't't' is Zlll nltl lath' nnw, a lnvt-ly nltl latly. Slit- gut-s tn tht- Klaytnwii f'lllll'Cll fnr Snntlay st-1'vit't-s t-vt-ry' wt't-lt. Klany tintt-s pt-nplc lintl lll'l' sitting nn a parlt ht-nt-h sayiiig ht-r rnsary. Yt-ars agp tht- lantl not-11pit-tl hy tht- villagt- parlt was t-allt-tl hlZlf'lUWll l-'n1't-st. lYht-n tht- Hlfl-llIlll'l'S nl' Xlaytnwti st-t- Miss llt't't'u tht-1't- tin ht-1' park lvt-nt-h, tht-1' s:1j'Z -l1t1lt'l11ls slippt-tl ntl tn tht- tort-st again lu pray. NIY DUG Nly :lug t'11IlIt-s thi sttfl parltltwl ft't't. llt- sits lnnkiiig lntn iny snnl 'l'-1 rt-atl niy lt11't- .Xntl lllR'll lit-s tlnwn. X ll., '3:

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10 ln the meantime, Jane stood watching the two. As Nurse Winner finished speaking, the girl made one wild dash for the automobile. The driver. who had been watching the scene, grabbed her. She struggled liercely but to no avail. -lane was brought to a lovely little convent and was allowed to stay with the nuns. They were very kind to her' and never forced her into any kind ol religious proceedings. -lane became almost a normal human being until one night. as she lay in her bed above the Sisters' chapel. she heard that voice within her. Listen, the nuns are praying downstairs. .-Xre they praying that you may be with them? Are they praying that you will become a Christian again? Crazy people, she uttered aloud. while jump- ing from the bed. l3on't they know that there isn't a God? Don't they know I despise them? lf they don't, they are going to lind out now Y Cautiously, jane made her way downstairs into the chapel. She opened the chapel door and paused in the way. It was a beautiful picture that ap- peared before her. Along the walls were carvings of the Stations of the Cross-fourteen pictures, each one repre- senting a scene that occurred in the passion of our l.ord, the altar within the chancel twinkled with bright little candles. Lifelike statues of Saint Theresa, Saint Joseph and the Child -lesus seemed to smile down through flickering shadows upon the solemn nuns. Lead by the Mother Superior, they chanted the l.itany ot' the Sacred lleart. Their black-veiled heads were bowed: long brown robes fell in sweeping folds to the floor. Their white bibs and head bands bravely symbolized purity. 'lane remained in the doorway only a minute, then ran down the center aisle to where the red vigil light, in its accustomed place at the right of the tabernacle, gleamed its friendly welcome. When she reached the light, she smashed it with the candle lighter that stood near by, then turned to the pious women. You empty-headed simpletons! You women of l'hrist's fold, she scorned. Christ's fold? Ha, who is Christ? You make me laugh, you and your Christ. l'm getting out of this place, do you understand? OCT! .lane was yelling now, 0l'T! UUTf OUT! Three quiet nuns seized her. She fought des- perately to get away and did, but the Sister in the last pew had bolted the chapel door while the others continued to pray earnestly. :Xt that time an unbelievable thing happened. The body of jane llere llew from the hold of the nuns to the wall and clung there! Several nuns quickly left their places and tried to pull her from the wall. The body had landed between the iirst and second stations. ller hands gripped the frames of the stations of either side. Mother Superior took possession of the situa- tion immediately in a commanding and steady voice: Sister Mary. get the step-ladder. Yes, Mother. Sister .Xnglar, you call Father lumouxf' Yes, Mother, Sister .-Xnne and Sister l'aul, go to the vestry and End another vigil candle. Yes, Mother. You, Sister james, Sister .loan and Sister St. Peter, indicating three rugged-looking nuns. remain at the foot of the body until Sister Rlary returns with the ladder. Then we shall remove her from the wall. The rest of the Sisters will' please continue the prayers with me. Yes, Mother. jane was certainly possessed by the devil: her condition was worse now than ever. lfather -Iumoux and the Sisters began to think that their prayers and work were all in vain. Mother Superior and liather slumoux, discussing the situa- tion a few days after the occurrence in the chapel, came to the decision that. as a last appeal, she should be taken to St. Anne de lieaupre. Sisters Anne, Mary and -loseph were appointed to accom- pany her along with Father Dlumoux. The trip to St. 1Xnne's was very unpleasant: jane stormed. threatened, and cursed from the time they started until they reached the place. They had two flat tires, engine trouble, and were bumped by a truck. None of these occurrences were serious, but Father jumoux has often re- marked since then that il the Sisters had not so l A

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