AS COMMISSIONER TO SANTO DOMINGO-1871 497 



Another day brought us to Vega, noted as the point 

 where Columbus reared his standard above the wonderful 

 interior valley of the island ; and there we were welcomed, 

 as usual, by the officials, and, among them, by a tall, ascetic- 

 looking priest who spoke French. Returning his call next 

 day, I was shown into his presence in a room utterly bare 

 of all ornament save a large and beautiful photograph of 

 the Cathedral of Tours. It had happened to me, just after 

 my college days, to travel on foot through a large part of 

 northern, western, and middle France, especially interest 

 ing myself in cathedral architecture ; and as my eye caught 

 this photograph I said, &quot;Father, what a beautiful picture 

 you have of the Church of St. Gatien ! The countenance 

 of the priest, who had at first received me very ceremoni 

 ously and coldly, was instantly changed ; he looked at me 

 for a moment, and then threw his arms about me. It was 

 pathetic: of all who had ever entered his door I was 

 probably the only one who had recognized the picture of 

 the cathedral where he had been ordained ; and, above all, 

 by a curious inspiration which I cannot to this hour ac 

 count for, I had recognized it by the name of the saint to 

 whom it is dedicated. Why I did not speak of it simply 

 as the Cathedral of Tours I know not ; how I came to re 

 member that it was dedicated to St. Gatien I know not; 

 but this fact evidently loosened the cords of the father s 

 heart, and during my stay at Vega he was devoted to me ; 

 giving me information of the greatest value regarding 

 the people, their habits, their diseases, and the like, much 

 of which, up to that moment, the commission and its sub 

 ordinates had vainly endeavored to secure. 



And here I recall one thing which struck me as signifi 

 cant. This ascetic French priest was very severe in con 

 demnation of the old Spanish priesthood of the island. 

 When I asked him regarding the morals of the people he 

 answered, &quot;How can you expect good morals in them 

 when their pastors set such bad examples?&quot; It was 

 evident that the church authorities at Rome were of his 

 opinion; for in nearly every town I found not only a 



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