top. By the side of the door, was placed a list of names of the Black
nuns, with a slide, that might be drawn over any of them. We covered our
names in this manner, as evidence of having performed the duty assigned
us; and then returned backwards on our knees, by the way we had come.
This penance I repeatedly performed afterwards; and by this way, as I
have occasion elsewhere to mention, nuns from the Congregational
Nunnery, sometimes entered our Convent for worse purposes.

We were frequently assured, that miracles are still performed; and pains
were taken to impress us deeply on this subject. The Superior often
spoke to us of the Virgin Mary's pincushion, the remains of which it is
pretended are preserved in the Convent, though it has crumbled quite to
dust. We regarded this relic with such veneration, that we were afraid
even to look at it, and we often heard the following story related, when
the subject was introduced.

A priest in Jerusalem once had a vision, in which he was informed that
the house in which the Virgin had lived, should be removed from its
foundations, and transported to a distance. He did not think the
communication was from God, and therefore disregarded it; but the house
was soon after missed, which convinced him that the vision was true, and
he told where the house might be found. A picture of the house is
preserved in the Nunnery, and was sometimes shown us. There are also wax
figures of Joseph sawing wood, and Jesus as a child, picking up the
chips. We were taught to sing a little song relating to this, the chorus
of which I remember.

"Saint Joseph charpentier,
Petit Jesus ramassait les copeaux
Pour fair bouillir la marmite."