“High spirits and mischief”: a story of sledding

In the category of “things I find while looking for something else” is this delightful story about Sister Mary Alma Ryan. Sister Mary Alma was appointed superior of the Academy in 1897 and served on the council from 1902 to 1926. But this story from the third history volume, Sister Mary Roger Madden’s The Path Marked Out, gives another side of her story. The narrator of this particular memory is Sister Mary Theodosia Mug, who was Sister Mary Alma’s friend. I’ll turn it over to her:

Sister Mary Alma’s early years in the community were dotted with displays of high spirits and mischief. Domestic employments did not appeal strongly to her. No better sport did she have than to try to elude her turn at washing the supper dishes at the Academy and with another equally delinquent, [quite possibly Mary Theodosia herself] slip away from the “minims” a sled that “Pappy” Guthneck had fashioned, and go coasting down the ravine.

On one such occasion with the happy pair singing “In the moonlight we will wander,” Mother Anastasie, then directress of the school, suddenly appeared on the bank. She chided, “Sisters, what does this mean?” The answer flashed back, “Just working up energy for the dishwashing. Get on, Mother, we will-give you a ride home.” Forcing her down on the sled, they started on a run. Laughable was the sight when the door opened to the sleighing party. Mother Anastasie was game. “Now for my enforced ride, I’ll help you wash the dishes,” she declared. Protest was unavailing.

The duty finished, she marshalled the culprits into the Sisters, recreation room. “Prisoners of war” she explained, “what we do with them?” One said, “Give them two turns at the dishes,” another, “Send them to bed,” but dear Sister Maurice said, “Make them take me for a ride!” Agreed. [Sister Maurice weighed about two hundred and fifty pounds.] Thus they paid their fine and were glad to go to bed when Sister Maurice cried “Enough!”

Sister Mary Alma would say, when reverting to the episode in later years, that an interview the next day with the Mistress of Novices, who kept an eye on the young professed, was of “Historic Importance.”