ropean nationalities in general than in our own.
Both Americans were much liked and respected by all their new-found
brethren, though Brother Hecker, for reasons soon to be told, was
sometimes ridiculed in a way that distressed him. Brother Walworth,
having studied much before entering the order, was placed at once in
the theological department and Brother Hecker in the philosophical.
The former was even dispensed from one year of his theology, taking
but two years of the three which formed the full course. The
difference of studies separated the two companions almost wholly from
each other, members of the two departments not being allowed even to
speak together except on extraordinary occasions.

All went smoothly with Brother Walworth. Not so with Brother Hecker,
who was expected to make two years of philosophy and meantime to
increase his stock of Latin. But his faculties had been subjected to
spiritual experiences of so absorbing a nature that he found study
impossible. And when Brother Walworth was in due course ordained
priest, in August, 1848, his companion was stuck fast where he had
begun. It need not be said that so earnest a soul made every effort
to study, but all was in vain. In the statement made in Rome ten
years later, and referred to before, we find the following:

"My wish was to make a thorough course (of studies) and begin with
philosophy. This the superior granted. My intellect in all scientific
(scholastic) matters seemed stupid, it was with great difficulty that
its attention could be kept on them for a few moments, and my memory
retained of these things nothing. At the close of the first year (at
Wittem) all ability to pursue my studies had altogether departed.
This state of things perplexed my superiors, and on being asked what
they could do with me, my answer was, 'One of three things: make me a
lay brother; send me to a contemplative order which does not require
scientific (scholastic) studies; or allow me to pursue, at my free
moments, my studies by myself.' Instead of either of these they gave
me charge of the sick, which was my sole (regular) occupation for the
whole year following. During this year my stupidity augmented and
reduced me to a state next to folly, and it was my delight to be
treated as a fool. One day, when my fellow-students were treating me
as such, and throwing earth at me, an ancient father, venerated for
his gifts and virtues, suddenly turned around to them and with
em