The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-07-12
- NEW ORLEANS, SUNDAY MORNING, JULY 1g, 1865
MRS. DEL BAL.


We make the following extracts from the
work noticed in another column under the
head of "New> Publications." 1t shows how
early and efficiently this young woman,-
who died, as we would say in our short
sigltedness, prematurely-began her Chris
tian career:
During her leisure hours, "to instruct
the ignorant was one of the acts of mercy
of which she was very fond. More than
one of the servants We're taught to read and
write by her. One of her pupils, whose
history is romantic one, will remember
with lifelong gratitude the valuable instruc-
tions she received. Madame Va Bien's las
ment was one patrOnized by the most fash
ionable aud recklessly extravagant of New
York ladies. Among her sewing girls was
one who worked faithfully and uncom-
plainingly, early and late, till Saturday
night; but tho clock had struck twelve, and
she rose to leave Madame Va Bien expos
tulated. 1t was not possible to disappeint
her customers, and the girls must finish the
dresses. No inducement could persuade
Kate to work on Sunday morning; but,
with her departure she received her dis
missal from her employer. She was very
poor, and this was q severe trial. -
In vain she sought another place as dress
maker, so she offered herself as nurse in
Mrs. Whites family until one could be pro-
cured. Her beauty and ladylke manners
attracted the attention of a gentleman, very
much her superior, who had seen her come
and go to her work during her stay with
Madame Va Bien, and from this person
he learned that her goodness and piety OK
ceeded her personal charms.
At first, she would not receive his atten-
| tions, feeling her inferiority but, after a
years probation to test his love, he was &C
copied. Being a foreigner, and not under
standing English well, he had not discov-
cred the young wife's deficiencies in educa-
! ton until several months after their mar.
riage, when, to his great sorrow, he learned
that she could neither read nor write!
To Jenny she opened this painful secret
of her heart, and craved advice what to do
to remedy this evil. Without delay, Jenny
commenced a course of instruction, and
encouraged her to be faithful in the perfor-
nance of every duty that could make his
home happy.
He gave up all society to hide her igno-
rance and spare her feelings,--a sacrifice
and devotedness appreciated by Kate,
which strengthened her will and quickened
her intellect. Her progress was, therefore,
remarkable.
A year only elapsed after their marriage
before her husband fell o victim to fever !;
and the young widow received letter in
due time, from Europe, from her father-in-
law, urging her to go to his home, and be-
come the loved daughter of their sorroXing
hearts.
Here was new motive to pursu her
studies with Jenny with redoubledS exer-
ton. She remained two months longer,
daily going to Jennys studio, where she
sat two or three hours by her side, day
after day, dociic as a child, looking up to
her young teacher with mingled veneration
and admiration, her own loneliness height
ened by the shade of sorrow that had fallen
upon her beautiful face.
With sad forebodings and sinking heart
Kate parted from her little benefactress, to
60 to her husbands home.
Ever striving to conceal from her new
friends the weary weight that lay upon her
healthier want of education,-hcr zach
began to decline. But steamer after steamer
brought her hundreds of written pages of
instruction, which she eagerly .devoured,
like one in extreme hunger.
Thrown into society to which she had
been unaccustomed, it was difficult at first
to her to conform with ease to its etiquette
and requirements; but even on these points
she had received lessons from Jenny. And
who will be surprised to learn that, after
two or three years, these instructions were
so blessed that the young widow no longer
blushed for ignorance, for which she had at
one time nearly died broken hearted
Now, so pleasing were her manners and
conversation that she was obliged to enter
tain foreign visitors at her father-i Flaws
house. On account of her knowledge of
both English and French (the latter Ian
puaee she had learned since her arrival in
Europe) they found her delightful com
panion.
The struggle to improve, and the effort
to conceal her trouble, rendered Hates
delicacy a cause of alarm. The doctor find
ing it difficult to overcome the debility, for
which he could find no apparent cause, adj
vised her to go to Baden Baden, for change
of air and scene. Here, yelled in deep
mourning, she sought the seclusion of her
room; but she was forced to mingle in the
crowd, and soon became an unwilling
belle OF this she wrote to Jenny, to whom
she confided every change of circumstance,
and from whom she still obtained letters