Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1870-10-22
The sislsr oT charity.
D-iails u ihs Fr.nr, lTassisn War. ir.l,l.iri n
,..s iIsa.h ~ p.is' Husli, - Msla

liug some short details 10 these simple bat
admirable faelsi II vas az lieisoh0hrn, q
rslisieuse followed our troops heating a
retreat Allat once she si0ppel-a sol-
der had fallen aud she heard his cry. An
instant amer she Was by tie wounded who
she cared for, and who she e0nsolel, =
Her holy work being ended, and her fR-
ger to the mont drawing the sigh Of the
cross, when she was ,,qWekly interrupted.
A cannon ball tore OF both lar legs, aud
she fell dead upon the Wounlsd, Her
name, what Is IL Who eau she boz She
has none, She ita Sister Of Charity,
These brave women are 0llen the daush-
iers Of the people, the poor eonsoling aud
nursing the poor. But how many times,
also, they are daughters Of high rank, who
renonnee the hno laees, Tor the coarse hab-
iIi the irinkais 70 the black bead, aud
their paintings one print Of the thorn
crowned head Their rank, even their
name, have disappeared, All that remains
Is but the Sister Of Charity; that Is TO say,
woman the most noble, and the most ele-
waited OF the social order, and an express
sion the most touching cf christianity.
She il the providence OF all these who sul'
fer. At the FIRST cry that she hears, heroic
and deyotol, always calm, she rises, aud
goes to the sueeor Of the orphan abandoned
TO tho widow, without support, aud the sol
dier, covered with wounds and blood.
II Is on the battle field, among the woun-
dci, and the dying, the agony is for her
drama, which she rcnows, at each stroke Of
cannon; she loses an infant in each soldier
expiring at her side, and sho murmurs a
prayer for each death. ~,
One can find Sister OF Charity wherey-
err devotion calls hcr-whcre she has cares
TO lavish, aud many perils 10 confront
You can meet her at The hospital, where Of
ten she dies from the death Of those she
wishes to save, in the prisons, where she
goes from one prisoner TO the other carry
ing to all consolation, counsel and
smile. She is also met on the battle-fsld
where, warrior of Christ, she braves all,
having no armor but her devotion.
She is also the guardian angel OF the
combatant, who, she follows under tho mi
traillc, ready to treat his wounds, and
close his eyes. Then shc is seen kncelng
by the dying to whom che appears the last
earthly consolation, and the first vision
from on high...s".
Yet! have heard people sum up the de-
votion of the Sisters Of Charity, by that
stupid and mpious wcrd, at is her trade;'
yes trade Is humanity degcneratei
enough to cry down that devotion is n
function, and such hcroism an employ
menR....
Ifthcre be, misfortune may one day place
them on the hospital bed, or stretched
wounded on the battlefield, then judge II
the daughters or st. Vincent de Paul serve
but trade l....
Their life abandoned to aublime and glo-
rous traits; who it is knows not Sister Mar
tha, Sister Resale, Sister Antoinette, and
their worthy compeers2 Who knows not
Sister Marguerite, who feeling too weak to
dress the wounds Of those who surrounded
her, madc them approach her bed, and
nursed them with her decaying hands, to
the moment she expired. ~. -.
But why talk of the devotion Of those
women, who are devotion themselves? Vir-
tue without name, heroine without poetry,
saint without legend, the Sister of Charity
lives, and dies forgotten upon an hospital
bed, when she succumbs not away soldiers
on The battle field, or in exile where she
goes to propagate Christianity, because
she belongs to oil countries, and to all the
unfortunates. impossible and resigned,
she departed with crucitlx in hand, for Lap
land or for China, for the Crinea, for lta-
", for the banks Of the Rhine; her white
hood leaves equally the wind Of the North,
and the sun of Asia. The Sister of Chari-
ty has for country the world, and for fami-
ly humanity. -
The same writer continuing The episode: !:
The heroic devotion of the religiouse, of
Beischoffen, awakes in our. mind touch
ing souvenir: 1t was SITTER the Crmean
war I was going from Bale to Strasburg
at Colmar, my wagon was literally inva-
dcd by n swarm of religieuscs. Among
them was one very young and very pretty,
who, With biushing cheeks and down-cast
ewes placed herself by the side of her su
perioro. 1t is, probably, said TO myself, Q
novice who is taken to the convent; and
declare she is well guarded. :. .,.
While ! N sde. this reflection, the arprrr
ent novice, turned herself negligently to
me, when l saw glis,ening on her side,
by the crucitix, the cross of the Legion of
Honor. AT the Same instant, l made qnoth-
er remark-thc youhs religieusc had but
one arrn.... .,..
cannot toll what pressure Of the
heart. and with what sweet admiration,
convinced myselfat the view of that infrmi-
ty, aud that cross, have heard talk of the
heroic role acted by oltr religieuses, on the
field Of battle of Alma and Inkerman; and
believed, without doubt, many traits of
abnegatio and courage Tut that absent
arm and radiant cross, proves TO me
all."s*@
You have seen to the Crimea, sister ?
said on old soldier, who Travelled with us,
at the same time uncovering his head with
respect,-yes, sir, replied the little re ligi-
euse, lowering her eyes. r.. The old man was
curious, he asked thousand questions, but,
with 80 much. urbanity and sympathy, that
tho cenversalion very soon became general
and familiar. Tho little religieuse then
relates this story TO show the gratitude O.
an unbelieEer:' at was at Alma, after the
'attle. | heard not far from me, sigh, a
deep sigh, under tree, and then per-
ceivei, above the horbage, hand that
waived TO me. approached him quickly.
IA vas Russian officer who was dying. /
wished 10 dress his wounds, but with n sad
smile, ne uaue me unuersthnu IL "hS usS-
less. Then approached the cruciix 10 his
mouth, but the unfortunate pushed il gent
ly aside, and still smiling cmbraced."....
"What did he embrace?" asked the old
man. My hand added the little religi-
euse letting fall her veil.
FULBERT DUM0NTEIL.
"Upshrinking where pestilehce scatters his
breath,
Like on angel, she moves, mid the yapors
Of death
Where rOars The rnitrailleuse, and flashes
The sFerd
Unfearing the walks, for she follows her
D, Lord. - ..7
How kindly she bends Ger each plagrs-
tainted face,
with looks that are blighied with holiest
4 grace;
Hou kindly she dresses each suffering
limb,
For she sees in tbe wounded the image Of
Him"
r1To thAi elOeusnt champion Of Right,
Hon. Allen G. Thurman, Of Ohio, We are
iasbisd for psnphlst copies Of tse speeches
Of his; ops delivered, On Naturalization,