The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-05-14
A via. to the Little Estsn Of the Poor.

The Paris reyolutionists, having sacked i
the churches, feel little heeitancy IN roo
bling the religious orders. 70 give . coio,
ing of legality to their nefarious proceSa
ipgs, they present themselves with an or6e.
to make perquisitions for "conceaie9
weaponsn and I. suspected persons" and
ransack the house. Money and vaiuaoies
are, it appears, considered as c5ntraoand OF
war, and invariably confiscatea, appa;l sn fcy
the benefit of les patriotcs. Recently cap
tain. will, the usual escort, undertook 10
make one of these domiciliary visits at one
of the houses of the Little Sisters rue ZIG
pus. The redoubtable son OF Mars 1mPeIl
ously demanded the production OF the mo-
den treasures of the community, wnen
Mother St. Ignace, the superioress, psese az
ed to him the poor old men WHOM heL W
voted care had preserved from prlVasio Of
and want, even during the horrors Oh 'M 10
siege. Somewhat abashed, the Commun.sS
hammered an explanation that It was
money he meant, whereupon the MoCner
gave him the key of the cash-oox. IL con
tanned but paltry sum IN copper cen.s,
| the offerings of those charitable people, .ne
redeemin o hope of Paris, who would raener
| stint Themselves of their already scanty |
| norton to give q sous to the bonnes fet'tes
| Sgurs. The confusion Of the captain was |
even greater than his disappointment, eno
he returned the key with many aPoiogies'
giving "a an excuse for his previous inso-
fence that he was not aware of the char
| table character of the community"
! The character of the Little Sisters not
known to q Partisan! This was certainly
q strauge assertion. If ever there was :.
blessed charity born OF the people, G aac
inspired order, founded by the poor sewing
giri of St. Servan. In Paris the founda-
tion and growth of their houses, IN the
most populous districts, might be described
one continued miracle sson: ane in nt the
pav capisal. and SO great is the esteem In
Which they are held by the people, that
MANY moor market women have been known
to press upon them the greater portion OF
, their daily earnings, saying WY ne.u
we try to save any morei When we are
infirm and unable to work we shall ind
home near YOU, home happier than We
have ever known. We are paying our own
board in advance" Yes, the Little Sisters
{ are known wherever misfortune exists
: have not vet carried their blessed mission.
During the recent war this universal re-
spect was admirably demonstrated, ana ehe
4 savage German hordes, who com mlteeo
upheard atrocities in France, had notnine
/. Init kindness and regard for the Llttie
. Sisters. Their work was uninterrupted
!, and throughout the invaded distrlcts tnei'
= little carts could be seen with a small am
:. bulancs flag floating over them, going theii
daily rounds. And more than once, the
!. rough soldier would hail the placid young
woman in the black cloak and hood, ans
>. thrust in her hands his half loaf OF breas
~ or slice of meat. Hundreds OF wounueu
a French and Prussians, were taken I'D Che'
- already crowded houses, and they 1oun
Of strength and patience to nurse them Will
- out ueslecting their own old people. Every
70 where the signal protection of God owe
~ these loving creatures, who have put q
u u. their trust in Him, manifested itself In tn
e 90 most evident manner. Towns were oe
to stroyed, buildings adjoining their mouse
Az Az were knocked to pieces by the shells, con
e fiapratiops extended to their right and lei
VI before them and behind them horrors II
=. describable visited their nelghooFs III
~ one Little Sister, not one of their. Ola PEE
A.. pie was hurt, not one OF the houses desefo ..
s0 ed: and. strange to relate, not one OF u
~. inmates suffered from hunger when starV'
40 ton was almost general. =,
es- Were we to narrate all the inciden
81 wherein this divine protection was man
tested, we would fill volume: Leu
ie' faith not only of the Little Sisters, but
AZ the old people who, living with them, ma
OK oa learned to share this abiding trust in u
&c; zoo and in the intercessiOn of His saints.
'ar. town I've do not recollect the name ~
yer now was being shelledt by the PrussiaI
e, e'e CONCENTRATIONS were bursting forth In eve
- direction, and there were scarcely o
co. means to check them. The house on .
I'd. left of that of the Little Sisters TOOK u
-. then shell fell on the DulIutoS on 40 A'S
Do" and the roof was soon abiaze; little WI
~ and that in the rear was burning. AM
co. o. were many helpless old poole in the hon
and no means to remove them oesiu
where should they got there was dam
everywher The Little Sisters, surrou'
lock lock ed by their old people, had assembled
In prayer in the little chapel. Through
rch, ~ rrardep alone separa
Inhn, them. The red cinders were failing II
p" and anon q shell bursting overhead sh'
H E%; the building. "The house will tum
III over us" cried one. "No," exclaimed
~ he old man, "St. Joseph will protect us
E n,s intercede for us. Mother, let US place
Ia "a. statue on the roof!" The statue OF
sane saint was taken from the altar, and tw
es or the old men, climbing 1pon the
esq esq secured it on the gable. Then oil, exc
some the bed ridden, knelt in the garden,
NON recited aloud the litauy, amidst the
s ssu plosion of shells and the crashing of.
saen, bers. Night came, the work of destFuc
seae was complete; but, surrounded by smos
" ed ruins, the home of the homeless stood