The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-05-11

In an old tower chow intelligent the mum.
cipality must have been y which was not
greater disad vantage Of being damp and
unhealthy. It bad been formerly used as
a prison, from which the inmates had been
removed for reasons above specified. The
Sisters were satisfied. If any thing sad
dened them, Il was to And charity located,
by city authority, la 40 cold. q home. Men
having done their share, Providence uH
dertook the rest. To-day the Little Sis
tiers have beautiful house erected from
the ruins Of an ancient Franciscan monas-
terry. There are eighty or more aged and
infirm persons nursed Ia the bosom of char
ity by the hands of charits's nobiest daush-
tiers.
In the city of Tours the history of the
foundation of the Little Sisters is still more
touching.
Three members, accompanied by tile
Mother Superioress, opened this establish
ment. AZ first, a house capable Of accom-
lmodating, cay a dozen poor persons. was
was no sooner engaged than found too
narrow for the number of applicants. A
year only had elapsed, when the Sisters
understood that great work was before
them. With their usual confidence, q
house sc o end aSjoinns garden were parohased
all occasions empty, but the measure of
their faith full. The house had been pur-
chased on credit, without means ; the ap-
plicants were received without question.
The number of poor thus constantly in
creased, while the resources OF the Little
Sisters still remained the same. To meet
the wants Of 20 many subjects, unusual
eforts were required. The first soldier
who fell on the new battle field of charity,
was Sister F'elicitas. She was the first
victim offered by the new order. Since
then, how many have bravely fallen, volun-
| tary victims on the altar of self abnega-
tion. -...5 are
At Tours. relates NJ. Leon Aubineau, the
| three Sisters had received seven poor wo
| men there were but two mattresses left.
These were brought together, and were the
bed of the Sisters. Besides these two mat
| tresses there was one sheet, and one only.
| An eighth poor woman arrived; she brings
her bed with her, but no sheets. any
children" aaid the Superioress- General,
"let us cut our sheet in two for this poor
woman sent as by Providence we shall
| sleep as best We may" No sooner said
than done. Two Sisters stretch the sheet.
the good Saperioress takes her scissors, and
is heard at the door: one of the Sisters
goes to open it. A young man presents
himself, and leaves in the hands of the Sis
ter six pairs of sheets. When the Sister
brought these to her companions, the three
knelt, their eyes believed with tears, they
extended to the protectresses of his poor.
In 1868, there were in this house one hun
dred and twenty five aged persons cared
for by the ministration of twelve Little
Sisters. Thus the heroism of it's foundress
produces it's fruits.
"Here are twenty francs, open an estab-
liehment in three months I shall return,
poor, but having little room for me where
in to LODGE. These words were addressed
to the Sister Superioress by the Able
le Pailleur, as he left the city of Nantes
where he had labored, butin vain, for some
time to find the means of establishing a
house for the Little Sisters. Having failed
himself, he confided the work entirely to
the Sisters who had, he knew, an immense
treasure in their poverty. His hopes were
not deceived. The Sisters went to work
with a will at the end of three months,
forty five aged persons slept in peace un-
der the roof which Providence had placed
above them. At Nantes, as elsewhere, the
Little Sisters attracted the attention of
class not reputed as being over religious.
We mean the butchers and tho vendors of
vegetables. "Here is something for your
poor, my good Sister," said one "when
I'll be old, you will have bed ready for
me-" Sister, you're doing finely this morn
of salad along, too,"-and thus through
the whole market the woman without mon
ey gets some of the best of the market
ing.
The sympathy which surrounded the
Sisters at Nantes, was especially manifest
ed in 1854.
A man of great heart, Count d'Uroof de
Saint Bedan, possessed gallery of rare
paintings, valued at very high figures. He
loved these paintings with a love which
only artists or advanced amateurs can nh |
derstand. But still more did he love the
good which he saw could be accom- plished
through his collection. He conceived the |
generous idea of presenting it to the city, |
provided that the latter would give the !
Little Sisters the sum of 10000 francs,
wherewith to build homo for the aged. |
The offer was accepted. To this sum given
by the city, the count added, at various
times in all the sum of sixty nine thousand
francs.
Thanks to this laudable example, Nantes
10 day possesses one of the finest houses
OF the Little Sisters. Ills plain that the |
Able Pailleurs twenty francs have fructi- |
fed. The Little Sisters are there, twenty !
in number. The establishment has very |
desirable plot of ground attached. Every |
thing is complete. Chapel, laundry, bath |