The sun., 1873-02-01
roiisiou.y preserved by the Sisters. looked up

the child. The baby brought by q poor trom-
unhemmcd muslin in which TO wrap her " sis
ters baby to bring 1t to the Sisters, receives as
much care and the same attentions az arc
given TO the little dainty midnight founding.
From week 10 week the Sun reporter visited the
asylum for more than year, and patiently
very remarkable fact that the FIRST donation
made to the asylum was by Protestant lady, Mrs.
TX. b. Connolly. She afterward collected from
among her personal friends and ncquaintances
over $4,000, and says that she never could have
Seen for The puSe % Interest s eIeted IN favor OF
the institution; meInly owing to the reports
week to %soE shs interest and
until finally the matter was taken In hand ny the
enardian"sp f of tie % city. and now tho New YORK
Founding Asylum Is enrolled among the regular
city s6arss 1 II = indeed noble lnstisn,on; N
the Sisters Of Chartyin the matter. These same
sisters are not, as many snppose,an old European
institution engrafted on this country. They are
apurey American society a new order In the
Church Of Rome, born ON American soil, and the
offspring Of an American mother.
VINO ARE Our SISTERS OF CHARITYt
Every New Yorker from the time he is nine
years old, knows, or thinks he knows, who the
Sisters OF Charity are. He sees them everywhere
along the streets, in their long black bonnets,
and plain black habits, and long shawls and he
knows they are visiting the sick or the prisoners
at the hospitals or going to their daily labors In
the numerous free parochial schools attached to
every Roman Catholic church In the city. They
Battery to the Park, and from the North to the
East 'river. They are as ubiquitous as SUN re-
porters, or policemen, or beggars or bootblacks,
or newsboys There Is a look OF thorough dis
clpline abOut each one OF them, which gives a
certain high bred charm to their manner and
appearance. But more than that, on the chas-
tened, luminous face of each sister Is plainly
written, " This Ia a woman who works, watches,
and prays, and enjoys It,.
They are disciplined disciplined as a regi-
ment Of soldiers. At
MT. ST. vINcESr's
on the Hudson. just below Yonkers, ia
their Mother House, where their noylces
are received and trained for the work
they are TO do IN the world. Here the postu-
lants must spend at least six months Of their
two-year novitiate, learning the habits OF self
abnegation necessary for a sister for theirs Is
not an easy llie; They must be trained TO- rise rise
evening to assist at mass every morning before
breakfasting TO be employed every hour In the
prayers contemplation, study or recreation, for
when the recreation hour comes they must
all this, nor does he know that there are over
hye hundred OF these sisters belonging to this
Mother House alone, and that they have over
sixty charitable, educational, and industrial in
stitutions under their charge, dotting the whole
city Of New York, and extending into Brooklyn,
Jersey City, Providence, and New Haven, all
branch houses or missions of Mt. st. Vincent's.
These Institutions consist of orphan asylums
hospitals, homes for the aged and homes for
destitute children and young women. boarding
schools for girls and boarding schools for boys,
and free schools for both boys and girls, besides
chester county, and the New York Founding
Asylum. Neither do most New Workers. par
useful association Of religious and charitable
women were first organized in this country by
A NEW ENGLAND LADY,
and a convert to. the Roman Catholic Church.
Barclay street, Mrs. Catherine Seton, n widow
the mother Of several children, and a lady who
a. "a Protestant, presented herself before the
altar TO be received into the bosom of the
Church. She had not at that time the remotest
idea OF founding religious order; but In less
than four years the religious element In her
character, which had always been marked from
childhood found its development In that direc-
ton, overcoming all obstacles In the way of
family ties and social influences. She attracted
other ladies to her, and together they became
the founders of the first new order of the Church
for women on the American continent. one Of
her daughters Is now an ex-Superior in CON
one of her sons Is priest exercising the duties
Of the Paph Nuncio u this archdiocese and tie
daughters. the Sisters OF Charity, are scattered
all over this great Republic.
THE DOMAIN OF TIE SISTERS
Nj. St Nircent's IL one Of the most heauti-
ful Of FL the beautiful localities ON the Hudson
S.Sty acres OF ground, parks, lawns, and ter
raced gardens surround the magnificent build
ings. The convent aud academy, IN one building,
terraces into which the Mount ia cut by the land
scape. gardener. In the centre is q lofty bell
tour, from whose giddy height magnificent views
are to be had of all the surrounding cities, New
York included, and AN immense tract Of country
up and down the Hudson.
FONT HILL CASTLE,
the creation and one time home Of Edwin For
r. AZ, the tragedian, Hanks the convent on tho
north, occupying terrace Just below that build
ing. Forrest sold his beautiful home to the Sis
tiers At very low price, and made them frequent
visits till the time Of his death. The castle adds
much 10 the picturesque beauty uf the domain,
but since the erection OF their convent IL
IL unoccupied by the Sisters In IL are
apartments for the Archbishop. whenever
ne makes semi-annual visit to the
Mount. The chaplain, physician, and necessary
servants for such an immense establishment
also have rooms In the building In the top OF
the loitiest tower Of the castle is little cham
her reached by narrow, winding stone stair
case. Here during the day sleeps the night
watchran, who guards the whole premises
through the night.
The grounds around the castle and convent
are always in the highest state OF cultivation,
and rare plants and flowers adorn those par
terres and terraces whose artistic beauty was
created by the hand Of some master artist land
scape gardener. In tho months OF May and
june when the school l. in session. and the three
hundred pupils are seen sporting among those
rayines and terraces blooming with roses and
hydrangeas, lllacs and gcraniums, and other
cloud-shadows flying over the whole domain,
river, park, gardens, and lawn a more enchant-
ing scene could not be Imagined.
IL Is from their paying schools that most Of
the revenues OF the Sisters of Charity are
drawn. Each Sister brings with her dowry
when she enters her novitiate, and sometimes
handsome donations and legacies are received
by them from Gious and devoted members OF
their church, Their growth and progress In this
ara xKpnharftl