The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-04-16

emaoiated and feeble, reduced by long fasting
and the rigors of the cold which penetrated
their tattered garments; servants, dismissed
by their masters, who were incapable of main
tanning their accustomed numerous and sump-
tuous establish ments and the numerous de-
pendents upon the labor OF these various class,
| 90, old men, women, and children. grouped
| around their former supporters, or wandered In
| search of support elsewhere.
:, Among the wretohed crowds also might Do
distin pushed, by their long lock, by the rem
nants of their magnificent apparel, by their
carriage and gestures, and by the traces whlch
| habit impresses on the countenance, many
bravoes, who, having lost in the common mis-
cry their criminal means of support, were re-
duoed to an equality of suffering, and with diff
| iculty dragged themselves along the CITY that
they had so often traversed with proud and
ferocious bearing msgnfcently armed and at
tired they now extended with humility the
hand which they had frequently raised
to menace with insolence, or to strike with
treachery.
But the most dense. livid, and hdeous swarm
was that of the villagers. These were seen in
entire families husbands with their wives,
dragging along their little ones, and support
ing in their arms their wretched babies, whilst
their own aged and helpless parents folio wed
behnd,-all focked into the city in hopes of
obtaining bread. Some, whose houses had
been.invaded and despoiled by the soldiery,
had fed in despair; some, to excite compassion
and render their misery more striking. showed
the wounds and bruises they had received in
defending their homes and oti ers, whom
I,
by the two scourges from which no corner of
the country was exempt, sterility and the con-
sequent increase on the price of provisions to
the city, as to the abode of abundance and
pic US muDifoence. The new Corners might
be recognized by their air Of angry astonish-
ment and disappointment at finding such an
excess of misery where they had hoped to be
themselves the peculiar objects of compassion
and benevolence. Here, too, might be recog-
niZed, in all their varieties of ragged habil-
ments, in the midst of their general wretched-
ness. the pale dweller of the marsh, the
bropzed countenance Of the plain or hill coun-
tryman, and the sanguine complexion of the
mountaineer all, however, alike in the hollow
eye, ferocious or insane countenaDce, knotted
hair, long and matted beard, attenuated body
shrivelled skin and bony breast,-all alike re-
duced to the lowest condition of langor, of in
fantine debility.
Heaps ofstraw and stubble were seen along
the walls, and by the guitars, which appeared
to be a particular provision of charity for these
unfortunate creatures there their limbs re-
posed during the night and in the day they
were occupied by those who, exhausted by ia
tigue and 80 ffering, could no longer bear the
weight of their emaciated bodies; sometimes,
upon the damp straw dead body lay extend
ed sometimes, the miserable spark of life was
rekindled in its feeble tenement by timely sue
cor from a hand rich in the means and in the
disposition to do good, the hand of the pious
Frederick.
He had made choice of six priests of ardent
charity and robust constitution and, dividing
them into three companies assigned to each
the third of the city as their charge; they
were accompanied by porters, laden with
food, cordials and clothing. Each morning
these worthy messengers of beuevolence pass
ed through the streets, approached those whom
they beheld stretched on the pavement, aud
gave to each their kindly assistance. Those
| who we've too III to be benefited by temporal
succor received from then the last offices of re.
ligion.
! Their assistance was not limited to present
relief: the good bishop requested them
! y On
cacious and permanent comfort, by giving &c
those who should be in some measure restored
to strength money for their future necessities
| lest returning want should again plunge them
| into wretchedness and misery and to obtain
shelter for others who lay exposed in the
street in the neghboring houses by requesting
their inhabitants to receive the poor an cted
ones rs boarders, whose expenses woulc
be paid by the cardinal himself.
Frederick had not waited for the evil to at
tain its height, in order to exercise his benevo
lence, and to devote all the powers of his minC
towards its amelioration. BY uniting all hi
means, by practising strict economy, by
drawing upon the sums destined to other Lbs
ralitcs, he endeavored to am ass money, in or
der to employ it entirely for those who were
suffering from hunger and its consequences
He bought a quantity of grain, and sent it t.
the most destitute parts of his diocese but a
| the succor was far fr0m adequate TO The neces
sity, he sent with it great quantity OF salt
with which" says Ripnmonti. (lIistoria Pal
ria, decad, V. ill., vi p. $50 relating the fact
the herbs of the field and the leaves of tree
were m lde food for men," He distributed
grain and money to the cura:es of the city
and he himself travelled over it, administerin
aims, and secretly aiding many INDECENT fami
lies. In the episcopal palace, rice was bole
every day, and dealt out to the necessities o
the pc o pie, to the extent of 2C0o measures b.
sides the Sc splendid efforts of single individ
ual, many other excellent persons, though Wit
less powerful means, stroYe to mitigate tn
horrible suAorinGs of the people: of these su
fereTs, thousands struggled to grasp the brot
or other food provided at different quarters
y and TINS prolong for day, at least their miss
L rablc i've hut thousands were still left b
- lid in the STRUGGLE, aud these generally tt
. weakest,-the aged women and children; an
n these night be seen dead aud dying from iHa'
itiou, in every part. But in the midst of the
,, canmities not the loast disposition to insure
u tiUn appeared.
b The void that mortality created each day
: the miserable multitude was each day mo
e than replenished; there was q perpetual co
s. course, at first from the neighbornR village
e then from the moro distant territories, an
< finally, from the Milanese cities.
le The ordinary spectacle of ordinary tim
If La contrast nf r,n,rnifcpDt nDnaral RI