Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1877-10-13

man is securely lodged in Jail, with
a fair prospect Of serving term in
the State prison for arson.-Neao
Yorlt Eveai,.g Post.
DEATH OF SISTER MARY THOMAS.
Died at Natchez. Miss, Sept.
22d, Sister Mary Thomas lin the
world Hannah McSwiggan), Sis
ter Servant of ST. Mary's Orphan
Asylum.
She was a native of County Ty-
rome Ireland. In 1880 she became
a Sister of Charity Of St. Vincent
Of Paul, at St. Joseph's Mother
House, Emmittsburg, Md. After
ten years spent there she laborcd
for more than eight years in ST.
Louis, where at one time she took
part in organizing the Cholera Hos
pital. .#l
Since March, 1857, she was in
charge CT the Asylum at Natchez.
During these twenty years she
toiled faithfully and painfully, uev:
err shrinking from labor or priva-
ton, never failing in her trust in
Divine Providence. She found
sixty orphans crowded together in
two very small buildings. She sue
ceeded in erecting two larger ones
in which both health and comfort
could be better secured. ......
She established within the Asy-
| lum a. sewinp-room, or industrial
school, which Dot only prepared
1.-The orphans to earn their living
more successfully, but likewise,
when Natchez was more prosperous,
enabled them to contribute largely
to the support Of the institution.
To her energy and activity we
have been chiefly indebted for the
success of our Orphans Fairs, not
only through the work shy accom-
plished herself, but through the
zeal and encouragement which her
example gave to others.
We can hardly doubt that her
life was shortened by her bodily
exposure and her mental solicit
tude for the welfare of the children
entrusted TO her. Every winter
she. would visit various lcvees to
solicit help from the charitable
workmen. This always cost her
much suffering: because on steam~
boat she was afflicted with such
nervousness as kept her awake all
night. But it likewise exposed her
to all the changes Of the weather,
at. all hours Of the night and in
places where even rough men could
not find comfort ; i'll circumstances,
sometimes, When the captain OF the
boat thought it serious = dangerous
for her 10 land.
She had an nnbounded trust in
God, as she had an nnbnundcd gen~
e. o*ity towards Him This she
manifested, Tot only By her sri I
Of self sacrifice, but by her love
likewise for "the beauty Of Ills
house and the place where His glo-
ry dwe!leth." In all her poverty
she contrivcd to decorate beautiful>
ly, even richly, the chapel Of the
Asylum (; not diver ting means from
the necessities of her children, but
by applying her personal labors
and those Of her Sisters and by
communicating to others her own
spirit of love for the Blessed Sacra.
ment. During her last sickness,
the period occurred at which every
year the Alteration Of the Forty
Hours is held in the chapel Of tie
Asylum. When it was proposed
to defer it, lest the crowd of visi-
tors to the chapel through three
successive days might give her dis
turbancc and increase her suffer-
ings, she begged that it might go
on as usual. She would gladly bear
the disturbance for the sake Of hav-
ing our Lord honored, and for the
blessings it would bring to her and
the Community.
Her wish was gratifed. She
seemed even cheered and strength
ened during the exposition, and
there were hopes of her recovery.
But our Lord was satisfied with
her labors, and He called her to
her crown.
Strengthened and consoled by all
the blessings OF the Church, in the
full enjoyment of her senses, sur
rounded by her Sisters, by the Cler~
gy end by he" orphans, many OF
them settled in lie and some of
whom had made long journeys to
visit her in her sickness, quietly
and ncaceiuilQ as she had lived.