The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-10-20

: and her noble com panions toiled upon the fl
over which the- reaper Death bad passed
They bore the orphan babe from . M er's col
I dead srns, homo to their own warm hearts
, they cofined many putrid corpse that r
other hand would touch; they watched besiG
mspy dying bed that knew no other kind,
care, and when like Rnsh, they "tarried littl
in the house" it vas 70 cffer mp their tears an
prayers for the souls thatsDeath had alread
gathered in his arms.
II was in work like this, here in oar sf1ci
ed city, that Sister Augustine met her doom
For only one short year che cleaned within
this f sld to which the Masters voice had call
ed her; but her strong young arms were ladel
| with glorious harvest, and her heroic hear
| counted joyously the work there vss yet K
| do.
Received into the Order only last August
| the term of her poviate had not as yet expired
when the ness anger of death drew near. Bat
for work like hers. 1t was felt tbas the best
recompense would be to allow her to take
those solemn vows which bind the creature
-evocab!y to its God. Ard Iaus on her desth
bed, Sister Augustine at the came time with
Sister Mercedes 8, became a professed member
of the o;der OF Sisters of Mercy happiness
she had indeed coveted, bat whi., .ha l..
eia1Sd, had seemed t- nor ,oo ,,l,t ,,oo. ~
And even as she spoke there came look upon
her face, 50 calm, go pure, 80 bright aud holy,
it seemed as If her guardian angel, watching
ever by her side, had shed from his wings q
splendor to light the closing ecene OF this
young heroine of the Cross.
But the brightnes has all faded now, the
queenly head ia bowed in endless supplicstion,
the dear white hands can CLEAN no more on
any earthly field, the Wiling feet can turn no
more towards the haunts Of grief. the brave
young heart, which even in its last agony.
prompt sd the words my father was q brave
man, and can bs brave too-with the grace
of God!" s cold and pulseless nov; but there
lives and fingers memory that shall brighten
as the years pass on, and name which shall
last in benediction as long as mercy is an at
tribute Of God, and that "endureth for ever"
That memory, although traught with grief
aud agony in these fret moments of bersave-
ment, shall slowly brighten into joy and exult-
nt'oD; and that name for many years to come,
shall be happy hor sebold word both in her
Pennsylvania home and in her cloister ed Sis.
terhood of New Orleans.
But it is to us, thepeople whom she knew not
heretofore" and for whom she "left her father
and her mother, and the land of her nativity
that ter remembrance must ever nrave A
legacy Of love and gratitude and veueration.
Her noble presence, her gifted mind, her rare
ripe wisdom, her well directed energy, her gen
tie prudence, her tender charity, all these were
offered as free gifts for our use and service.
Prudent as Ruth, beautiful as Esther, eager as
Martha, loving Mary, she laid all these
treasures in opr hands and only tsked of Him
for whom she lived 20 King, give me my
life, and that Of my people for whom I
plead!"
Her own life, her bright immortal life, is in
deed secured TO ber in the palace balls of the
King OF kings, where, crowned with an eternal
beauty and clothed with an eternal grace, we
hunb'y trust she etill remsmbereth the sor,
rowing people fo2 wLom she lived aid for
whom she died.
MAY the Lord recoDpeuse her work, and q
full reward be given her OF the Lord God of
Israel Under whoee wings she lad come to
trtsi."