Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1879-05-15
ST. MISSION.
Servioe-Easter Sunday Feasts-In-
dian Speeches-What they Need.

this mission. it is made a place of general
learning, and now has two schools, one for
boys and one for girls-young Indians. B.
f. Williams, late of Comba's company 7th
infantry, is the teacher of the boys. They
are learned to read, write and work. The
material tor an industrial college is on the
ground and is to be erected as soon as crops
are harvested. The girls school is con-
Quoted by the Sisters of Charity, and is in
deed a fine institution of learning. My Wis
it to the school was truly enjoyable, and [
am indebted to sisters Mary, Paulmiki,
Remi, Jene de Chantal, and Mary of Trim
ty, for courtesies shown. The school is sur
rounded by a high, close board fence, en-
closing within it about one acre of land. In
the yard they have a beautiful garden and
orchard. They raise strawberries in great
quantities. The apple and plum trees were
the largest | have seen, and fruit buds were
abundant. The Sisters home and school is
in one building, two and a half stories high,
probably 100x50 feet. On each floor there
is a hall running lengthwise through it. The
house is cut up into probably a dozen
rooms, all neatly but plainly furnished.
The school room is on the second floor. 1t
was recess and the girls were enjoying
themselves, but We entered and silence
reigned. At the bidding Of the sisters some
recitations and songs were given by the
younger ones. Then they were told to
show us their copy-books and our whole
party were abashed to acknowledge that
young Indian girls of Is years and less could
write so well-better than we, many of
them exhibiting penmanship equal to any
school in the country. The third story is
used for the sleeping apartment, and q coy
place it is. Each scholar has her own apart
ment and IS required to make her own bed
clothes and wearing apparel, all of which is
kept as clean and tidy as could be desired
by the most fastidious. The best room Wis
tied was at the south corner, where the sun
shone in brightly. 1t is the sisters place of
worship. The altar is delicate in design,
yet so supremacy elegant that one could not
kneel there at the feet of the images of Ma
ry and Christ without being touched by the
thoughts of Gods presence. | remember
when Sister Mary came D~iamondWard some
years ago to have contributed S to the
cause, but [ never realized until this visit
the extent of the good work being lone by
these noble Sisters of Charity. AT early
dawn of Easter Sunday, Indians, mostly
women, were seen passing to the church
where they went to knecl at the altar, be-
fore the morning meal. The ten O'Clock
mass, however, was the grandest church.
going scene l have witnessed. went in
side and took a seat. There was just room
and no space left, for there were Indians on
every side of me, filling the church to a per-
feet jam. Mass was gone through with, the
repeating the prayers. Then | lis
tened with good attention to the eloquent
divine Father Geordia deliver a sermon in
the Indian tongue. Though l could not un
much of it, | enjoyed it, for he is a
fluent speaker of the Indian language. The
incest part of the services was the singing
of the "gloria," in which the Indians are
very proficient. At noon the service was
and the Indians repaired to the
yard to partake ofthe feast which had been
in preparation all day, and consisted mainly
Of fat beeves and potatoes presented them
by the priests. Before this meal was served
the women seated themselves OH the ground
in two large circles around the stewing pots
and the men clustered about in the rear, ex-
cept the chiefs, who dined at the priests ia
BILE, after we were through. While seated
awaiting the repast, speeches were made by
one or two chiefs. The first speaker was
Enyas, a Kootenay chief. He stood up in
the centre of the circle and said: .Three