Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-05-10
A Rnaurifnl Sinner.

Nearly on the western limits OF
Baltimore, says letter from that
city, is the first house instituted by
the Sisters Of the Good Shepherd in
the United States. The purpose of
this order is the rescue and preser-
walton of fallen women and of the
homeless and destitute female chill
dren who are exposed to tempta-
tions. The Baltimore House OF the
Good Shepherd was originally the
MacTayish mansion, the home of a
family that derived its blood from
the CAROLS, the CaIverts and the
Cations, and during its entire ex-
isfence il has been noted for its de-
votions to the Catholic Church.
Mrs. Emily MacTavish, who do
mated the house and grounds to the
Sisters of the Good Shepherd, died
some twelve years ago. Her
grandmother was the daughter of
Lady Georgiana, Duchess OF Leeds,
one of the three famous Baltimore
beauties of the Cation family who
married in England, and were SO
closely related by wedlock to the
Duke of Wellington and the Mar
quis of Wellesley. The cid man.
sion is still a part of the modern
Institution, and its broad front,
wide porch and angled wings look
out upon the garden planted in the
last century by the dead and gone
beauties of the MaeTayish family,
1t was recently that i had occa-
sion to visit the House of the Good
Shepherd and became possessed oil
the reason why the devout Catho-
lies of the MacTaviSh family have
surrendered to the Church SO much
of their money and lands. Miss
Emily MacTavish,a woman of great
beauty-and leader of the highest
social circles of Maryland, has
Just taken the black veil in the Con
vent of the Visitation, and had
protested her wish to become one oil
the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
Her abandonment of the world o.
society had created sensation that
was the most immediate and prom
inent topic of conversation, and
even newspaper discussion.
She had bequeathed the larger
portion of her money to the church,
and those who saw the ceremony Of
her entrance into the nunnery will
never forget its solemnity. When
she came to the front of the altar,
clad in her white satin robes, there
were many regrets expressed thai
she was thenceforth to be dead to
the world. But, if there is solid
truth in the idea of YicariouS sac
rifice, she was an offering and an
atonement for the sins of one of her
ancestors.
Passing through the hallway Of
the House of the Good Shepherd l
entered the audience or reception
room, just beyond which the Sis
tiers were moving about in their
white flannel garments. On the
wall of this room is an oil painting
"a life-size picture of lovely
woman In the bloom of youth.
Her abundant black hair is conbed
and pulled at the sides, in conso-
nance with the style of forty years
ago. Her dress is low-necked, and
the splendid neck and bosom are
not hidden from sight.
"Who," l asked Rev. Father
VI hAA~ AA0NA
tuition, sis that woman 2"
The picture is that of Margaret
MacTaVish, and Margaret MacTav-
ish became the famous Mrs. How
ard, the mistress OF the Emperor
Napoleon III, and the only woman
of whom the Empress Eugene was
ever jealous. Margaret went with
some members of her family to
England about the year 1850 and
married there Capt. Howard, an
officer in the English army, and
connection of the HOwards of Nor
folk. She was in Paris at the time
of the coup d'erat, and engaged the
attention of Napoleon. 1t is not
known where or when she died,
and perhaps the sole relic of her
splendid and guilty life is the pic
ture upon the wall of the House OF
Good Shepherd in Baltimore.
"And now" a Catholic priest
asked me, lean you wonder that
the MacTavish family are still
doing penance for the guilt of Mar
garet? In their view her sin was
all the greater because it was SO
nearly associated with an imperial
throne. Napoleon undoubtedly
loved the woman, and her affection
for him is not subject to questioning.
The family have given thousands
upon thousands of dollars to Cath
Ole benevolent purposes, but their
interest still centers upon this ref.
uge for the wretched and fallen,
and which might be given their
name if the rules of the church per-
mitted it,"