, 1890-08-28
SHE MAY BE MADE A SAINT.
The Life Work of an Indian Maiden
Comm em rated.
fAlbany Argus.

(Albany Argus.
Wednesday was a great day for
the thriving little town of Laprairle,
Canada, being, among other things,
the occasion of the blessing of the
granite monument at La Tortue
over the grave of Catharine Tega-
kouita. The streets were decorated
with triumphal arches, one very
beautiful arch of white and colored
letters having n very pretty effect.
There was distinguished gather
ing of prelates and priests present,
among whom were his grace, Arch
bishop Fabre, Bishop Gravel, of
Nicolet; Father Drummond, 5. j.,
rector of st. Mary's college; Father
Burtin, of the Oblats; Father Be
mott, canon regular of the Immac-
ulate Conception, and lately arrived
from France; Father Dorval, supe-
rior of the College of pAssomption,
and about sixty other priests.
At l o'clock start was made
for La Cote st. Catherine, the place
where Catherine died, and which is
named after her. 1t is commonly
called La Tortue. Steps have not
vet been taken for her canonization,
but the Baltimore plenary council
recommended that the matter
should be taken. The tomb Is the
gift of Father Walworth, the dis
tinguished antiquarian, whose niece
has Just finished the beautiful life
of Catherine Tegakouita, which will
soon be published. Some years ago
when Kateri's canonization was
first suggested, and 1t became nec-
essary to recover some relics, the
grave was opened and several mol
dering limb bones were found.
These were placed in charge of the
cure of Caughnawaga, and they are
now in the charge OF Father Bur
tin, the resident missionary. The
brown bones are kept in n linen
napkin, in q small tox, which be-
sides contains a document signed
by successive missionaries, testify
| ing as to these being the bones
handed to them by their predeces-
sors. The box Is kept in n safe in
the vestry, along with the gold
embroidered vestments, presented
to the little church by Napoleon
Ill, and other valuable possessions
of the parish. She was buried at
| the spot where the tomb now is,
but as the Indians continued TO
move up the river, they took her re-
mains with them; the veneration in
which she was held from her death
in 1860 enduring among the In
dians to the present time.
She was born In 1856, and even in
her early childhood showed a great
love of modesty, retirement and
PRAYER, and lived a Christian life
before being baptized. She WIS re-
ceived into the church In 1876, and
during the four years of her Christ
ian life she edited everyone by her
sweetness and amiability and her
constant self-denlal.
She was the niece of the great
chief, Tegakouita. Her uncle had
at first done nothing to prevent her
attending the chapel or performing
her devotions, but prosecutions soon
came when she declared that she
would not go into the field TO work
on Sunday. They endeavored in
vain to starve her into subsection
by taking all food away with them,
leaving her to fast all lday, unless she
came to them, when they inten ded
to compel her to work. She cheer
fully bore the modification rather
than offend God by neglecting to
sanctify the Lords day. The ex-
ample and services of Catherine
proved q great benefit to the mission
ary, but the latter being in constant
fear Of the girls friends urged her to
20 to the new settlement at Christ
Ian Iroquois at Laprairle, the
nucleus Of the present Caughnawa-
"a tribe. Her uncle, who, in the
system of Iroquois relationship,
stood In the stead of n father, would
not consent to her departure. She
did not quail, however, and at last
went to 1.aprairle with her brother
iil-law, who chanced to be going
over there with resolute CHIEF
named Hot Cinders." She taught
in the Laprairie settlement, then
known by tho name OF Sault st.
Louis dc Montreal, name now
borne by the parish of Caughna-
waga, and died there after life OF
continued piety.
During her life time Catherine Is
said to have performed many mir
acles. After her death it was GUS