Telegram-herald., 1891-12-12
HlRI IS TRUE CHARITY
The Little Sisters Of the Poo and
Their Work.
HOW TIE OLD ARE CARED FOR
In she L. Grave Street Insssssssea-rhs
WssW Of the nsnsisss ssppiisa
with Kindness aud Geatiesssa.
Some of the Inmates.

Snu ~ SaiiSo ttsS u4otuSt kCoc1eis
Her picture hangs in the parlor st the
home on Lsgrsve street. She lives at
the mother-house IN France, where all
who take the vows of the order must
live for two years and receive her b.ess-
ing and that Of the ''father-gsneral"
before they are full-fedged sisters.
There are 1900 IN this mother-house
now. Before going there the aspirant
for orders must live for two years IN
some home as . novitiate. While IN
this preparatory home she must learn
to speak French in addition To her
other duties. The cap that she wears
during that time 10 slightly different
from the o.her slsters', having a tiny
bit OF embroidery around the cape.
Many young women undertake the
work. but their hearts fail them, and
they have toglve II up. They are never
allowed to refuse TO do anything. NO
matter how distasteful il may be TO
them. For instance, when soliciting
q nas, they are sometimes stoned, spit
at, abused-but It makes no difference
70 them, and the very next time they
20 into the neighborhood they call
again at such places
scrupuIous CieanItnsss Demanded.
Just now there are fifty-three old
men and thirty.eight old women in the
home. Eleven sisters, Including the
good mother), do all the work for this
great family, many of them helpless.
Everything 10 marvsllously clean about
the house. and the old people are kept
as clean and fresh as rosebuds. None
OF them are ever allowed 10 put gar
ment on that has . hole in it. or that
needs button. The rules Of the order
| will not allow them TO take q regular
sum for board, but any one having q
friend or relative there may give what
ever sum they wish, from time to time.
The sisters observe all the feast days
of the Church. particularly that of st.
Joseph, their patron saint. On these
days they give all the old people =
"sl read" and they themselves talk at
their meals, thing forbidden on other
days. There Is nothing compulsory
about attending chapel exercises.
Thos. who are protestants may do a.
| they please. Occasionally the protes-
tants are allowed the privileges..of going
| to their own church on Sundays
Care OF tho Old Babies.
The duties of the day are arduous.
The sisters rise at 4:30, Immediately
turn down beds to air, say their prayers.
dre,s themselves, make their beds, aud
at O'Clock are ready to 60 into their
own private prayer room. There they
stay until $50 when they call the old
/ pc ople and dress the old ''babies" as
they call the helpless ones. As soon as
the priest comes, which ID usually about
o'clock. they have mass. After mass
they give the old people their break
| fast, n rule being never 70 eat mouth
ful themselves until all the inmates
have breakfasted. After their own
breakfact, seven of them begin the
vo.k of the house, two of them start
| ing out with the wagon to solicit aims,
and two others going on foot. At ll:30
they again have prayer for themselves
In their private prayer rooms, and
then comes dinner. After all have
| dine1, there are prayers for the old peo-
Pile i'll the chapel. At $50 the old peo-
| pie have supper. and then the sisters
put the "babies" to bed. All of the in
mates show disposition to e. to bed
and get mp with the chickens. At 6:i5
the sisters have their own supper, and
1 tiicu vi MI lOuf t0tN
have recreation" They simply get
together and mend their clothes. From
7:45 until $50 the next morning they
never speak TO each otter, and only to
the old people when II is absolutely
necessary. AT Q O'Clock q bell is rung,
and all the sisters get into bed at the
same minute. Twice during the night
those who are detailed for II make the
4 a. <Nf ek<1k - ak~S
thing is all right. and to see il any of
their charges need anything. In case
Of sickness, some one or more Of them
is up all night. At present only one
inmate, an old man, is sick in bed. A
little table il put beside the sick bed /.
and they usually manage TO have some
tning dainty on 1t for the sick one TO
| eat.
nsartiessness Of . Daughter.
No matter how loathsome or disagree-
able IL 10 to 10 q thing. the sisters never
ask the old people to do IT, but do II
themselves. believing that the greater
the cross is on earth, the greater vii be
their reward In heaven. The good
Mother does her share of all kinds OF
work.
/ One can not help but question why II
is that SO many Old people seem to pe
without friends or means at the even.
ing of long life. Investigation showed
that IN most of the cases at this home
there are as the results of drink. or OF
giving over all their property 10 grasp.
/ ing children who turn the old father and
mother out as soon as they get the
| property. An example of the latter
was old Suse. The story Of the treat
ment of this poor old woman hy her
daughter will scarcely be believed
but Il can be verified. Old SUSIE wasn't
turned out of doors. but she was kept
IN q sfnsl II closet under the stairway
Ill treatment and fear actually drove
her into fits. The little sisters heard Of
the case and persuaded the hesrtless
/ daughter 10 let them take the mother.
After q long residence At the horse. the
old woman died. ana then the daugslter
had the audacIiy 10 ask the sisters n
! bury her. But the mother satd no,
that they had cared for her ss long ~
she lived, but they could DO no more
II the daughter would not pay for
| burial, the city would 50 the daugh
ter got the cheapest coffin possible, and
had the hody taken directly from the
home to the grave yard, before ~,
o'clock IN the morning
- Their Dsssse.
It would be hard work, Il there va,
! nothing else 70 %. for them 20 kesF
the Old people agreeable with each
! other. II can not be otherwise vhen -
rrsny countries. 40 many religions srs
represented some OF them are cEIts
easily satisfied, but others are dsc0n
tented. cToss. hateful. sscsrfsntere8s,
sDd 1r.s4 al sssrts - stsx.r.tafsx, xets y