The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-22
MORE ABOUT uNF0RTuNATEs.
A HsIsna Inatltution Whtsi Assists Thorn
IN the Road tn lRss0rm.

1
A Mslsaa Inatltutlon Whish Assists Thorn
IN the Road Ia RsS1rm.
To The INnnpxNpsNT:-lS sssma that w
now have reached tho second chapter In tue
question Of unlortunase girls. Tho chart
table persons who have taken an interest In
the good cause already understAnd thatit II
not enough 20 den0unce Ahs evil and 10
point ont tts dreadful consequences. They
mean 70 come 10 thu rssoue Of those fallen
women and TO fAiss them from shame and
DISGRACE. to tfus christain wotnenhood.
What strikes me very much In Aamie's
article in Friday mornings IN~DgrKNDENT.
y ths following: After telling us all about
~ noble and p~raiseworthy efforts Of MIS-.
WHITTIER Of Seattle. she goes on saying, us
there 2 woman who will volunteer Tor
this work? Huch i home In Helena would
bc . blessing, and ! really and truly believe
that u would have the support Ut Our bOst
citizens" IL II possible tilnt "Mumie'' 10
boasts OF possessing . homo Tor fallen
womenl Docs she not know the conyent
Of the Sisters Of the Good Shepherd, corner
OF Ninth avenue and H0bacl? II she is 40
exceedingly anxious TO help ths poor unfor-
eunats pills. how u II that she has never
heard of that institution. or at least, that
she does not even aIlude TO il?
The Sisters Of tho Good Shepherd opened
their homo in this city early in the spring
OF 1890. They have not worked for motor
iety, nor do all their noble deeds appear In
We daily newspaper they ere satisfied
sacrifice ID kept In the book Of eternal life.
At present there are eight sisters, and nine.
teen inmates. Most OF the children, rs the
good sisters like to call thsm, are young
persons who have come to the convent Of
their own free will. simply because tho
| nPAro NJ fAnN rnado than rnAarnfau nd hnW
desperately deep they. we're fallen into the
abyss OF vice and dishonor; others are sent
there by the city authorities. and . few of
the younger ones are brought to the con-
vent ~ their parents because they were in
n path d d :hsm. an. 81 d snssa,es r fhs
last class usually remain but a
short time. l mean, until they are
determined to lead q useful, virtuous life.
From the spring Of 1890 up to this day.
ift,-two gitls have entered the blessed
home. Some of them have left it to return
10 their parents. and others have found en-
ployment in excellent families, whore they
really ersevere in the good resolutions
taken while they were with the sisters. II
goes without saying that there 10 no ques-
ton Of distinction - far ~ religious creed
or nationality arc concerned. No pen will
ever describe the change that comes over
those unfortunate creatures. after q
short stay with the sisters. When they
enter the convent, their bodily constitution
10 usually completely broken down, their
heart 10 weak, and still weaker is their
mind. After six months, however. they
generally look like the very picture Of
health, and many Of them are determined
mover to leave the sisters any more. They
have religious services nearly every morn
ing. The laundry, which by the way 10
very we'll pntronized at present, gives them
steady and useful occupation. They have
sewing and knitting and are taught to do
their own cooking. Besides nil this they
have a regular school room where the sisters
teach reading and writing, history, arith-
metic, etc. Ia not this the kind of institu-
ton that Mamie wantsp Must I speak of
the amusements, pastimes and rocreations
of the "children" OF the Good Shepherd?
They have two parlor organs at the con-
vent and An excellent hand organ. When
the weather is fair they are at the elegant
swing or at the game of croquet in the gar
den; in bad weather they spend thor leis-
ure hours in tho recreation room. where
they find an abundance of harmless. inno-
cent games. They have a pretty good choir,
directed by one of the children. and they
find talent enough among themselves to get
up little entertainments with vocal and in
strumental selections and comedies nnC
farces on the programme.
might gay q great deal more about thu
House OF the Good Shepherd, but | vii
preserve 1t for another occasion. I fee
confident that from the above short ex'
plantations. Mamie will feel convinced tina
the queen city of the Rockies is not behint
Seattle in anv way, when there ia q 1estfol
Of true Christian charity. HELENA MAN.