The morning times., 1896-05-10
CREOLE CHARITY.
La SOciete H0Spitaliere and Its De-
cayed Gentlewomen.

Perhaps the most unique and beautiful
charity in America is that Of La Societe
Hospitaliere OF New Orleans. Its me mbers
charge themselves with the housing and
partial maintenance OF as many gentle
women or decayed fortune as their means
will permit
MILE. CORREJOLLES' IDEA.
Early in the '7os there died in New Or
leash certain Mr.. Henderson. who left "a
sum OF money, the interest of which was O
he distributed monthly among the needy in
the American quarter. and in the French
district. Mile. Correjolles. a Creole lady.
was chosen as almoner for Frenchtown
and IN the course of her mnistrations found
many ladies of aristocrat tic Inca ge and once
splendid fortune, who had been be ggared by
the war and were now living in ablect and
squalid poverty.
To these women of gentle breeding all of
the privations and hardships OF poverty
We're easy to be borne in comparison with
the poignant misery OF life spent in
squalid tenement. and in contact With a
low, ignorant and often dchaSed class OF
people. This was the daily cruCifixion over
which they groaned and prayed God to
deliver them.
THE SOCIETY SUCCESS
Mile. Correjolles was soon convinced that
if these ladies could be deCentlv housed
and have no rent TO meet they could
manage TO earn enough TO buy their own
food and clothing. But how to compass
this was her great perplexity. However,
ce que femme veut Dieu veut. She began
to work for La Maison Hospitaliere, in
which to shelter some of these unfortunate
ladies. In 1879 she organized La Societe
Hospitaliere on small scale. Member
ship dues were only 10 cents month
but each was to interest as many persons
as possible in the project and to get their
aid. With the money thus raised the So
ciety rented a few rooms and installed
within them limited number of ladies.
But the society grew richer, gave fetes
and fairs. and at last Mile Correioles was
triumphant. La Societe had money
enough to buy house. In March. 1893,
an old time, honle-looking Creole dwelling
was bought. and thirtyfivs ladies', as
many as it could accommodate, were in
yited TO make this their home.
MANAGEMENT OF THE MAISON.
Each lady has her room to herself. and al
the Creole cIings with tenacity to her an
cestral belongings, it so happens that these
rooms are all comfortably furnished some
in antique mahogany or rose wood. with a
few pieces of fine porcelain or crystal or
marble The floors are bare, but beautifully
work of her own menage. The entire place
is a marvel of cleanliness and order.
The one kitchen is common to all, but many
prefer to prepare their meals in their own
rooms.
There are few restrictions imposed, no
more than are usual in any well ordered
family Each ones privacy is inyiolable;
she is as secure from the prying eyes of
curious visitors as though she were in her
own house.
1t is easy to see that the ia miIy code was
framed by lady sympathetic to the hearts
core. And indeed Mile. Core jolIes is
grande dame tot the tips of her fingers, gentle
and soft-voiced, and born organizer La
Societc also furnishes its proteges with coal
and their daily bread. But all are skiilful
needle women, who have as many orders as
they can fill. Several make lace, exquisite
embroideres and artificial flowers for
church affairs. Their earnings are small,
but then their wants are few. They dress
plainly and their simple food, which they
make sayory in the cunning Creole fashion,
does not cost many sous each day. And