The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-03-06

outreaching finite. The Sisters long,
gray day begins with prayer.
Distributed throughout various
districts of the East End is the days
work, visiting the poor, nursing and
teaching. The evenings are not rest.
For then come the classes,-the up
roarious, bald, ignorant mirth of the
poor. To interest them one evening
in American products (for they had
looked at us with kind of sad, dis
appointed awe that we were not cop
per colored squaws, lovely lady-can-
nibdls, or choice Mexican princesses
dangling in wampum), we presented
to them some American bananas left
over from our large voyage basket of
fruit. They took them at first eager
Iy. Then one of the girls slipped
nervously up to the Mother Superior,
and whispered, half shyly, but with
the hungry, restless under lip of the
poor:
THE American lady's fruit is aw-
fully jolly. But we can't bite through
i'll"
Turning around, it almost upset
the gravity of the Mexican princes
ses" to behold the long row of melan
choly faces working fiercely, both
hands up, jaw distended, eyes start
ing, teeth set at the north end of
banana!
Games, billiards, singing and acting
furnish great entertainment. The
Sisters have every sort of amusement
for the noisy crowd in the class
rooms. l remember that, to make
herself one with them, the mother of
St. Savior's Priory danced with one
and then with another. It was an
odd sight, half pathetic, wholly
comical, but arousing genuine en-
thusiasm and some sudden and very
| profitable reflections. Around and
around went the nuns stiff little
Numbered bonnet, bobbing in the
waltz breeze; its partner big brawny
workman, WI ose schooner feet going
five knots on a wind, vainly strove
with the grace of the little nun skim
ming like butterfly on blue bill
low. | felt queer lump come in my
throat as | watched them. And there
was an unashamed drop upon my
cheek, even though my lips twitched.
For remember, this little Mother Su-
perior is lady from one of the great
families of England, with the natural
and national class-instinct in her
blood, with the reserve and the hau
teur of the high born. But the daily
gaze, before her altar, upon the face
of the Son of Man has taught her new
truths. God bless them! | care not
to what denomination" they belong.
They ring true in the currency of
Gods great bank.
But they have one pet and play
thing for their own leisure hours
(alas, how fewD, and that is Dandy.
Dandy is the dog of the community.
And how he came by his name is
standing marvel-in Sisterhood,
Possibly, Dandy is cross between
the Dandie Dinmont and the Irish
terrier. Such twinkle in his eye has
the convent Dandy that you wait for
agood Irish joke to go off, and you
feel that Mr.. Dandy has any amount
of rich things concealed behind that
shaggy, grotesque forehead. Dandy
can bear any amount of work. Only
he doesn't work. And his consttu-
ton gives him no trouble. make a
mistake. There is work to be done
for the convent, = catching.
The damp cellars are fine preserves.
Dandy is good ard game dog; and
his workmanlike jacket makes even
rats turn pale aud reflect upon other
forequarters. Where Dandy cane
from no one knows. He is not on the
convent register. He just occurred
Dear Dandy.
When a Sister comes home weary,
alone at heart, depressed, solitary
there is Dandy His leap and well
come are magnificent. His dear kiss
right upon your brow warns up the
conventual heart You see, all
through the silence hours in the con-
vents day, Dandy has moored his
big bark in the lee of the chapel.
Aud now it is his turn.
And then his uncriticising devo-
tion 1t matters not whether your
gown be torn, stained with work, or
old. 1t is all the same to Dandy. |
think in his former incarnation Dandy
was a Greek, and wrote those fam
Gus words, "Adversity tests our
friends, not prosperity" Loyal old
Dandy!
Dandy goes into vespers effectively.
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