The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-10-30
LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR
Their Fine Home for the Aged I'm
Northeast Mtnneapolis.

Sometime ago the Irish Standard pub
lished a sketch of its own Of the Little
Sisters of the Poor and described at
length the grand work they were doing
for the aged poor in this city. The fol-
lowing notice of their home for the
INDECENT is given by the Minneapolis
Times In recent issue:
The convent of the Little Sisters of
the Poor faces Second avenue northeast.
Outwardly 1t Is barren and cold, there
are no artistic tricks of architecture to
break the dreary monotony of it's brick
walls, unless one excerpts the four long
rows of windows from which all day
long one can see the age-furrowed faces
of men and women peering down the
picturesque eXpanse of Second street.
men and women who hear without heed
ing the clang Of the bells from the
electric car, who, with ways confessed,
are expecting nothing more of life, but
who pass their days in saying their
rosaries and in waiting.
Opening the gate of the high palisade
fence. the visitor finds himself in tiny
garden. glowing with scarlet geraniums
and the fiery foliage of the Virginia
creeper which is doing its best to make
a picturesque effect against the wall.
The door is opened by an old woman in
a dark gown partially covered by blue
denim apron and a tiny black shawl.
Her face is framed by the fluted border
OF her quilted hood, lightened by a frill
of white lace. She ushers the stranger
into the tiny reception room on the left
of the hall, and then hurries them away
to call the sister, who receives the WISH
tors. On the other side Of the hall is
tiny room where the little old woman
spends her days. Too blind to read or
to sew, and still able to be about, she
spends her entire time in answering the
bell and in saying her rosary.
The sister comes in smiling a cordial
welcome, and talks freely about the
home and the work being done by her
order, carefully avoiding, meantime, all
subjects bordering on personalities. The
entire work of the institution is carried
on by the Ten Little Sisters, to each Of
whom is allotted certain portion. To
two of them is assigned the work of
canvassnig the city, begging for money
to carry on their work: two others go
out each day in the covered wagon, Wis
iting the bakeries, meat markets and
grocery stores, for supplies; one does
the work in the dormitories, helped now
and then by the old men and women
who are still able to work; another has
charge of the laundry, and she, too, is
helped by the less infirm inmates of
the home; then there is one sister who
has charge of the old ladies' infirmary
and another of the old mems; one to
do the rough work in the kitchen and
one to look after the linen and receive
the visitors. The Mother Superior Is
the engineer, taking the entire care Of
the heating boiler. making the repairs
and doing all the work as thoroughly as
a skilled mechanic.
The old people sleep as late as they
choose in the morning, although many
of them are up in time for mass. but the
Little Sisters are dressed and ready for
morning prayers every morning by 1870.
IF we did not get up at half past we
oh l~ft <1 10
before it is time to commence the days
work." the fair-faced nun volunteered,
dimpling and smiling just as any ordin-
airy young woman would have done I'M
der similar circumstances. 1--WE have
breakfast at half past 6. and then each
one Of us goes to her regular work. We
have days for almost everything, al
though our sweeping and washing days
are every day. Friday is fast day, and
upon that day we perform one of our
most difficult tasks, that of washing the
old peoples feet"
The requirements for entrance to the
convent are very simple. Greed makes
no difference, but no applicants will be
admitted unless they come with recon-
mendations as to their characters; they
must prove that they are absolutely I'M
able to care for themselves, and none
are admitted who are under 60. Drunk
enness is not an objectionable crime in
the eyes of the sisters, and an old man
who drinks to excess is forgiven for the
first two or three offenses, but if lie
persists in his fault he is given choice
between remaining inside the walls for
three months as a penance or leaving
the home altogether.
The chapel is on the first floor of the
convent and runs up two stories, wide
balcony running across one end Of the
second story, furnishes comfortable
place for the invalids to hear the pray
ers without coming downstairs. All day
long one finds. old men and women
kneeling in the chapel, with their heads
bent over the rosaries, mumbling their
prayers, while in the balcony there are
the more infirm inmates who have been
wheeled out upon the balconies. where
they can worship the virgin and count
the beads Of their rosaries for hours at
a time. The entire second floor Of the