The age-herald., 1900-09-17
FOUR BABIES BORN First Saw the Light of Day in a
 Nuns Cell. SEVERAL FAMILIES REUNITED While the Storm Ragged Without and the Water Rolled Into the Acad-
 emy the New Born Babes
 Were Christened

Galveston, Texas, September 16-The Ur- suline Convent, in charge of the Sisters of St. Angelo, proved a haven of refuge for nearly 1000 homeless and storm driven refu- gees. No one was refused admittance to the 1 sheltering institution. Negroes and whites 1 were taken In without question, and the ] asylum was thrown open to all who sought Its protection wings. In the midst of the storm, the hundreds more negroes grew wild and shouted and sang in true camp meeting style until the nerves of the other refugees were shattered and panic seemed imminent It was then that Mother Superior Josephine rang the chanrel bell and caused a hush of the pandemonium. When quiet had been restored the mother addressed the negroes and told them that 1t was no time nor place for such scenes, and that if they wanted to pray they could do so, from their hearts. and that the Creator of all things would hear their offerings Above the roar of the hurricane, which ragged with fury, she spoke to the awe-strcl5en assem- blaze. The negroes listened attentvely and when the saintly woman told them that all those who wished to be baphsed and re- sign themselves to God could do so, nearly every one of them asked that the sacra- | ment be administered.
 The panic had been precipitated by the l falling of the north wall of that section of | the building in which negroes had sought refuge. Families that had been separated by the conflict of elements. were united by 1 the waters of the gulf tossing them into this haven of refuge.
 l Heart Bleeding Pictures What scenes, what heart-bleeding- pie lures these unions presented as the half dead, mangled and bruised unfortunates, were rescured and dragged from the rag ing waters by the more fortunate members of their own family, mourned as victims of the storm.
 The academy was to have opened for the fall session on Tuesday, and forty-two boarding scholars form all parts of the State had arrived at the convent prepar- | ing to resume their studies, on that day. | The community of nuns comprises forty | Sisters and they, too, there admin | istering cheer and deeds of mercy to the | sufferers many of whom were more dead than alive when the shelter was reached. | In this religious home, and in cells of the | nuns four babies came into this world It | was the darkest and most terrible night in the lives of their mothers and yet the mingled sadness and joy attending the birth of these children was beyond the power of to describe
 Mother Joseph in speaking of the inci- dents of the night within the convent walls, said that she believed that 1t was the first time in the history of the world that baby had been born in the nuns cell in convent. And the christening, for no one expected to live to see the light of day, and 1t was voted that these babes should not leave the world they had just entered without baptism, and regardless of the religious belief of the parents the little ones were baptised.
 Mrs. William Henry Heldeman, who was one of the mothers, and whose new born babe was christened William Henry.
 A Terrible Experience
 The experience of these mothers were terrible. Only a chapter was learned by the reporter as told by Mother Joseph. Mrs. Heldman was thrown on the mercies of the storm when her home went down and was swept away. The family had beer forced to abandon their home to the storm. When Mrs Heldman was carried away on the roof of a wrecked cottage, she lost all trace of the other members of their family, but never lost faith and courage. The roof struck some obstruc- tion and the next instant Mrs. Heldman was hurled from her improvsed raft, and landed in trunk which was rocked on the waters. Cramped up in the trunk, the poor woman, suffering the agones of accouche- ment, was protected by a limb, and was afforded some warmth. On went the trunk, tossed high the sea- pumping against driftwod, until the crude bark was hurled against the Ursuline convent walls, and was hauled into the building. The little babe was born a few hours later, and while the good sisters and some of the women in the building were attending to the mother and child, another chapter to this family history was being enacted just without the convent walls. In a tree In the convent yard, young man, brother of Mrs. Hickman battled with the wind and water, while clinging fast to limb of the tree which swayed and bowed to the wind. He knew not where he He could barely discern the outlines of the academy building. While combating with his chance of life or death he heard the cries of child nearby. Reaching out with one hand he caught the dress of a little tot, who, chid-like, cried out: Me swim-