The Washington times., 1901-10-27
The Women of Cnnada.

maids and Matrons OF New France
by Mary Sifton Pepper is detailed his
tory OF certain phases in the pioneer life
of Canada which are only touched upon
in the work OF Parkman and other au-
thors. Parkman writings are so con-
centrated, so packed with incident and
suggestion, that material for a hundred
historical novels might be got out of
stories which he dismisses with as many
paragraphs. Miss Pepper has made an
especial study of the danes and dam
sells of France who left luxurious homes
, to settle in the new colony. The colonial
history of Montreal and Quebec contains
chapters unlike anything else in the
| chronicles Of the New World. True, there
were women of position and wealth In
the other colonies, even in the very early
days Of civilization on this continent: but
they were generally wives and daughters
of the leading men of the community
In Canada, on the other hand, there were
numerous women belonging to the aristoc-
racy of their native land who came to
The New World purely from philanthropic
or missionary motives. This book is the
record Of their lives, characters, and
achievements.
The story is a strange one. It must
be remembered that, curiously enough,
whereas the New England Puritans came
TO this country to better themselves, and
paid little attention at first to the souls
Of the Indians and the Cavaliers of the
South and the Spaniards Of Florida had
practically no missionary spirit save that
of conquest, the Canadian settlers really
seem to have had some idea that their
savage neighbors might be made Chris
tians by wholesale, and numerous French
missionaries of both sexes were sent out
to establish convents and schools and
orphanages, and carry the news of the
true faith among the Iroquois. 1t was not
easy work. as the records of the time
testify. The luckless missionary was like
ly to be scalped or tortured with pine
splinters and sent back where he came
from as a warning to his brethren; but
the warning never had any effect. The
devoted Jesuit fathers continued to offer
up their lives on the altar of missionary
enterprise. The fire of their zeal communi-
Gated itself to women as well as to men;
and spirits pure and holy In their aims,
If somewhat visionary In their methods,
were added to the colony OF New France
The author says:
MANY of them would even nowa-
days be looked upon as 'emancipated'
and advanced Yet II was nearly
three centuries ago that Judith de
BTesoles renounced the luxury of a
wealthy and aristocratic home and de-
voted seven years to the study of
chemistry and medicine that she might
become physician and nurse to the
savages of the New World; that Mar
guerite de Roberval, descendant of a
long line of cavaliers and noble danes,
wandered alone through the haunted
wastes of Demons Isle, and kept at
bay the wild beasts of the wilderness
with her old French harquebus; that
Marie Guyard, with her few brave
assistants. delicately nurtured and
high-born women of France, made of
themselves, in turn, mechanics, archi-
tects and farmers In their adopted
land; that those dainty nurses, the
hospitalieres of Quebec, dyed their
cherished white gowns a dull brown
that they might follow their profession
more efficiently amid the smoke and
uncleanliness OF the squalid wig
vans"
Mime. de la Peltrie is perhaps the
best known OF the women who estab-
lished missions in New France. Early left
a widow, she determined to devote her
self and her fortune to this work, and to
this end adopted the unique plan of mar
rying. as q matter OF form. a gentleman
who shared her religious views, SO that
she might be unhampered by the inter
ference of her relatives. Immediately
Canada, there to set up her mission IN
peace. Her work is thus described by
the author:
Mime. de la Peltrie's life in New
France was one of strenuous endeav-
or. Aside from her duties in the semi
nary, she devoted herself to the study
of the Indian languages, and is said
even to have titled the soil with her
own hands. After the first few years
OF her life. the historian only gives
occasional glimpses of her-romantic
and visionary always. One Holy
Thursday, according to an ancient
custom, in company with Madeleine
de Repentigny, whose father, with his
family and forty-five retainers had
settled in Quebec In 1886, she is seen
washing the feet of the poor women
of the colony, while the Governor and
his staff performed the same Office for
the men. God knows, exclaimed
the missionary who described this
pious act, how affected these bar