The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1901-11-09

/
we can think about this matter.
'Mr. d. finally realized that it
was useless for him to stay. His
school was a failure and but few
children attended it, and he saw it
would be the best thing for him to
90. So one day he came to FIR.
Terhorst and offered to leave, if the
latter buy his furniture, which he
agreed to do This left the school
without a teacher, at least for the
time. (Not quite-the present
writer filed the vacancy during the
interim.-F. J)
Unexpectedly Sister Agatha,
now Provincial OF the st. Joseph
Sisters OF ST. Louis, aud Sister
Julia came in boat with Father
Jacker from Hancock to the L'Anse
Mission. Ven. Sister Agatha was
well pleased with the place and said
that they were willing TO take
charge Of an Indian school. FIR.
Terhorst was highly, delighted at
this hopeful prospect of securing
good Sisters for his school. He told
Sister Agatha and her companion,
Sister Julia, that he would inform
them within two weeks of his de-
cision in the matter, which, of course,
depended on the consent of Bishop
Baraga. The bishop happened soon
after to be at Hancock and the sub
ject was broached to him. He ans
wered, as usual, that he would be
willing to have the Sisters take
charge of the L'Anse Indian school,
but that he did not know how they
were to be supported. FIR. Ter
horst told the bishop that he had
never asked him for contribution
nor did he expect any from him now,
that all he wanted was his consent.
This the bishop gave.
"As Father Terhorst was about
leaving the room, Bishop Bar
aga told him to wait a
moment, when he forced upon him
his silver watch as an Offering for
the school. At first the father de-
clined to take the poor bishops
watch, but the latter insisted, say
ing he had another at home. So
FIR. Terhorst reluctantly accepted
the gift. Going into another room
where Fathers Jacker, Dwyer and
Sweeney were, he held up the watch
saying: What will you give me for
the watch?' Father Sweeney offered
s25 and the watch was his. This aid
came very opportunely, as there
was freight charge ofyS23 due on
the Sisters baggage, which Father
Terhorst would not have oeen able
to pay had it not been for this prov
idential donation Of the good bishop
So the Sisters began their labors
among the poor Indian children of
L'Anse. Father Terhorst surrend-
cred to them his own house and
went to live in room in the rear
of the church.
Shortly after the Indian agent
Mr.. S., arrived and was highly dis
pleased at what he considered the
Fathers enroachment on his rights.
1t is not the priests business but
the agents, said he, TO appoint a
teacher for the school. | will APP
point teacher for the school.
"The next day great Indian
council was convened across the bay
at the Protestant Mission, Fr
Terhorst instructed the head men to
stand by him firmly in this most
important matter, and he gave them
plainly to understand that unless
they did so he would resign and
leave at once. There were two the
ologians stopping with him at the
time. They went to the council
out of curiousity, but FIR. Terhorst
stayed at home.
"When the council was opened
the agent unfolded his plan, which
was to remove the Sisters and APP
point teacher. At this the Indians
grew fearfully excited, and shouting
and brandishing their tomahawks,
they told him it was their doings
and their will that the Sisters were
there and that they did not want to
have them removed. The agent be-
came greatly alarmed and his face
grew pale as a sheet. He thought
his last moment was come and that
his scalp would be lifted off his head
(This highly dramatic account must
be taken ''cum grano sails. -. J.)
Luckily a good thought struck him,
and he said: eve will let this mat
ter about the school pass for the
present. / will see Father Terhorst
and we will arrange all things sat
isfactorily. Next day he called on
Father Terhorst and said he was
highly pleased to see the Sisters in
charge of the school. And so no
further attempts were made to dis
turb the school. The school was
opened in 1866 aud has been held
ever since and has done incalculable
good. At present (1895) it has six
ty to seventy white orphans and
forty eight Indian boarding scholars
and forty day scholars. All the
buildings are large and solidly built
OF stone. Father Terhorst, although
now an oldcman, enjoys comparative
good health and shperintends the
school aud Mission with watchful
care and fatherly kindness. He is
every inch an Indian missionary,
aud woe to the, man that dares to
a