The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-02
NUNS DO THE WORK IN
 THE BLACKSMITH SHOP

It seems hard to associate womans frail physique with the muscular calling of the blacksmith. Nevertheless out In Cape Colony. near King Williams Town. a blacksmith shop controlled excluslvely by women Is running at full blast.
 The sisters of St. Dominic are. the originators of this novel phase Of the new woman. Their motives in going 10 the Cape were purely missionary, to SOW the seeds of religion in country where hitherto 1t had received little encourage ment. Right from the start they found out that they would have to do their own blowing, as farm laborers were naturally unobtainable in a land where the only digging engaged in was for gold or dia- monds. The nuns put their hands to the blow without a murmur, and they soon found out that that was not the only kind of manual labor that they would have to perform.
 When the blowing implements were blunted or broken, they found it neces- give up their good work. for no black. smiths were to be found in that part or the country: It was then that they con ceived the idea of establishing snithy They immediately sent to Cape Town for building materials and the necessary tools and implements, as also for blacksmith to act as tutor. They. then learned to, do their own smith work. Becoming prof. cult forms of work, they dispensed with the services of the blacksmith profcssor The work has made the feminine black smiths much more % heaiIny hs tnah tn,1 at tng the forge and in the field, day after day and week after week. has made their races rosy and tanned. and they are yer! different to the usual pa1e-faced nuns.
 The smithy is a long. narrow building with a strong frame. the sides clap boarded and the whole surmounted with red tower, with slated sides through .F Al, rf
 The forge is of brick and the bellows of ox-hide All the paraphernalia of the ordinary blacksmith's. shop is to be found at this Dominican convent-hammers, horseslfoes and punches for making holes in them. boxes of nails, pincers and The manager of the smithy is, the Mother Superior herself The abbess IS a practical woman. and is as expert in the blacksmithing line as she is in her more spiritual duties. A recent visit to the smithy witnessed the women black smiths at work. A big draught horse, with a foot resting in her lap. She wore strong leather apron, and with pair of tongs was fit ting a red-hot shoe to the scorching hoof. the nun nailed the shoe to the hoof of the impatient horse. Once or twice the nail went in the wrong direction, on which the nun coolly withdrew IL witf
  completed did she release the horses foot.
 The job was quite as well done as the average blacksmith would have done 1t.
 Hinges, ringbolts, staples and similar articles were also being made by the fair blacksmiths. and in the repairing of farm machinery the women seemed to be experts. The Boer neighbors regard the work with suspicion, although realizing the religious character of the sisters. they do not interfere in any way. The natives are plainly puzzled. and may be con- stantly seen watching the work with awe and reverence
 Needless to say the nuns find all they can do to repair their own machinery and to manufacture the hardware needed by them for use in the convent and do no work for the public.
 The Mother Superior is greatly grati- fled with the successful results so far obtained. and it is safe to say that even If male blacksmiths could be obtained: their services would not now be engaged so fascinated have the nuns become with their work.