The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-05-02

shirts in careless manner. Stopping
them, she inquired if that was the
best work Of which they were capable
The women replied indifferently that
it was good enough for poor boys, and
moreover, that it would take them too
long to iron the shirts better. They
thought it would be an easy matter
to impose upon rich young woman
like Miss Drexel. To their surprise,
Miss Katharine told them to lay aside
their irons and let her show them how
she wished the work done. Then,
putting on an apron and selecting an
iron and an unironed shirt, she gave
those laundresses a lesson in shirt
ironing which they would not soon
forget. When she had finished, she
held up the immaculate, perfectly
finished shirt for their inspection.
THAT" she said, sis the way l can
iron a shirt in few minutes and that
is the way l wish every shirt in this
place ironed. If you cannot do your
work this we'll l will get other laun-
dresses"
All her life Mother Mary Katharine
had intended to be religieuse, but
she would not leave home while her
parents We're living. In 1888, how
ever, her father died, and her mothers
death followed four years later. Then
Miss Katharine began to think of her
vocation. At first she had decided to
join the order of the Sacred Heart. in
which. she had been educated, but one
day Mrs. Helen Hunt Jackson's ga
Century of Dishonor' fell into her
hands, and the reading Of that book
made sudden change in the course
and motive Of her life.
So strong an impression did the vol
ume make upon her that she, with her
sister Elizabeth, started forth at once
and made several tours among the In
dian missions. She came home from
these heartsick with what she had
seen. She then determined to give up
her plan of becoming Sacred Heart
nun, and to found an order which
should have for its object the educa-
ton and elevation Of the Indians. To
these she later added negroes, because
they seemed so despised and because
work among them was so repulsive,
and she wished to mortify herself in
every way.
1t was on May 6, 1880, when Miss
Katharine Drexel was Twenty-Five
years old, that she entered the mother
house of the Sisters Of Mercy in Pitts
burg, as postulate. For it was neces-
sary that she should take her vows in
a convent already established before
she could found an order of her own.
Six months after she received the
white veil of the novice, and was final
ly allowed to take full vows and to re-
ceive the black veil.
AS soon rs she was professed nun,
Mother Mary Katharine, with one
other religieuse who had Joined her in
the work, went to live in the old Drex-
ell homestead at Torresdale while a
convent school was being built for
them at Cornwells. This was the be-
ginning of her religious order known
as the Order of the Blessed Sacra-
ment, and which has grown to COM
munity of almost four hundred nuns.
Lately movement called the Society
for the Preservation Of the Faith" has
been started among the Catholics to
support these schools, and taken this
heavy burden from Mother Katharine's
shoulders. Though upon the death Of
her father, Mother katharine came in
to an income Of $1,000 day, she can
not touch the principal. Mr.. Drexel
willed that in case his daughters
should die without heirs his money
should go to certain charities which
he named. Therefore Mother Kath-
arne will have to endow her homes
entirely from her income.
The rules in the order of the Blessed
Sacrament are exceedingly strict, fol-
lowing somewhat the rules of the Sis
tcrs of Mercy. A novice must serve
five years of probation before she is
admitted to the order, nor is she told
until the end Of that long period
whether or not she will be accepted.
AS Mother Katharine travels among
the different houses of her community
she has to disguise herself as protcc-
ton from the crowds who constantly
importune her for charity.
OVER THE NORTHWEST.