Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-09-21


After her recovery Renee had given
herself over to her new work with
an enthusiasm that the nuns applaud
ed. Until she regained her strength
she was kept employed with her
needle. Eventually she was permitted
TO carry out her great desire, that of
nursing the sick. Soon the fame of
'L'Ange," the beautiful nurse, spread
through all the town and many tales
were told of her angelic sweetness by
the poor fellows after their recovery.
She was kept busy with her merciful
ministrations, for the hand of disease
lay heavy on the place that winter,
and many settlers, their strength re-
duced by the scarcity of provisions,
due to the crops failure of the previ-
Gus season, fell victims to numerous
diseases and were brought to the nuns
for their gentle care.
Often calls came from the outlying
seigniories for nurses to go and attend
those too i'll to be removed to the city.
These We're cheerfully answered by
the nuns, Renee going several times
herself. 1t was in response to one Of
these demands in early spring that she
begged permission Of Frontenac to go.
The cOmte hesitated an instant, be-
cause the seigniory to which she was
summoned lay some ten leagues up
the river, farther off than any previous
call had been. But as there was no
iu1 So 20
trouble with the Indians, and he could
send a goodly party to escort her, he
could not find it in his heart to refuse
her urgent request.
The little settlement to which she
went consisted of half dozen farms,
each with house of the farmer upon
it. At a spot centrally located was
the home of the seigneur, flanked with
various buildings, among which was
a blockhouse where was kept the pow
der and other warlike munitions, in
Guiding a small cannon. This was
built to serve as the last defense
against an attacking force. About the
group of buildings was palisade, with
a bastion erected at each corner. In
times of trouble with the Indians the
families retired to this enclosure, aban-
doning temporarily their homes. The
seigneur and his wife had spent the
winter in Montreal, leaving affairs in
charge of the head farmer. Through
improper management two of the
servants employed about the seigniory
had fallen i'll with scurvy and were in
good chance of dying from sheer neg
lect, hence the urgent message for help
sent to Quebec.
When Renee arrived there she found
besides the sick men q couple of half
grown girls, two boys, sons of the
seigneur, aged 10 and II, and an old
man Of 80, also the wife of one of the
farmers, who stayed to do the cook
ing, and two soldiers loaned by From
tenac to guard the seigneurs possess
sions in his absence. The other de-
pendants were scattered about on the
outlying farms with their families, all
hands at work as befitted the season.
Renee managed within a few days
after her arrival TO secure some order
out of the confusion, and her attention
to cleanliness and matters of diet soon
showed good results in the improved
condition of her patients. The little
spare time she had for herself she
usually spent in walking down to the
landing place or strolling along the
bank of the stream. One afternoon
while standing with the younger of the
two boys looking up and down the
river, while he played at skipping
stones, she noticed several times u
sound as Of the muilled reports of fire.
arms. Thinking II strange, she gazed
In the direction from whence the noise
came, and was surprised to see a wom-
On suddenly emerge from the woods
and run speeding across the clearing
towards the house "The lroquois!"
SHE cried In terror. Reuoas young
companion stopped his play, and, after
shading his eyes and gazing inteutly
en- instant seized her hand. eNolaim-
Ing. "Run, mademoiselle. run! Here
come the ludiausi' and as he spoke
She aaw some go af go painted savaHa8
hreaE from cover As they sped to-
wards the gate. lhe brave boy urged