Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-14

! looked after and the fancies and limitation.
OF the palates of the aged-an important
consideration Is the heating of the struc-
ture. This requires a great deal of coal
Tor In order to keep the old folks comfort
able a large amount of heat must be gener-
ated Some OF the fuel is donated by phi
lanthropic citizens and coal Dealers but
the larger part has to be bought by the
sisters In this connection a prominent
coal dealer who has been a regular con-
tributor TO the home coal pile has sug-
gested that concerted action in furnishing
fuel to the home might not be amiss. He
suggests that each dealer I'm Washington
annually contribute ton OF coal.
The hospitahle family of the Little Sis
tiers of the Poor is founded upon Divine
Providence. They have neither incomes Sc
cured upon freehold. nor endowed beds. nor
hxeo revenues. The future is not assured,
not even the morrow sometimes. Daily is
their humble cry to God. Our Father who
art in heaven. give US this day our daily
bread and they go out on the avenue OF
trade. as stated. and gather In the re-
sources requisite to their work ST. Joseph
Is the patron saint of the order.
The old people do not fail to cooperate
with the sisters in the carrying out of the
work. Many of these have trades which
they are still proud to carry on, though
their strength Is often but feeble, the hand
is unsteady, the eye uncertain. But in the
measure Of their powers and Inspired by
good Will they help the sisters operate to-
ward the comfort of the home Some work
in the garden; others mend the footgear
and see to the patching; many are cabinet
makers, locksmiths. painters or masons
and attend to the care of the house. Men
and women tidy their respective dormitories
under the eye OF the sisters who work also
In the work rooms the women with training
addresses. froners, etc--inspect linen and
clothes, mend, clean, sew, and finally, give
some shape and appearance to the odds and
ends obtained by begging brought In
by benefactors. The Little Sisters have
acknowledged ingenuity In making any
l,,r,rr L a.
old people. keeps them busy. makes them
proud to be useful and gives them the i'm
preston of the time gone by when they
eXcelled in their callings. Sometimes they
go further and contribute from their small
means toward the comfort OF the house,
some of them when dying make the mother
superior their residuary legatee.
X
The great festal day for the Little Sisters
and their charges is the day set apart in
the ecclesiastical calendar st. Josephs
day, when a large number of the society
people of Washington provide and serve
dinner. This is ever a picturesque scene
and a wholesome lesson in charity in ITSELF
when comedy debutantes and matrons ar
rayed in Spotless linen wait on the old folks
at table. This Is usually the banner day in
the home. and is looked forward to with a
great deal of pleasure by the inmates.
rev jacob AMBROSE waiter, the fourth
pastor of st. Patrick's Roman Catholic
Church, and a much beloved and charitable
man. was responsible for the Introduction
of the sisters and the home in Washington.
In 1871 he brought six Of the Little Sisters
to this city and established them in house
next to the old Carroll Hail. on CT street
northwest. which he furnished. But so
urgent was the need of such an institution
in this city that two years later he pur-
chased from Gen. Hill the site on which the
large home now stands. During his lifetime
he was a prominent figure at the celebra.
ton in the home st. Joseph's day, and
was supremely happy when, with a large
apron tied about hjm. he acted as chief
waiter for the old people.
The Little Sisters of the Poor are well
known throughout the United States, where
they have fifty-three houses. The order
was first instituted in Brittany in 1910, and
is represented throughout France. Belgium,
the British empire, Spain, Portugal, South
America, Italy and in the east.