The Washington times., 1910-02-19
Sister Mary Louise, of YokO-
hama Will Be at St.
AolySiuS'.
RECOUNTS TRIALS
FIRST ENCOUNTERED
Says Work Has Prospered and In
finite Good Accomplished in
Far Eastern Land.
By SELENE ARMSTRONG.

Those who attend St AloysiUs' Church
tomorrow will observe sitting in the
vestibule, her hands Outstretched to re-
celve. a woman OF remarkable appear
ance. l-- plain blac,- garments and veil
marking her as a Sister Of Mercy.
Even the most casual pesser-by will
have his attention arrested by the ORR
entail cast Of the strong features, and
by the fearlessness and directness with
which the big dark eyes Of the woman
look our upon the world.
She is Sister NJ Louise. of the Con-
vent Of the Holy infant Jesus, and she
has come not as ole might imagine,
from New York or Paris, but from the
land Of FuU-Yama, from the land or
the great god Buddha. There in the city
OF Yokohama, Sister Mary Louise, and
thirteen others Of her faith, are moth
erinE FIVE hundred small Japanese girls,
whose own mothers and fathers have
been gathered 70 their ancestors, and
who are now growing up good Catho-
lies, versed in all the knowledge OF
sewing. cooking, housekeeping, and some
Of the arts which so 90 make up the
Well-rCunded women Of the OCCident.
Takes Faith.
And because II takes not only faith
Eld works, but money. TO rear five hun
dred young women i'm the way they
should go. Sister Mary Louise, after
thirty-eight years within the walls OF
the Yokohama mission, has ventured
into the world-this new and very busy
world OF AmeriCa-tO ask any man OF
woman who has time 10 pause as he
passes Her in the vestibule OF some
church for a contribution toward the
Convent OF the Holy Infant Jesus which
is at Yokohama
Despite hRr Oriental appearance Sister
Mary Louise is a FTenchwOman. who
left the mother convent Of the HOLY
Infant Jesus in Paris thirty-eight year:
ago, when the struggling mission al
Yokohama was but two wears old
There five sisters. VINO had volunteered
10 found an orphan asylum at NOkO
hama, were struggling along with theii
few charges. Their poverty was beyond
words: and every day was a day O
hunger. hard labor! and sacrifice.
had been only two years since priests
celebrated mass at o'clock at night
In order that the faithful might attend
without being discovered and prosecuted
The attitude Of tke Oriental toward tn
Christian was one of distrust and ha
tired.
All Now Changed.
Sister Mary Louise and the Reveren,
Mother Superior St MathHde. Of TN
convent at Yokohama, have lived 10 Sc
things change. The japanese and thei
present Nikado are exceedingly gratefu
for the work done by the good sisters
aud always al any time OF dlsturbanc
o. dauSeI. the convent is guarded by
SQUAD OF japanese soldiers, the sturdiez
The patton can afford.
we teach each Of the girls 10 q
what she hke. TO do best" said Siste
Mary Louise in telling about the wor
done for the Japanese homeless girls
For instance" said the sister wit
perfect gravity, and spea king with
fascinating little French accent. SON
Of them have 4 vocation 10 ma rry.
We marry tLem That is We find hu.
bands for them after the custom OF Oh
japanese Usually they must marry
pagan, because there are no vOnyent
Tor Boys in Yokohama Others b,
come teachers. trained nurses. or ent,
domestic service
Conditions Are Better.
During he few months which she hs
been in America Sister Mary Louise n;
secured little over S20y0 for the conven
we are not SO poor as we used to b
Of course, said Sister Mary Louis
81 shall never forget how hungry y
used To- be iu the first days tbiTty-eigl
years ago, when we had only rice ar
salt one day we secured some ca
= feN weeks later we decided 10 affOl
another purchase or carrots. and iH q
der TO explain to the japanese girl wi
WAS tu do the marketing just what Y
wanted, we showed her the tops of II
carrots We had bought on the first o
caSion. Imagine our horror and disa
pOintWeHt when she returned from ma
kct with basket OF carrot tops, and
carrots"
Sister Marie Louise is at present Wis
ing Lieutenant Commander and MI
John *. Robson. OF 1913 Twenty-fiI
street. northwest, who became h
friends when they were stationed
Yokohama fourteen years ago. VIII
I'm Washington, however, she Is maxi
the Providence Hospital her neauqu-
tiers, and any contributions sent The
viii be greatly received by her.
At Church Tomorrow.
Tomorrow from S O'Clock. the hour
the earliest mass, she viii sit in {
vestibule Of St AlOysius Church
receive whatever is offered her
And over I'm the land of Buddha, {
Reverend Mother Superior $. VI
thilde VINO Is now Hinety-sevcn yea
old, and has been Tor sevcnty-sev
years a sister is praying for the s,
and successful journey Of the beloN
Sister Marie Louise. who makes q
long pilgrimage for e hundred lit
brown Oriental girls vino wear japan,
kimOnoS and little CrucifiXes.