Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-08-19

there might be need of her minlstra-
tions, Mother Amadeus rose to go for
ward, when a car was rudely couped to
hers, n 1t was drawn back to escape
burning. The unexpected shock threw
her against a seat, and she fell to the
floor unable to move. Their train wa
hanging over the verge Of a sharp decliv-
ity, but at length a car was backed up
she was lifted on a stretcher through
the car window, over the e~mbankment
into the caboose that brought her at last
to Billings hospital"
From Billings she was taken to Helena,
and was unde treatment there for nine
weeks, and always afterwards walked
with cruth or This disability, how
ever, did not hinder long her missionary
work. She had always hoped that this
would take her to Alaska, and in Octo-
Der, 1910, her wish was fulfilled, and
she was on her way there.
The convent, destined to shelter the
nuns through that first dreadful winter,
was built like the old-time presumption
shacks of rough green boards covered
| with tar paper. THE winter broke in
tenselr cold n stormy. The anemo-
meter was running 80 miles an hour at
the Wireless station when it was smashed,
and no further record could be kept
The furious wind which had smashed II
was also tearing off the tar paper from
the tiny cabin which stood upon the
bluff behind the church, and the green
lumber was shrinking SO that we could
have slipped our hands between the
boards on those dreadful nights.
Often during that first winter, we sat
up all night asking Zoe to save us for
we feared we would be dashed into the
Boring as other cabins were" 1t was inn
possible to build a fire on account of the
high wind, and the price of coal, which
was still higher. Such was st. Ursula's-
by-the-sea.
These trying experiences were relieved
now and then by some amusing incident
as when an Eskimo marriage about tc
take place, was delayed because the bride
could not be found. Search being insti-
tuted, she was discovered in the kitchen
making pancakes for the wedding break
fast. On being toll the ceremony re-
CURED her. she replied "Ohl / thought
you could do 1t without me-"
The first Alaska convent an accom-
plished fact. Mother Amadeus was asked
to open another at Valdez. In order tc
reach this place SO far to the south Of
Nome, 1t WAS necessary for her to re-
turn to Seattle, and take boat from there
This she did, Notwithstanding her fail
ing health, and one more Ursuline con
vent opened it's doors for the reception
Of Eskimo girls.
1t was while on her last visit to st
Mfchael's that Mother Amadeus became
80 Ill she was forced to return to Seattle
where she died on Nov. 10, 1919, at the
| age OF rs. Burial ooh place at st. Igna-
titus Mission in Montana where she hac
SO long labored.
Mother Amadeus was borne to her last
resting place by 36 F~1atheads, and as the
funeral cortege left the church "thC
tribe burst forth in its dirge for the
departed heroes Of the race. No hui
man word can render the pathos anc
grandeur of this song. 1t rises and falls
in quarter tones. To an accompaniment
OF base voices like the waiting of the
mountain winds In winter. rises to the
highest INT pitch, a female voice thai
sobs. AT n point the shrill notes seem
to cry Come backl Come backr In an
guish OF despair. n then the voice slides
imperceptibly down again until 1t is lost
more In the soughing OF the basic
harmonics." This primitive music wa
was the funeral march of the beloved
Mother Amadeus.
Il am indebted for much OF the infor-
nation contained in the foregoing arti-
cles on the work of the Ursuline order In
Montana, to the Life OF Mother Anna
deus" written by IAN Ursuline of Alas
ka." There Is much In this biography
which cannot but appeal to those OF any
faith. and those OF none. 1t Ii the story
OF q life OF self sacrifice for the sake OF
q those who dwelt in darkness"-the
: biography OF a noble woman.)