learned to read and write, so that she outstrips the little French girls. She is of so excellent a disposition that she never excuses herself when her little faults are corrected; and if any one of her companions is accused of error, [165] she is wont to say that it was she who committed the offense, and that she has no sense. Not long ago she made her first Communion; and, in proof that she knew him who had just visited her, she voluntarily offered herself to him, imploring him to retain her in his house and graciously permit her to become a Nun. She has so strong a faith that he will grant her this favor, that she is determined never to leave the Convent where she is, for the purpose of going to see her good mother and her relatives, who live at a distance of only two leagues from Quebec. And, if they come to see her, she is so afraid that they will speak to her of leaving this Hospital, that she dismisses them with very few words — an unusual thing for children to do. But [166] he who gives force to the winds, and who takes pleasure in innocence, makes their hearts strong and their tongues eloquent when he chooses."

Let us relate in passing, since we are on the subject of the Hospital, what I read in a scrap of a letter. A Savage who was very headstrong and much opposed to the Faith, upon being carried to that house of God for the purpose of having a wound dressed, was so filled with surprise and wonder at seeing the gentleness, the goodness, the modesty, and the charity of those good Mothers, that he did nothing but exclaim over and over again: “Why, what do these girls mean? What do they expect from those sick people who have nothing? They give their food, their means, their labor, with so much kind

rendit, & s'estant fait Chrestien, il fit paroistre, que la charité estoit vn bon Predicateur.

Mais pour dire encor deux mots de la pureté, qui s'establit dans quelques ames d'élite. Vne autre ieune veufue, paroist si retirée, depuis la mort de fon mary, que mesme, elle ne répond aucun mot aux hommes, qui feroient capables de luy parler de mariage. Le Pere, qui a soin de son ame, en voulant fçauoir la raison: elle la rendit en ces termes. Il y a long-temps, que i'ay promis à Dieu, que iamais plus ie ne me marierois. C'est pour son honneur, & non pour mon contentement, ce que i'en fay. C'est assez vescu auec les [168] hommes, ay-je dit en moymesme: le fçay bien que je suis encor ieune, & que ie suis capable d'auoir des enfans, qui seroient mon soutien: ie me priue volontiers de cet appuy. 11 n'importe que ie sois pauure: mais il importe que i'ayme Dieu. le n'ay qu'vne petite fille, c'est mon enfant vnique: i'ay dit souuent à Nostre Seigneur, la voila: si tu me la veux oster, ie ne laisseray pas de t'aymer: ie ne souhaite sa vie que pour te seruir. Qu'on en die ce que l'on voudra, ce langage du cour, est eloquent deuant Dieu.

Si quelques hommes ne le goustent pas, quantité d'Anges y prennent plaisir.

Voicy vne deuotion bien innocente. Quelques femmes Huronnes, font entrées dans vn combat, à qui rendroit plus d'honneur [169] à la sainte Vierge, & par leur bonne vie, & par les prieres qu'elles luy adresfoient, notamment en recitant son Chapelet. Il

11 y en a telle, qui s'endormant l'Aue Maria en la bouche, la continuë à fon réueil, comme si le sommeil ne l'auoit point interrompuë. Et afin que le nombre

ness; and they are given nothing in return! They must [167] certainly hope for other blessings after this life. These thoughts melted that heart of iron, and it yielded; and, becoming a Christian, he made it evident that charity was a good Preacher.

But,- to say a word or two more regarding the purity that has been implanted in some elect souls,another young widow has become so reticent since her husband's death, that she does not even answer those men who, perchance, might address her on the subject of marriage. When the Father who has the care of her soul wished to know the reason of this, she gave it to him as follows: “A long time ago I promised God that I would never marry again. It is in his honor, and not for my own pleasure, that I act thus. 'Enough of living with [168] men!' said I to myself. I am well aware that I am still young, and that I could have children who would be my dependence; but I voluntarily deny myself that support. Whether or not I be poor matters not; but it is of importance whether I love God or not. I have only a little daughter; she is my sole child. I have often said to Our Lord: "There she is: if it be thy will to take her from me, I shall not cease to love thee; I wish her to live only that she may serve thee.'” Say what you will, this language of the heart is eloquent before God. If there are men who do not appreciate it, there are many Angels who take pleasure in it.

The following is an instance of devotion of a very innocent kind. Some Huron women joined in a contest as to who should pay the greatest honor [169] to the blessed Virgin, both by exemplary living, and by addressing prayers to her,—and this especially by

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de fois qu'elles le disent, soit honorable à leur bonne Mere: elles mettent à chaque fois, vne de leurs perles, ou de leurs diamans à part; ce sont leurs grains de porcelaine. Elles apportent tous les Di. manches, au Pere qui les conduit, le petit amas qu'elles ont fait pendant la semaine: afin de tirer de ce magasin, dequoy faire yne Couronne, & vne Echarpe, à la façon du pays, à l'image de la sainte Vierge. Le Pere a marqué dans vn papier, [170] qu'il s'est trouué cinq mille de ces perles, depuis l'Assomption, iusques au quinziéme d'Octobre. Ie m'assure, que tous ceux qui sont enrolez en la Confrairie du Rosaire, ne recitent pas fi souuent leur Chapelet, que ces bonnes Neophytes.

Il faudroit maintenant parler de la Residence de saint Ioseph à Sillery. De la Residence des Trois Riuieres. De la Mission de sainte Croix à Tadoussac. De la Mission de S. Iean en la nation des Porcs-Epics. De la Miffion des Poissons blancs. De la Mission des Abnaquiois. Des peuples appellez les Nipisiriniens; les Piskitang: les Algonquins de la petite Nation, & autres, qu'on a commencé d'instruire en la foy: mais ie n’ay pas assez d'instruction pour parler en (171) détail de tous ces peuples & de toutes ces Nations. le rapporteray quelque petite chose, de ce qui est venu entre mes mains.

Vne femme, nommée Geneuiefue, ayant vn fils malade, âgé d'enuiron huit à neuf ans, fit tout son poffible, pour luy faire recouurer la santé, ou pour le disposer à vne sainte mort, en cas que Dieu le voulut retirer de ce monde. Elle sollicitoit les Religieuses Hospitalieres, & les Vrsulines, de prier inceflamment pour luy: Elle importunoit souuent nos Peres, les

reciting the Rosary. There are those among them who, falling asleep with the Ave Maria on their lips, continue it upon awaking, as if sleep had not interrupted it. And, in order that the frequency with which they repeat it may be to their good Mother's honor, they put aside, each time, one of their pearls or diamonds,— these are their porcelain beads. Every Sunday, they bring to the Father who directs them the little pile they have amassed during the week, in order to draw from this store the material for making a Crown, or Scarf, after the fashion of the country, for the image of the blessed Virgin. The Father has noted down on paper [170] that these pearls amounted to five thousand, from the day of the Assumption to the fifteenth of October. I am sure that not all those who are enrolled in the Confraternity of the Rosary recite their Chaplets as often as do these good Neophytes.

I ought now to speak of the Residence of saint Joseph at Sillery, the Residence of Three Rivers, the Mission of the holy Cross at Tadoussac, the Mission of St. Jean in the Porcupine nation, the Mission of the Poissons-blancs, the Mission of the Abnaquiois; of the people called the Nipisiriniens, of the Piskitangs, of the Algonquins of the petite Nation, and of others whose instruction in the faith has been begun. But I have not sufficient information to speak in [171] detail of all these peoples and all these Nations. I will relate a little circumstance, taken from what has come into my hands.

A woman named Geneviefve, who had a sick son about eight or nine years of age, did her utmost to make him recover his health, or to prepare him for a holy death, if God should will his removal from