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PUkERVAL • • • t 1»K1)ICATEI» TO HIS EMINENCE, THE CARDINAL VICAR. • • • a • t c ' • t c « TO HIS EMINENCE CARDINAL PAROCCHI > J VICAR TO HI9 HOLINESS LEO XIII Your Eminence,' ■',' These few pages have been written with the sole pur- pose of making known the .victories of God's grace and His merciful goodness tpVVkrd a soul sought out, by His love, from the very bosom of paganism and the darkest shadows of infidelity, tojldad it gradually to the brilliant light of truth. "",' To whom could I bejtfif dedicate my little work than to Your Eminence ? You,' who, by crowning the work of grace by baptism and fulfilling in all its sublimity, the role of the Good Shepherd, recently opened to this sheep of the African desert, the sheepfold of the heavenly Father, the radiant regions where, under the Sun of the Eucharist, flowers of christian virtues thrive and blossom. . No one manifests a deeper interest in all that concerns the conquests of the faith than Your Eminence ; no one, by example, and under the direction of the August Vicar of Jesus Christ exerts greater zeal to multiply the victo- '•es of the Gospel and the triumphs of the cross. May Your Eminence deign to bless the humble sketch which gives an account of one of these victories. Your blessing, I am sure, will help to make it successful in producing fruits of salvation and a harvest of good thoughts and generous resoltitions in the hearts of my readers. « ^ ■ C « 9 T 9 The humble and dej/pted servant of Your Most Illustrious and- Mtist Reverend Eminence. I Rome, December 8, 1895. *. ■ • , /icto- cetch Your 'ul in grood r my SELLOUHA THE SOUDANESE nee. A catholic writer b?s truthfully said : **The -^^ history of nations-is grand ; their revolu- tions, their destinies, tlieir glories, their punish- ments, their heroes, their dynasties, their battles — all are beautifull, great and rich... but how much greatei: and richer is the history of souls, their progitess' towards truth, their ascents towards light" (Tj !" The unseen suf- ferings endured alone; 'Hae hidden emotions of the very depths of the'fieart, the struggles and trials of thought, the victories of the will, the illuminations of faith, the flights toward divine love — in a word, all the immense restless world of a heart warned, illumined, and sub- jugated by grace, is the most beautiful and profound of histories. (i) Montalenibert : History of Saint Elizabeth. 10 SELLOUHA We submit to our readers a touching episode of this " history of souls. " It shows how God, in His merciful tenderness, even where the darkest shadows of paganism and barbarism cover the land, takes tlie ignorant, weak and little ones by the hand' so to speak, to lead these privileged souls of His love along the thorny paths of trial', -and suffering to the radiant summits enlightened by His Gospel and resplendent with His tabernacles. isode God, the irism and lead the the and I RECOLLECTIONS OF CHILDHOOD. A BLOODY DRAMA. IN the center of the African continent, so obstinately seated in the shadow of death for six thousand years, and on which slavery, corruption and error weigh like a curse ; within the immense regions the Mohammedans have subjected to their yoke but which, at the present day, Islamism is powerless to defend against the progressive invasions of European nations that are coveting the supremacy ; between Senegal and Abyssinia, lies Soudan, a strange and mysterious country where, amid degradations of an almost savage society we, nevertheless, find vestiges of a civilization now extinct. In the central part of this region, if we may so conjecture from the accounts given by her- self, Sellouha was born. Her native city was 12 SELLOUHA Bakarmi " ; it was *' large and popu- called lous. " Nothing is more unlike our cities than the towns of this country. Among the Blacks of the Soudan, the dwellings are merely /ii/ts, generally built round and low; they are covered with thatch and rarely have any other opening than the door. The rich alone indulge in the luxury of possessing several of these huts built side by side and communicating with one another; one serves as a kitchen, another as a store-house and the others as sleeping apartments. During the nights of the dry sea- son, the people prefer to sleep out in the open air. The doors of the houses are made of sev- eral boards, and close by means of wooden locks often very ingeniously made. The cities, or rather villages, consist of groups of huts erected without any regard to order ; they are often surrounded by a wall of pise, a sufficiently strong fortification. These villages are governed by c/a'e/s, but, generally, their power is merely nominal ; in every case, no authority exists but that which is created and maintained by brute-force. 1 ^ 1 SELLOUHA U Near Bni-armt wsls a lake, "as large as the sea, " the young girl relates. Fields and forests, the home of elephants, lions and other wild beasts, extended on one side ; a few low hills bounded the other. The men were engaged in the cultivation of cotton ; the women spun. The clothing usually consisted of a pair of loose trousers and a large garment descending to the knees. As head-gear they wore a small white cap, or Chechia. The food consisted almost exclusively of rice, very large sweet potatoes and a kind of soup made from a vegetable something like beans. Sellouha also remembers having often eaten pineapples, drunk palm wine, and seen olive, lemon, and pomegranate trees, and the climbing plant of the African deserts which, when the stem is cut, yields a sweet and refresh- ing liquid. Such was the young girl's country. It can not be very far from Bornou, for, as we shall soon see, she was taken there immediate- ly after her abduction. However the case may be, Mtalouelh, her father, was one of the richest inhabitants of 14 SELLOUIIA Bakarmi. He was tall, strong and very brave. According to the custom of his tribe which refused to follow the example of the Moham- medans on this point, he had but one wife, Maila. There were several children in the family. At home, Sellouha had been called Amina, the name given by the Soudanese to Eve. She was the youngest and her parents' favorite. "Neither my father nor my mother ever scolded or punished me, " she said. And still Amina was a very wild child. She adds that her sisters were less patient than her parents and took it upon themselves to correct her. One day, she relates, whilst her mother was away from home, she rummaged about the house and discovered a large jar in which oil made of pounded almonds was kept. She says this oil is much better than the purest olive oil. Being a greedy child, she wanted to dip her fingers into the oil, but she awkwardly hit the jar, knocking it oyer. It brake into pieces and all the oil ran out on the ground. Very much provoked by the accident, Rheddo- , 1 . ' , > : a fD 1 ri- ■• 1 3 ■ n "-I ■ a -t o f-t 3 n> ^ ■ ■ o P 3 ft> o ever i6 SELLOUHA uja, one of her sisters, seized little Amina and rubbed her lips with fcl-fd (red peper) bark. The burning pain made her scream, and neither threats nor reproaches could quieten her ; attracted by the noise, Abet, her brother, came on the scene. He was devoted to his little sister and he bathed her lips and soothed her with caresses. Such childish scenes would have been the only experiences of home-life, had it not been for the rapacity of the chief of the country whose visits were always a cause of aprehen- sion and whose appearance in the neighbor- hood was always dreaded. In regibns where the light of the Gospel has not been spread the chiefs are true despots. They boldly prac- tise, amid their forests and under their thatched roofs, the pagan maxims of arbitrary and abso- lute power, as did the kings of Babylon and the emperors of Rome in their palaces of marble, in the heart of their capitals, enriched withjall the treasures and all the luxuries ancient civilization afforded. In their opinion, all the possessions of their subjects belonged to them. True is it indeed that Christ alone SELLOUHA 17 lina and ;r) bark, im, and quieten brother, i to his soothed •een the tot been country .prehen- ^ighbor- 3 where spread ly prac- hatched id abso- lon and aces of nriched luxuries •pinion, 2 longed t alone brings liberty to nations and a generous and efficacious hatred of tyranny, together with light and moral dignity. The chief of Bakarmi took good care to fol- low the e.xample set by his equals. From time to time, he came to the house of Mtalouelh with his retinue, and learning of the wealth and generosity of his subject, he profited by the information to rob him in the name of author- ity — that is, by virtue of might being right. Not content with staying at his home he left all his horses with Mtalouelh to feed as though they were the latter's. Besides, he took largely of his money. " We have need of itlto pay such and such a debt. You must help us, " he would say. Not to obey promptly and without a single word of protest would have exposed himself to terrible vengeance !and the gravest dangers ; there was nothing for'Mtalouelh to do but con- sent to the chief's every wish. " And so, " the young girl relates, "my father gave up his provisions and even sacrificed part of his for- tune. " He was a man of considerable wealth how- iS StLLOUMA ever and, despite the repeated exactions of the chief, his family was never reduced to misery and want. Sellouha thus prew up amid peaceful sur- roundinfjs and never knew aujrht but the tears and Kriefs that are readily forgotten, when a tragic event darkened the horizon of her life, and became the first step on the road of suffering, at the end of which God awaited her. One day, according,' to his custom, Mtalouelh left on horseback to go hunting; ; but, in the evenintr, he failed to return. During the night, Amina heard a great commotion in the street ; a large crowd had gathered and all the people were crying aloud and filling the air with their lamentations. When she asked what was the matter she was told that her father had been seriously wounded. Unobserved she slipped through the crowd and reached the door of her father's sleeping room, where a horrible sight met her eyes; all covered v>;th blood, her father was lyin^ dead on his bnd I\ 'ad been literally hacked to pieces wiih a sword ; his limbs were severed from his body and his SELLOUHA 19 IS of the > misery jfnl siir- he tears when a her life, road of awaited talouelh in the e ni^ht, street ; ; people th their was the ad been slipped door of horrible il. ' id sword ; and his remains were nothing more than a mass of mutilated flesh. He had been attacked by robbers in the forest, his horse had been killed and, though Her father was lying dead on his bed. he performed prodigies of valor, the unfortu- nate man could not hold out alone against a band of malefactors armed with gews and sword. ' I I Ut^m iiMii iwi i ii (imn wn'iO> w,« *«w *' *tt-w 20 SELLOUHA Amina loved her father dearly and her grief at his death was deep and inconsolable. Leav- ing home and her companions at play, she would spend whole days at Mtalouelh's tomb and her family would be obliged to go for her and coax her home in the evening. i her grief le. Leav- play, she Ih's tomb fo for her II ABDUCTION AND CAPTIVITY. RAVELLERs relate that when the evening- wind blows over the sands of the desert there is a sound as of a distant sob. " Listen, " the Arab says in his poetic lang- uage, " listen to the desert. Do you hear how it mourns ? " This land of Africa has indeed cause to weep ; whilst Christianity has broken the fet- ters of the slave in the rest of the world, the infamous practice of slavery still prevails in the interior of the Dark Continent and the slave trade is still carried on. Gregory XVI, Leo XIII and Cardinal Lavigerie have, each in turn, denounced, in immortal letters, to the civilized world the attendant crimes and igno- minies ; they have requested Christian nations to organize an anti-slavery crusade by means of prayers, alms and effective intervention. 'M4im^yt*»^:H-w^ 22 SELLOUHA The continuation of our story will show the reader how opportune these appeals and efforts of the Church are. In vain Maila, the widow of Mtalouelh, was advised to marry again after the tragic death of her husband. She would not listen to any such counsel. "We have enough to live on without working, " she said. " The man I marry might not love my children and he might make them suffer. I shall stay with them to educate them and watch over their welfare. " Several years passed in this way. The chil- dren were growing up to womanhood at their mother's side when, all of a sudden, the incur- sions of s/m'i- hunters spread terror and anxiety throughout the country. Almost periodically, the unfortunate inhabi- tants of Central Soudan suffer from the attacks of slavc^dcalcrs. We must hear the account of their doings from an eye witness to form any idea of the scenes of barbarity that are enacted. When the inhabitants of a village are scat- tered through the country peacefully occupied in cultivating the land, a terrible cry is sud- denly heard. It is answered by a thousand SELLOUHA 23 show the ind efforts )uelh, was Lgic death en to any o live on le man I i he might them to elf are. " The chil- i at their he incur- d anxiety e inhabi- e attacks :count of form any enacted, are seal- occupied ry is sud- thousand confused clamours ; Arabs armed with guns, knives and clubs swarm in every direction ; their whole manner breathes cruelty and their faces bear the impress of vice. Sometimes they make inroads among the huts and dwellings ; sometimes, after having scoured the woods and the brush in silence, they suddenly rush across the cultivated fields. Men, women, and children are all the same to them. If any un- fortunate victim tries to defend himself, there are ten assaillants, armed to the teeth, against one defenceless negro to beat him unmerciful- ly, overpower, and bind him. Often the entire population of a town is thus reduced to slavery in a few minutes. The agressors then set to work to pillage and, very often, these expedi- tions, begun at day break and concluded before the sun has set, terminate with a fire. It is hard to believe, but the gangs of these infamous merchants are not disturbed in their work. Fear paralyzes the natives, and they are incapable of making any kind of organized resistance. The trafficking Arabs or Moors take their captives without opposition, amid mourn- ing and weeping, and that ends the matter. -W Wf >li M . » iiww 24 SELLOUHA New huts are built, on the site of the old ones, and all is over. To escape these dangers, Maila thought it best to move away from her home, and so she took her children to a more sheltered house on the side of a hill. Alas ! her precautions were vain. Amina was eight years old at the time ; her two sisters were fifteen and seventeen years of age. The eldest particularly was very pretty, being tall and graceful, and her black hair fell in silken curls to her shoulders. The garden of the new dwelling was enclos- ed by a low fence. One day, while Amina and her sister Rheddouja were playing together, without the least suspicion of danger, a horse- man wearing the costume of the Bedouins, having the lower part of his face covered with a white cloth, suddenly appeared before the frightened children. He was mounted on a black horse. With a bound, be leaped over the fence, seized Amina and threw her on his saddle. At the same instant, a second rider made his appearance in the same way and carried off Rheddouja. At the children's screams, Maila ran to their SELLOUHA 25 e old ones, thought it and so she d house on tions were the time ; seventeen y was very her black lers. /as enclos- Vmina and together, r, a horse- Bedouins, ered with jefore the ited on a d over the his saddle. • made his carried off n to their assistance. With a stick in hand, she tried to bar the robbers' way. Clinging to their gar- ments, she struggled desperately to liberate their victims. "Since you are carrying off my children, " she cried *' take me with them. " One of the men brutally repulsed her and, shrugging his shoulders, replied : " You are too old ; we do not encumber our- selves with useless rubbish. We want young children ! " Again leaping over the fence, they galloped across the field and took the road to the desert. Amina fought like a little wild animal, scratch- ing, with her nails, the face and arms of the man who had stolen her. Several times, even at the risk of being killed, she threw herself on the ground, but the man picked her up again almost without stoppir.g his horse. Rheddouja, overcome with grief and half unconscious, allowed herself to be carried off like one dead. During the whole journey, she was unable to utter a single word of protest or make the least sign of rebellion. This passive behaviour at least spared her the bad treatment and blows SELLOUHA ^7 I ii Uy' which Amina received in plenty at the hands of the robbers. At length they reachedan enclosure surround- ed by wretched huts. Slave hunters have a kind of pen at different places where they assemble their human cattle after their expedi- tions, and collect the living products of their raids. There, the captives are sorted; some, wounded or sick, are condemned to die of hunger ; the far greater number, chained and bound, are separated into different groups des- tined to be driven to the slave markets. "My companions in captivity, "Amina rela- " tes, were bound six and seven together, foot to foot, so that they were hardly able to move. This is an intolerable torture and their groans were heartrending. " The children enjoyed a little more liberty. Their lot was so cruel, nevertheless, that for six days, Amina refused all food as she had resolved to put an end to so miserable an existence. "They say that those who do not eat die at the end of four days, " she said, " that is not true. I did not touch food for a week, and I ■did not die. " 28 SELLOUHA The slaves, however, were soon to set out again. It is the custom of slave-dealers to make them walk night and day, with blows if neces- sary. If one falls to the ground exhausted, he is left to die of hunger, or to be devoured by wild animals. W ith hardly enough food to keep body and soul together, for a journey which mounted drivers try their best to shorten as much as possible, they are obliged to walk without any rest whatever, their feet bleeding, their bodies streaming with sweat, whilst their masters keep a strict watch over them, insult- ing them without provocation and striking them at the least sign of complaint. Amina was an eye witness to atrocious scenes during this march across the desert. An old negress, a grand mother, who carried a baby in her arms could no longer hold out. The merchant killed her with one blow of his asse- gai, and taking the child by the feet struck it against a rock with such violence that its brains spurted out on the sand. Too young and weak to follow on foot, Amina was left behind, so with some few others she was put on a camel. Her sister, who SELLOUHA 29 n to set out ilers to make 3WS if neces- (hausted, he devoured by igh food to r a journey It to shorten iged to walk ;et bleeding, whilst their hem, insult- ind striking t. cious scenes jert. An old ried a baby d out. The r of his asse- jet struck it ice that its )w on foot, 1 some few r sister, who was one of the same band as herself as far as Bornou, was thus separated from her. Amina was not led directly to the slave- market like the rest of the prisoners. The chief of the slave dealers either reserved her for his own service or, what is just as prob- able, kept her temporarily thinking that she would bring a higher price later on. However that may be the travels of the young girl in the desert lasted several years. She remembers nothing important of this period of her life. It was as monotonous as the sandy plains where she lived, and the weeks were marked by no- thing more than successive encampments, inces- sant travel through forests and across deserts, or the arrival and departure of new bands of captives. The lot of the travellers in the midst of solitary plains, under a burning sun, was not one to be envied. One day, in particular, Amina remembers that the water of the caravan gave out ; the beasts began to be exhausted; the desert stretched in all directions ; there was not an oasis in sight. The Bedonnis, a prey to cruel suffering, had already prepared themselves, 30 SELLOUHA with the spirit of fatalism familiar to Moham- medans, to lie down on thejjround to await death. Suddenly, a sprinfr of clear water whose existence was pot dreamed of was perceived. God who had singled out Amina , to carry out His designs of mercy and love, did not -vill that she should perish in these desolate regions before having know and served Him. , r to Moham- nd to await water whose IS perceived, to carry out not 'vill that late regions m. , , ni IN TUNIS. —A MOHAMMEDAN PALACE AND A CHRISTIAN HOME. AMiNA had attained her twelfth year when the slave merchant, who had taken her from her family and country, sold her to .SV- Mohammcd Djcllouli the " minister of the pen " to His Highness the Bey of Tunis. Si-Djellouli held one of the most important positions at court ; " the minister of the pen " , in Tunis is the one who receives the signature of the prince. His functions correspond to some extent with those of the keeper of the seal. He was universally respected and main- tained excellent relations with Europeans. He is, they say a functionary of the highest integ- rity, and the most trusted dignitary of the regency. Amina was kindly received in his home. The Ml 32 SKLLOUHA mistress of the house called Amina Sellouha, and we shall henceforth speak of her by her new name. As she was a gentle and submissive child, her new owners treated her with tjreat kindness. Despite the imperious and despotic ways of the country, Madam Djellouli was very consid- erate to her and never gave her any hard work to do. Sellouha ran and played about at will around the place, under the porches, and the galleries supported by marble columns. Her principal duty was to bring her mistress, small cups of khaouah (Arabian coffee), flavor- ed with rose or violet, on a finely beaten cop- per tray ; and whilst the minister's wife, surrounded by her friends or servants, was reclining on a silken divan in a hall ornamented with faience, occupied with her embroidery, Sellouha, free to do as she pleased, roamed about all over the house. She sometimes suffered however at the hands of the other slaves in the home of Madam Djellouli. With a charming and instinctive sense of delicacy, she always hesitates to give details on this subject. She answers any ques- I na Sellouha, f her by her d submissive r with great (Otic ways of very consid- ir any hard yed about at )orches, and le columns, her mistress, ffee), flavor- beaten cop- ister's wife, irvants, was ornamented embroidery, sed, roamed at the hands i of Madam i instinctive ates to give rs any ques- Her principal duty was to bring her Mistress small cups of Khaouah^ page 32. l-WmilMM 34 SELLOUHA tions put to her by saying that the duties in the house were not conjenial to her and that she had decided to enter the service of a European family, on that account. God made use of this cause, apparently so insignificant, to lead her gradually to the knowledge of the truth. At this time of her life her ideas of religion were most incomplete and very confused. It is hard to conjecture what instruction on the subject she had received at home. When she left her country she was but eight years old, and after her arrival in Tunis, the only lessons on religion she heard were a few passages from the old Testament, particularly the stories of Noe and Abraham, probably intermixed with the stories added by Mohammed and his disci- ples. She knew there is but one God, Who rewards the good and punishes the wicked in another life ; she had some notions of the natural law implanted in the conscience, but that was all. Exteriorly she followed the customs of the Mohammedans, said prayers and performed ablutions as she saw them do, and even prac- SELLOUHA 35 the duties in her and that service of a t. God made ignificant, to ledge of the as of religion )nfused. istruction on le. When she :ht years old, only lessons assages from the stories of srmixed with and his disci- s God, Who he wicked in tions of the iscience, but stoms of the d performed id even prac- tised the fast oiRamadhan, which is particular- ly severe on the Arab women, who, despite their hard work are not allowed to take more than one meal a day, and that after sun-down, whilst the men spend the night in feasting and sleep the greater part of the day. It was during her stay in the home of Si- Mohammed Djellouli that she heard the last news of her sister. Rheddoujah had been sold to another Mohammedan, but had regained her liberty and married. The Bey of Tunis, yeilding to the influence of France, set aside the barbarous Mohammedan law, and issued a decree, in pursuance of which all slaves of the regency were free, and permission granted them to leave their masters or stay with them in the capacity of hired servants. As we have said, Sellouha had decided^to get a situation in a European home, and she carried her resolution into effect after meeting a Maronite Sister who stood in high favor among the people of Tunis, and who sometimes visited the house where she was employed. One day, whilst the porter, who was a verita- ble Cerberus and would have prevented her 36 SELLOUHA flight, was absent, she changed her clothing, took off her bracelets, and, covering her face with a light silk veil, left the house accompan- ied by another Soudanese, Fatma. To get to the street, the two fugitives were obliged to crawl under alow heavy door ornamented with large nails. Inquiring the Sisters' address from a passer-by, they went direct to the convent, declaring they would never leave it but to enter the service of Europeans. paving learned their place of refuge, the minister of Tunis tried, but in vain, to make them return to their former home. Promises and threats were futile. The Mohammedans who were sent to fetch them even went so far as to tell them that the Christians frequently killed young negro women and that they would fall a prey to their cruelty. Madam Djel- louli sent messages to Sellouha telling her that she would henceforth be loved and treated as her own daughters, and she was invited to go to the most magnificent feasts ; but nothing could make her change her mind. In the meantime, Colonel Jeannerod, a Frenchman who had been for some time in- I her clothing, vering her face use accompan- ma. To get to /ere obliged to namented with s' address from the convent, save it but to of refuge, the vain, to make ome. Promises Mohammedans ven went so far ians frequently md that they r. Madam Djel- ha telling her ved and treated was invited to ts ; but nothing id. 1 Jeannerod, a r some time in- SELLOUHA 37 quiring for a servant, was advised to try Sel- louha. His family were all good Catholics and, from the beginning she served them with filial affection. The general's eldest daughter who could speak a little Arabic and so was the only one who understood her at all, soon became her favorite. Sellouha always considered her as her mistress and the one who had the right to regulate her actions. From the first, she proved industrious, pru- dent and obedient, possessing a charm and simplicity of manner that contrasted stongly with the habits of her compatriots. With the French visitors she behaved like a young French girl and never thought herself oblig- ed to hide behind a door until they had gone. And yet whenever an Arab came into the house she at once veiled her face. Her natural qualities were attractive. Her reserve and modesty were not those of a Mohammedan woman. Filled with an exquisite sense of loving-kindness toward her compan- ions, she nursed another sick servant several months, and received no reward or gratitude but a heavier burden of work. The young girl .».»,VT*V«l!^ 38 SELLOUHA never uttered a single word of complaint about the treatment she had endured and it was only later, by accident, that her mistress heard of her patience and devotion. She was, moreover, very courageous. One day, while she was lightning a lamp, her hair caught fire and her face was partially burned. Despite the great pain she felt, even after oil had been applied to the burn, she wanted to get up to attend to her work. However, she never manifested the least desfre to become a Christian, the thought does not seem to have occurred to her. She scrupu- lously performed all the rites of Mahomet, and always rose and prostrated herself whenever the muezzin called to prayer. No one ever interfered with her religious practices or even tried to influence her conscience. One day she was asked wether she would not like to pray with the family. " No, " she replied ; " I pray all by myself. " On another occasion, after she had accepted a medal of the Blessed Virgin, she returned it saying: " Mohammedan women do not wear these objects. " 5.V^*V*S-U# Tiplaint about nd it was only tress heard of rageous. One amp, her hair tially burned, even after oil he wanted to ted the least thought does ■. She scrupu- ^lahomet, and self whenever No one ever tices or even One day she t like to pray 11 by myself. " ad accepted a le returned it 1 do not wear IV THE ORPHANAGE OF SAINT-MONICA. AN EXECUTION IN THE EAST. ON THE SEA. IN the month of November I8'J3, Colonel Jeannerod went to Rome with his family to be' present at the reception of one of their daughters into the order of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, December 8. Sellouha could not go with them, so it was decided to place her in the orphanage of Saint-Monica in Carthage, under the direction of the Francis- can Sisters. The young negro girl was very much distressed. This new situation, an undis- covered country to her, inspired her with fear, nevertheless she submitted. To her great joy, she- was clothed in European dress and was taken to the Superior, Mother Mary of the Incarnate Word. Sellouha soon accustomed herself to convent 40 SELLOUHA life, and loved the Sisters with all her heart. "They are my mothers and my sisters, " she would say. She herself was the elder sister of the little ones, caring for them and watching over them with a deep sense of justice and kindness. About this time she learned that another of the colonel's daughters, " her mistress Marie," would not come back, but would remain in Rome as her sister did. She supported this new trial with the spirit of Mohammedam fatalism, through which, however, a sentiment of Chris- tian resignation began to gleam. "Morning and evening, I said my prayers, " she related. "I prayed that my dear Marie whom I loved so much might be happy. And now my future is in the hands of God. If He vvants me to stay here all my life, I shall do so. If He wants me to marry, well ! I shall get married. I myself know nothing of what shall come to pass ; but I shall always do the will of God ! ' ' Though not compelled to do so, she fre- quently assisted at the religious exercises of the community. Still, sometimes, as though the spirit of error were trying to draw her away SELLOUHA 41 all her heart, sisters, " she ilder sister of and watching :>{ justice and tiat another of stress Marie," nld remain in orted this new idam fatalism, ment of Chris- m. "Morning " she related. whom I loved now my future nts me to stay : He wants me ried. I myself le to pass ; but I!" io so, she fre- us exercises of les, as though draw her away from the inflr2nce of grace, she felt a repu- gnance to going to the chapel and for several days at a time would refuse to set her foot inside: "I do not know what I could have been thinking of, " she said after one of these fits, " I am going to the chapel from now on. " However, Colonel and Madam Jeannerod were going to Rome again to see their eldest daughter likewise receive the religious habit of the Franciscan Missionaries. Besides the colo- nel was about to leave Tunis for good, as he was soon to be promoted to the dignity of general and was thus obliged to return to France. From a religious as well as a wordly standpoint Sellouha's future caused these chris- tian parents anxious thoguht. In an Arab country, surrounded by co-reli- gionists who were already beginning to treat her like a deserter, it seemed only too probable that she would yield to fear and stifle any incli- nation toward Christianity. And even, if she ever thought of becoming a christian, she could not do so without exposing herself to the great est dangers. 42 SELLOUHA In spite of the French protectorate, the Bey regained the right of life and death over his subjects, and he frequently used this right as it pleased him, and that without opposition. All Mohammedans who abandon Islamism are guilty of an act deserving capital punishment. In oriental countries torture and execution are a common occurrence ; nothing receives less attention or excites public opinion less. The unbridled despotism and servile brutality of Islamism reign supreme. We shall cite a per- fectly authentic instance as an illustration. A certain Rachid had commanded the troops of Tunis in the Crimea with some distinction ; a few years ago, on mere suspicion, the Bey sent soldiers to force the doors of his palace. Rachid was arrested and led, like a criminal to the Bardo, the residence of the Bey, situated a •short distance from Tunis. In the interim, his home was given up to pillage. Brought into the presence of his sovereign, he was accused of treason and, without being permitted to say a word in his own defence, was dragged into an adjoining room and .strangled on the spot. His son, still a child, SELLOUHA 43 rate, the Bey iath over his his right as it position. All ^slamism are punishment, execution are receives less ion less. The brutality of lU cite a per- llustration. A the troops of distinction ; a , the Bey sent alace. Rachid iminal to the ;y, situated a le interim, his his sovereign, without being own defence, ig room and 1, still a child. would have suffered the same fate had not the Bey's wife prevented the odious murder, by her unhoped for and courageous intervention. To preserve Sellouha from similar perils and assure full liberty of conscience to her in case her heart should be touched by grace, Very Reverend Mother General of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary offered her a home in Rome. The matter was quickly settled, and the young negress accepted the offer with joy. She was to see again the colonel's daughters whom she loved so dearly. On the boat when Italians and Frenchmen excited by curiosity would ask her where she was going, she would reply langhingly : "To Rome to see Mademoiselle Marie. " "And who is Mademoiselle Marie ? " "A gentleman's daughter. " " What gentleman ? " Tired of being questioned, she would end the questioning with : " I do not understand. " It took her some little time to grow accus- tomed to the curious gaze of the passengers and their many questions, often ridiculous. 44 SELLOUHA However she soon learned to take her own part and sometimes disconcerted those who talked to her by her witty answers. 1 o the ladies who would stand aloof, as though they were afraid of her, she would say : " I do not eat ladies I eat bread and meat..... The Italians are very tunny. " A young lady from SELLOUHA 45 Naples who made fun of her black skin and flat nose received the answer : "Yes, you are white you are pretty now but, /// Heaven, I shall be white and perhaps you will not God is fjood and He has given me my black skin. ... I am satisfied with what God has done and I have a white heart. " Notwithstanding the instruction she had received in Carthage, she could speak French but vory brokenly, and she rejoiced at the prospect of being able to speak Arabic again with her former mistress. She arrived in Rome in April 1H94, and in thecity of indulgences and grace, as it is called by the saints, she like so many other souls, found the light and received the gift of God. I ROME. —THE VOICE OF JESUS. THE PRICE OF A SOUL. THE morning of her arrival, in fact before she entered the house, Reverend Mother General asked the youn^^ ^irl whether she would like to go to the chapel. Impressed with the novelty of her surroundings and, no doubt, inspired by her guardian angel who spoke to her heart, she accepted the invitation and prostrated herself before the Blessed Sacra- ment exposed on the altar. S^e behaved very piously and even seemed touched when Mother General offered her to jesus saying: "Lord, Thoi! hast not brought her from so far, to the capital of the Catholic world, to refuse her the blessing of the faith ! " At first, in the heart of the Eternal City, Sellouha did not seem to feel the lively and wholesome impression that had been hoped SELLOUHA 47 us. n fact before rend Mother whether she ipressed with id, no doubt, ^^ho spoke to vitation and essed Sacra- behaved very when Mother ing : "Lord, so far, to the refuse her the Eternal City, the hvely and 1 been hoped for. She accompained Colonel Jeannerod's family on a visit to St. Peter's and was delij^ht- ed with the lar^e fountains that ornament the plaza ; but she was cold and indifferent when she went inside of the marvellous building whose very marbles palpitate, so to say, with divine love. Perhaps her heart was n. re touched, when on May ^, she was allowed to be present when " Sister Melie " as she tenderly called her, received the habit and took the name Mother Marie Jehanne. Every one in the convent had been forbidden to speak to Sellouha about relifjion. The little bird that had found its nest was to be allo^' full liberty ; and prayers were offered Hiat it mi^ht spread its winf^s at the first call of God. In the month of May, some pood pious workmen made a piljjrimape to the Madonna del Diviuo Aiiiorc and broup:ht back with them one )f the painted statues covered with little gold paper stars that the Italians are so par- ticularly fond of. They had decided to offer it to Very Reverend Mother General as a token of their gratitude. As it happened, they brought 48 SELLOUHA it to her during recreation and Sellouha looked at it with curiosity and admiration. Like all of her race, she was delighted with anything bright and shining. Noticing how pleased she was, Mother Gene- ral asked whether she would not like to have the statue to stand at the foot of her bed. Sel- louha smiled and joyfully carried her beautiful present away with her. It was the first Chris- tian object she accepted. Mary Immaculate whose>blessed statue was henceforth to protect her slumbers did not delay in leading this child, whom she had taken under her protection, to her divine Son. and Jesus Himself was soon to speak gently and intimately to her soul. . She assisted in preparing and ornamenting the repositories for the feast of Corpus Christi. She did not follow the procession, it is true, but she looked at it from a distance in the garden. She even came to receive the last benediction ; and, whilst the ostensorium, pre- ceded by the white line of Sisters, disappeared under the portico of the chapel amid a cloud of incense, she remained leaning against the SELLOUHA 49 )uha looked )n. Like all th anything other Gene- like to have ,er bed. Sel- ler beautiful e first Chris- Immaculate th to protect ig this child, protection, Himself was itely to her ornamenting )rpus Christi. 3n, it is true, tance in the ;ive the last nsorium, pre- , disappeared amid a cloud J against the trunk of a tree, her eyes lowered, her face immovable, her mind and heart lost in deep thought. She fancied she was alone, but Rev- erend Mother who had been, confined to her room, seeing her from het.mndow, prayed ardently for her. As we have said, up tp^his time, she had received hardly any relfgi^os instruction. In Home, she continued h^r^ lessons in reading and writing, which had:be^h begun in Carthage She was very anxious to l.earn and within a year could write fairly vy^'H. and spell some few words. As in Carthagti; her teaching had been confined to those f^sdns. Her regret at having left the Superiores? and orphans of Saint Monica gradually lessened and she enjoyed the society of Mother General and that of her two former mistresses to whom she became more and more devoted. Afer. the feast of Cor/>?ts Christi which had produced so lively an im- pression on her soul, it was thought best to show her the pictures in a large Bible and explain to her the principal events of Sacred History and, in particular, the life of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What she heard was 4 MMHM 50 SELLOUHA not absolutely new to her. Si-Djellouli, was accustomed to read the Coran and relate the different facts of the Old Testament to his family and servants. He had also taught them that the Jews had crucified an innocent man, Sidna Issa, eightJ^en hundred years ago ; and the little Mohammedan, who remembered what she had learned, said- with all the scorn the Arab feels for the "accursed race guilty of. deicide : - * "The, Arabs are good'; they detest the Jews who wickedly killed Sidna Issa. " Upon her request and in reply to her ques- tions, the dogmas of the- Christian religion were gradually explained to her. She made no objection to them ; her truthful and upright mind grasped the moral beauty, the logical reasoning and the solidity and force of Catholic truths. Although she did not yet acknowledge the falsity of the Mohammedan religion she, nevertheless, understood the childishness and folly of the practices it im.poses and openly laughed at them. Grace, meanwhile, was making itself felt. One evening, she followed Mother Marie de SELLNUIiA 51 louli, was relate the ;nt to his Light them •cent man, 1 ago ; and 3ered what scorn the guilty of. t the Jews D her ques- in religion le made no .nd upright the logical of Catholic :knowledge eligion she, shness and and openly itself felt, r Marie de Saint Sebastien to the chapel, kneeled down before the altar, as she did and, encouraged by the darkness of the hour, repeated this prayer with her: " Lord, make Sellouha love Thee, obey Thee and grow to be ,like her Sister Melie. " She always called M^i-her Marie Jehan- ne by that name. .•"."•' A short time afterwaxds/ one morning the Sister in charge of her reTiCnous instruction told her the : Istory of Sam*t.^Iary Magdalene as it isg- in the Gopel/'Stllouha listened at first will. ,x distracted aiV;,-.but when she was told how the humble petiitent bathed the feet of Jesus with her tiers' and wiped them with her hair, she enthusiastically exclaimed: "Oh! beautiful, beautiful ; once again, once again ! " As Sister continued, her face brightened more and more. Her soul seemed like one of those flowers whose petals slowly expand at sunrise under the dew of Heaven. It so happened, that she was taking her lesson in the garden where the roses were unfolding in all their morning freshness. When Sister began to tell how Mary Magda- len met her Beloved Master whom she took to. 52 SELLOUHA be the gardener, Sellouha fell on her knees and tears streamed from her eyes. " I believe, " Sister said to her softly, " that the day will come when Jesus will incline to you also. He wilUay to your heart : "Sellou- ha!" and you'.,V^'i)l respond: " Rabbont... Beloved Master. ";>'■, "Ah! yes, MotKer.;, Saint Madeleine very good ! The poor so\ii,!' To weep and not to offend God any monj',!';I want to love God, like her. very much. "V Leaving the garden, sh'e'went to the chapel and made a fervent act of* adoration. The de- cisive hour was near at hand, v God, in the adorable secrets of his wisdom, however, accepted the genergrus and heroic offering of a voluntary victim as the price of this victory of grace and, at the same time, tried her, who was to be the special object of His mercy, in the crucible of sorrow and desolation. There is nothing surprising in this. Sacrifice, as a crowning act of prayer, is the invincible means ■which triumphs over God Himself; suffering completes the transformation of the heart. For a life to be fruitful and, especially fruitful for SELLOUHA 53 ees and , "that cline to ' Sellou- ibboni. . . ne very 1 not to ve God, 2 chapel The de- wisdom, i heroic :e of this :ried her, nercy, in There is :e, as a le means suffering eart. For uitful for Heaven, tears are needed, the tears which Saint Augustine calls the blood of the soul. In the beginning of July, Mother Marie de Saint Sebastien left Rome for Grottaferrata. She had been there but a few' weeks when the dreadful news of her death was received. With- out agony, without even baling shown any sign of illness, she was seized with an attack of para- lysis. Her sudden deatVwas not altogether a surprise to herself, however; for several months she had asked this grace of Our Lord, suffering as she did, though only eighteen years old, from the imperlection of human nature at variance with the ardent love that drew her to God. Tired of earth and homesick for Heaven, her soul took its flight to the eternal taber- nacles, on the evening of July 23. As the bird bends the branch as it takes to flight, her soul had snapped the thread of life. She had earnestly desired the conversion of Sellouha and prayed much for the favor ; and we have the strongest proofs for believing that she offered her own life to Our Lord for the salvation of the poor negro girl. In the midst 54 SELLOUHA of their grief at the unexpected blow, all the Sisters in Rome had but one thought : "Mother Marie de Saint Sebastien is going to obtain Sellouha's conversion. '•..'•'■. all the lother obtain VI THE TRIUMPH OF GRACE. — HOW GOD TRAINS A SOUL. — A LAST TRIAL. POOR Selloviha ! When she was told, the sad news, her sorrow knew no bounds. She wept and sobbed convulsively. But not a mur- mur of complaint escaped her lips ; nothing but tenaer and resigned regrets: "God took Mother Sebastian, " she said, "because she was very good! He has placed her in Heaven among the angels. I am suffer- ing very much, but I want what God wills. One day, I shall go to Heaven to see Mother Sebas- tien, Sellouha's good angel. " The next evening there was not a cloud in the sky as Sellouha wandered about the con- vent grounds ; looking up into the deep blue heavens studded with brilliant stars she made this sad reflection : 56 SELLOUHA "Ah ! Mother, the earth is not pretty ! Heav- en, Heaven is very beautiful. " Henceforth, her thoughts became more se- rious, and she meditated upon the means of gaining Paradise, of which the beautiful sky was but a pale reflection ; she lent a more willing ear to the gentle and irresistible voice of Jesus, who in His mercy was speaking to her soul more persuasively day by day. The second of August the feast of the great pardon of As- sisi, she was seen with a rosary in her hand for the first time, and she continued holding it during the many visits she paid to the chapel in honour of Our Lady of the Angels. Without the least human respect, and more and more frequently now, she approached the sanctuary and kneeling close to the altar, tenderly kissed the feet of the statue of the Blessed Virgin. One day, she spoke to Mother Marie Jehanne as though she were telling her a secret : "Melie, " she said, " Mother Sebastien put many thoughts in my head this night... I want that omcthing ivhite. I want Communion the way you receive. " " Yes, but you know, " Mother replied, SCLLOUHA 57 leav- re se- ns of 1 sky more voice oher cond f As- dfor ig it lapel hout more uary. issed rgin. anne 1 put A' ant 1 the lied, deeply moved, "you must be bapti;jed so that your soul may be washed clean and become whiter than snow. " " Yes, I know and I want to be washed with the water. Mother Sebastien says in my heart : bellouha, be baptized. " Soon I will write to Mother General to ask for the water. " Grace triumphed and her resolution was taken. August lo, she wrote a touching note to Very Reverend Mother asking her for per- mission to be baptized, (i) and all hearts in the house of the Franciscan Sisters in Rome chanted an alleluia. How beautiful was the following Feast of the Assumption. Sellouha radiant with joy took part in the prayers and rejoicings of the community, more familiarly than ever before. She had made the greatest possible effort to learn a few lin^s written in honor of Very Reverend Mother (I) Mother Mary of the Holy Ghost died just nine years before in Carthage. She was one of the foundresses of the Order and established the first house in Africa in the above city for the salvation of negroes and Moham- medans. ■58 SELLOUIIA General. She also read her a short addres? in French, expressing,' her desire of becominfr a Christian and the hope that God would make the li^ht of faith shine before the eyes of her brethren, the negroes of Soudan : "We poor Blacks, under the hot sun That makes our skin dark, and whitens our teeth. We too shall know God in the Blessed Sacrament ! " She then sanff an africain melapceia in her native dialect, sad and guttural, the poetry of which seemed inspired by tears, the tears of orphans and Weeping mothers, tears of oppres" ed slaves. Concluding with a stanza referring to the flowers, she said : . " I am a garden rose All black, as others see. If black on earth I am With God, all white I'll be. A few weeks later, Verj- Reverend Mother General left for France and General Jeanne- rod's daughter. Mother Marie Jehanne, accom- panied her. It 'vas hard for Sellouha to resign herself to their departure. She would look at the gold fish in the fountain, shake her head and, in her simplicity sadly say to them : ss m ifT a lake her ;h, !nt ! " her y of rs of ♦res- ring ther nne- ;om- sign k at lead I would like to be you, gold fish, " Page 60 6 o SELLOUHA "Gold fish, very happy, do not feel depar- ture of Mother and Melie !... I would like to be you K'old fish. " She could think of nothing but the day of th eir return. "Gold fish can not be happy like myself then, " she would say. As she progressed with her study of Christian doctrine, she understood its salutary and po- werful influence from a moral point of view better each day. A number of instances furnish proof of this. Like all negroes, she was jealous by nature and wanted all the affection and all the care of those whom she loved lavished upon herself a lone. One day when her teacher was attend- ing to one of the Sisters she tried, at first, to divert her attention and when she found that no one was paying any heed to her, she took the piece of paper on which she was writing, angrily rumpled it, and walked sulkily out of t he room. She was not encouraged however in her bad temper, but severely reprimanded for her behavior. In the evening, the Sister who was the innocent cause of her outburst of SELLOUHA 6i ) be / of like ian po- iew lish ure are self nd- to bat >ok ng, of ber for ho of an|jer was passing; alons the corridor when bellouha fell on her knees before her. and sincerely implored her pardon. Moreover, the next day, she did a favor for the one who had excited her jealous- au/. at the same time, whispered to Reverend Mo'her: "To please God. i am U( inp to help her. " On another occasi o, .4,^. was naughty and very disobfdiet>t to th^ Sister who had special charge of her education, for which she was severely scolded. The next day Sellouha went up to her^ and asked her pardon with tears in her eyes. " For your penance, " she was told, you will make an act of contrition from the bottom of your heart before the Blessed Sacra- ment. " Sellouha went to the chapel and never came back. An hour and a half afterwards, one of the Sisters found her there still absorb- ed in prayer making' her act of contrition. She never liked to meet stranj-ers ; their curiosity and the questions they asked annoy- ed her. Still it save her pleasure to speak with those whom she was obliged to see respecting her baptism. Her replies to their questions were always firm and consistent. "I want very 62 SELLOUm much to be baptiVed >■ .h f "And after you are VT'J"'^' '^P^^'" Sallua'ssecretary'askedher ' ;'• " ""''^^^ ent.re,y to the Bfessed VirS„ , T'' ^'^ ''^''"'S f^rofe^rL'd~^::--ew.thhe. trCe^Z;^VT''- "^^^^^^ "P to the sky of ta"v ^t '"^K '^' ^""'^ 'o"" °f her ow„'cou„t^,^':„°'^:^,r"f"l='sthat "icked Italy, Italy ■• ,„!■ '^'^' '''•~- "^h! ever, she was not afraid of deltT n\u °'^" trary, since Mother Mane Z t- ^^^ ^°"- entered into her eternl ^'''"^ Sebastien fed her whom rraLTt^he' '"^"':S ^^^- Sebastien" to call her o p. ,,• ^''^^ ^"^^1 t-es she would speak of her ptet' ^^^ ^* God left me no papa ^J ^' ^""^ '^^ •' &ave me two other T "'^"'"'^ ^ ^hen He and one in Vomf andTv"' T ^"^ ^^^^^^^^ when I am in HeaCen I TuT'u ^'^'' ' ^^' The recollection of' I " ^'PP'^^' ' ' to her mind. One day she"saTt"t ^'^^" ^^"^^ •^ sne said to her teacher t SELLOUIIA ^tly repeat- ' " Bishop you belong the Bless- ■ with her, Jprudence ^i^n she ould look il as that '• "Ah! How- the con- ebastien 'a often >d angrel too. At nd say : hen He irthage e ; but r. " I came icher t 6j Mother, papa and mamma poor ! very good, very kind. But Soudan, far away. No mission- aries; no one to speak to them of God. No one to teach them to go to Heaven... As so^n as I am baptized, I am going to pray at once for papa and mamma. Ask God, if they not yet in Heaven, to take them there, and then pray that every body love me. " When she was re- ceived into the Church by Bishop Sellua, who was most kind to her, the venerable Domini- can prelate told her she must pray for her parents as soon as she was bapti/.ed. The coin- cidence made her very happy. The poor child was still to suffer a final and very hard trial however. She was first to be baptized on December 8 ; the day was then changed to the 25, and again unforeseen circumstances delayed the ceremo- ny. These changes made her very anxious and she impatiently said : "I shall never be bap- tized! God does not want me to be baptized. " In the interim, news came that one of Gene- ral Jeannerod's sons was very ill. Sellouha was most distressed to hear it and spent the whole night weeping and praying : " O my God ! cure 64 SELLOUiu ^'^^ael and let n,.^. . '--ve •■ Oh Z"?"*^ "■'"-• ^She hT' "'"^^e she '■ ' ->" so han''' '"^ «'«>• here ■ 3?* T^"' *o . ''^'°re the k7'' "'"^ ^od. - The h' '"""'*^<', '"5Ti ";;--•" -"-= ''espatch nn„„ '^ "°' answer her '"="" forth""","'''' ''"' *ath of r^'"' ^ On the H fP'^-^'ed ail the »n ""^ occa- «- s ' con,/ "^"'"^ Mawrjfs"' '" """■ °/ "- 'ap4rrt?r ^-'^ =">- .he'd f "' ^^ anythinp- . .' ""^"^itted with Z ^^^^'^ would rep],^ ".^\^^,^^ ^o her on tt uh""^^'^"" ^T"-''-rn^r"hl^">-4t/tfan;a°d?'^ ^"laDy, the H . ^ sad. " Madam '>■ fixed fir Pet;; °' ''" ''^P^-^rn was der • bv a fk February p cl^ ^^ aefinite- >''» 'hree days retreai. 'V^'r' "^^elf i-ray for me, Sel- ''fy»«mmmmmm SELLOUHA i^m. that his 'ext day at ^ seen and ^vhere she °^ ^ant to ^e pleaded, »ours spent ^>'s seemed 65 louha, " one of the Sisters said to her the night before. " Yes, I will, " she replied "and, Sister, you ask God that I may die right after being bap- tized, if I shall ever sin again. " prayer ; a ^^e young this occa- her will ^t Sebas- ' Jn this ^Js tiine le delays Sanation, ect, she ' not be ^adam 'finite^ herself 3, SeJ- KAPTISM. — fESTTQ TXT JESUS IN THE BLFSSP-T^ THP w SACRAMENT. THE WAYS OF GOD. •^^y^' the altar was fnnf'''^^=°"f<^ast covered wi,h flo^s A 'n'"? "^''"^'' ='"d "•^'-gmus and friends of fhT*"' "' P"'«fs, -ere Present to w1 ness th '^I^'^r^'" ^uns 'hat recalled the daj ofthe ^ -""'^'"^ ^«'" HisEminenceCarH,;!., P"mit.ve church 'o His Hohnesst rxm"°^™'^^'>'' ^-et before, had examined Sello ?°' ' '^^ ^ays doctrine, himself conferred! ' °" ^''"■^"•="' regeneration. ""'erred the sacrament of vesJed"irhi:X",7-"' rr ^"^ pontic, ■"'"e and bearing hi .ff"""' r^"'»^ 'he K lis cro^ier walked to the SELLOUHA 67 crament. ast. The on feast ted and priests, in Nuns ? sight 'hurch. . Vicar V days ristian snt of )ntiff, §r the ) the entrance of the chapel to begrin the ceremonies. The neophyte was attended by Miss Mac Nair who took the place of her god-mother, Madam Jeannerod. At first, the exorcisms and unctions which prepare man for his initiation into the Chris- tian religion were performed. In vain had the devil tried to keep this creafro of God in the darkness of infidelity ; now he was to lose his power over her. Then a public act of humility was required of her who was so long ignorant of Jesus and His doctrines, and whom the proud law of Mahomet had held in its chains since her infancy. "Kiss the ground," the Cardinal said to her. Without the least hesita- tion, the catechumen kissed the ground to show those present that she really desired to be a Christian and knew that humility is the only door that leads to truth and salvation. The usual ceremonies were then continu- ed. As if in triumph, the cardinal led this child, snatched from Satan, to the baptismal font. What a sight ! A prince of the Church leading to the blessed font a poor African girl, one of a race believed to be accursed but whom, 68 :St sellouha ^s a sJave anH "■•-self th.ourtma'v7' ■''""= ''-' *»*« ,o vyho crones d.-.-erts tc ,e, k th'"" ^''«P''erd ^heep, who presses it to 4 ^.^ ""^""^^ of Hi,, on H,s shoulder ;, carrv'.vl 'f ' "'"^ '^V" it . . ^hen the Pontiff asked sf *° ""= '"'^ ' '= your name ?'. anH .^ feflouha : - \v^^,^ -*d in a ro:ve„4:t'' "ter-^ .« '"'-'e .« '""norta? - ;he catacombs, an^.h" h tlf "^ *"" '"-'"- « (he last day at the d«t„ /-^ «'«=« will si„„ ^he solemnly renounced t,'""."'"'^ '^"^'d *"' ^orks and the sacl ^"' ^'' Pomps and over her brow. """^mental waters flowed ■ ^"tTZ"J:"°^^'^ haptism. ''--hi™--vsrer:''!f';.^-'-' ?ecret. he delfvgred an mm ^ drawn to iJais. Was Shepherd lest of His 'id Jays it he fold ? ' ' ' What )ung girl astien, " oved. It 't Sebas- s really ^f grati- 5 to the ellouha imortal lartyrs lii sing- vorJd ; >s and 'owed dinal SELLOUHA 69 eloquent and touching address filled with fatherly advice to Sellouha. Holy Mass was then celebrated. During the whole ceremony, Sellouha was most recollected ; for her the outside world did not exist. When she was asked later which hymns she thought had been sung best during the Mass, she replied : *' I do not know ; I did not hear, did not listen. I thought of nothing but my prayers. As soon as the water was poured on my head, I prayed for my father and my mother, for Reverend Mother and Madam Jeannerod and then for myself. " When some one asked her whether she had received any presents at her baptism, she said with a smile : Oh ! Cardinal gave me baptism and I did not want anything else. Now, I always want to be white and never sin again. " Four days afterwards she made her first Communion. The evening before she went to see her confessor as she had been told. "But what shall I do when I go to confes- sion ? " she asked anxiously. " I have no sins to tell. Happy child ! may she always pre- serve her innocence. '•iSfeteiswMd ;o SELLOUI/A '- 'he fi,3, time Tmost ;r'^'<'°'A'"^eIs and a happy .hought ■ H t'"'" «*'>""on 'he Blessed Sacramen, ," h u.'''^'^'^ ^^'"^ ■" f" was the direct succel,^: T" °' ""^ Sou- Ass,ss, who desired to shed h,?' ''"""^'> of ^"■l and dreamed of w,„„t ' "°°'' °" African "■edans to the cause o7ch "ft Tk' ""^ ^°'>=""- Very Reverend Loui dt P ' "°^* *hich S^'louha remained deenlv "'"'"• ^Po^e to She wanted to go to r? '""'"'''" '" ^" heart -expressible totr°w^ e",-;;:"- T'' ^^^^^ « sacramen,,, e^ethejoysofOurLord^s God continued ,o Ian\ ■■'°"'• S■•acesand ledheron in.^ ^" ">« -choicest -e the designs o God", ^r^j^"^ of piety, Wh^ her vocation ? This sflll '"*''"''■ ? "hot is , "^Vhat did you ast'ir^'"' a secret, he came intoZ hear ''.^"Ir'-'^-^ -"- enjoyed her closest confide ^' ^''^'e'' *ho with^y;t^"'-''-Imigh';go^o the missions SELLOUHA the Order of Ang-els attention e Jesus in f the Sou- anarch of ^ African Moham- tls which oired by poke to r heart. ^3.y, so Lord's fioicest What '^-it is when • who r one sions ;i "Then," Sister continued, ''you asked Him that you might become a Sister ? " Deeply affected, Sellouha answered : ^^ Yes, Jesus told me to do so in my heart. " Now?" Sister asked in surprise, for no one had ever even hinted at such a possibility to the child. "No, not right away ; a little later when I shall be better. " Now, the thought of her unfortunate bre- thren, the poor negroes of Africa, who do not know and love Jesus, frequently comes to her mmd and rends her heart. She desires to make them partakers of the gift of God and open Heaven to them at any cost. The Church in her evening office sings a magnificent canticle. After having chanted the triumphs of Christ over His enemies, confound- ed for all eternity, after having recalled the indissoluble alliance between God and redeem- ed humanity, and aft>.. .aving proclaimed the glory and happiness of the just, she invites her children to exalt the mercies of Our Lord toward the little ones and the humble. "The Lord is high above all nations, " she ;a m SELLOUHA Who is a's th 'L";dt7i''-V''« ''«»ve„s... h'Bh and looketh ;? °°'' f'" dwelleth on heaven and in earth ? r, j '. "'^ '°* things i„ '■•on, the earth and I,f, ""* "" ""e needy the dunghill Tha? H^"'' "" ""^ P°°' °"t of 'he princes of his people (l? "'"? """> ""h J^ not the true and ,J u '"'"■^ " ^«'^'ed a com^^n?,'""^'""*-' history we have ""''ds P We have s :„ Z" g/'I ™'"°«=" «"d love crossing the desert. ,.°/ '^"''e^ess a l>oor negro girf fr„n; ,1 .°' '^'"'=* f° lead 'he degradation ' f Isramt' '^'''"^^^ °' -^°^. ^'''very, to the light o faTr;."^"'"^""" ""d Gospel, the regenera ion /k' "''erty of the regal joys of the BleSeds ^^"''"^ ^"^ the '^■nP of Kings, who ovtr^K"^'"'"- ^^^' 'his =»"■ than!, -Cthen f ■ Th '''''■'" °' "- "■= wonde,.,. and since Lc "•'"'"""^ °' SJ'-ace m behalf of souls w^; k""'*"""^ -' "is ^ " '' he manifested, in heavens... welleth on things in the needy ^or out of him with we have immortal nderness a to lead of error, ion and y of the and the 'es, this owerfui is truly rich in ed and of His ces of Jt His ed, ?n skij.ouha ;3 the hour appointed by His wisdom, before all nations and all societies, let us ask Him to tulhll the prophecy of the Roval Prophet to the end and ^^rant the j^ift ol faith t« lands which infidelity has made barren, and to mul- tiply in savaj^e countries the number of those who adore His holy name... //.^/;/^^,v /h// v/.- ^/Av// /// domomatnwfiliorum IcctanUm. Ah ! max we by our prayers hasten the ad- vent of thr day when the Church shall take sovereign possession of the rejrions still seated 'n the shadow of death, and banish slavery and error even from the depths of African forests e.xtending over mankind the penceful reisn of justice and fraternal charity, and realiziuK. the di n,; ideal : L'.ie fold nin/ our slwplurd. L. i>K Kkkval. f'>'VTK>^r.S. Ued 'cation. e'olJeciionsofch '"'^'on and C "•'" Home. . '^'- Theo, "1 the K iinis. •A .\fc)h, iJfliiood aptivitx. ■\ Blood J)r «nia. "nmedan PaJ P'' «<'e and a Ch ah V. U '''■ '>n the Sea •''«« of Saint- Mon ica. An E >iuii;. onxv i'l)e V IIS- '^ecution Vi. Th A L «.' 'I "■- '■' J-- T„. p,„ „^ Vll. I 'ist Trial niimj)!) of ( '■«^e.~-Ffo„.(;odTr •apti.sn,. -- f 3'ns a Soul, lys *"• - ./esiis m f|,,> i>i f(;od. ' '•''-'•^'^ed Sacra nient "<' a Chris. K'fecution ^'rice of a »s a Soul, anient. —