A HEROIC NUN.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XV, Issue 23, 30 September 1887, Page 7

A HEROIC NUN.

(From the Brooklyn Oititen.) In the presence of all the French troops guarding the Capital of Tonquin, the Govbrnor-General reverently bestowed the cross of the Legion of Honour on a nun, Mother Mary Teresa, Superioress of the Sisters of Charity in that Empire. The troops were drawn up in the principal piaua of the city in a square surronnding a platform on which was the Governor-General and his staff. When an aide-de-camp was sent to bring the nun ha found her in the hospital consoling a soldier who was having his leg amputated. She refused to leare the bedside until the operation was completed, and then followed the officer to the square, where she wai received by the General in person, and led to the platform amid tha joyful exclamations of the •oldiers. The General then commanded silence, and in a solemn and impressive tone addressed her as follows : " Mother Mary Teresa, whan you were twenty years of ajje you received a wound from a canon-ball while assisting one of the wounded on the field of Balaclava. " In 1859 the shell from a mitrailleuse laid you prostrate in the front rank on the battle-field of Magenta. Since then you have been in Syria, in China and in Mexico, and if you were not wounded it was not because you have not exposed yourself to the shot of gun and cannon and the sabres and lances of the enemy. In 1870 you were taken up in Reiechoffen covered with many sabre wounds among a heap of dead cuirassers. " Buch deeds of heroism you have crowned a few weeks ago with one of the most heroic actions which history records. A grenade fell upon the ambulance which was under your charge ; it did not burst, but it might have done so at any moment and caused new wounds in the bodies of those who were already wounded ; but there you were — you took up the grenade in your arms, you smiled upon the wounded, who looked at you with feelings of dismay, not for themselves, but for you, and you carried it away to a distaace of eighty metres. On laying it down you noticed that it was going to burst ; you threw yourself upon the ground ; it burst ; you were seen covered with blood, but when persons came to your assistance you rose up smiling, as is your wont, and said, ' that is nothing I ' You are scarcely recovered from your wound, and you return to tha hospital, whence I have just now summoned you." During these words of praise the good nun held her head modestly cast down, with her eyes fixed on her crucifix that hung by her side. Then the General made her kneel down, and, drawing his sword, touched her lightly with it on the shoulder three times and pinned the cross of the Legion of Honour on her habit, saying with a quiver* ing voice : " I put upon you the cross of the brave in the name of the French people and army ; no one has gained it by more deeds of heroism nor by a life so completely spent in self-abnegnation for the benefit of your brothers and service of your country. Soldiers ! present arms I " The troops saluted, the drums and bugles rang out, the air wai filled with loud acclamations, and all was jubilation and excitement as Mother Mary Teresa rose up, her face suffused with blushes, and asked : " General have you finished with me ? " " Yes, said he." " Well, then, I am going back to my wounded soldiers in the hospital."

" Rough on Itch."—" Rough on Itch " cures skin humor, ruptions, ringworm, tetter, salt rheum, frosted feet, chilblains, itch, vy poison, barber's itch. The Japanese Minister of Marine has decided to give an ordar to France for the building of serenteen torpedo boats at a cost of threeand one half millions of francs. Marshal MacMabon is about to publish a book on the Battle •( Sedan, where the army of France was so lamentably crushed. The ex-president of the Republic has almost finished the writing of hit memoirs. The election to Parliament of Sir. George Tr«velyan as the new Liberal member from Glasgow may have a result in the Tutors which is hardly anticipated now. The number of prominent Liberal! in the House of Commons is greatly decreased since the defection of Hartington and Goshen and Chamberlain and Henry James, and th« downfall of Dilke. When Gladstone passes away there must be a new leader, and after Sir William Harcourt, Trerelyan may flatter himself that the party will look to him. He hat been unstable, it if true, and is hardly a man of political genius, but in the dearth of giants smaller men look large,