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(Sorucsponflcucf.Editor oft this paper i* not responsible for the opinions of correspondents.LETTER FflOM FATHER MORRIS.(To the Editor of the Colonist.)Deab Srm,—Will you please allow me the use of the columns of your paper to say a few words of thanks to the many kind friends who thought so kindly of the little orphan boys at Villa Nora and sent us such nice Christmas gifts? I am glad to be able to say that we were all in much better spirits at Villa Nova, and much better able to appreciate the gifts sent this -year than last. Last'Christmas we had ever so many little fellows laid low with measles. Christmas Eve, 1887, when we sang the Ades'r, we numbered nearly 100, and not so much as one on the sick list. ’• Therefore, whence saw the piled up quarters of fat, fresh meat, sent us by Judge Little, Mr. and Mrs. Fit 7. gibbon, Mr. and Mrs. Cantwq)], Captain and Mrs Cleary, John .Henderson, Esq., Mr. and Mrs. Fenelon, John Casey, Esq., Mr. and Mrs. O'Mara, we felt like singing, “0 the roast beef of Old England, and O the Old England roast beef.”Barrels of flour and boxes of raisins from W. Firth, Esq., Mrs. Stafford and Mr. Doyle, gave us visions of “sweetbread” and “ figgy pudding the turkeys from J. D. Ryan and Mrs. Morris ; 'and the apples and doughnuts from W. P. Walsh, gave ub the extras for our Christmas dinner. The sweet loaves sent us by Mr. and Mm. Fitzpatrick were as good in quality as they were many in number, and almost our only tc-gret was that there was not enough of snow and ice to use the beautiful toboggans and slides sent us by Miss Gleeson. Notwithstanding the rise in market prices, there was no decrease in the annual gift from Messrs. James and John Fox. The envelopes that brought us a Christmas Greeting, from Mrs. A. Jack, Richard Fennell, Esq,, Miss Carrol, J. J. O'Rielly, Miss Keefe and Miss Collins, contained something more substantial than Xmas Cards. And when I add that the mail from St. Pierre brought us a 820 note from Joseph Ben-nigh Esq., “ A little offering towards the good work of sheltering and educating orphan bajB, and a like gift from Mrs. Gorman, why I almost wished there had been no bait bill to vex and annoy tbfcm.I hope I am not breaking confidence if I say that nothing touched me more than a pretty note from a little friend, who, enclosing a £5 (five pound J note wrote, “ this is from Maurice, and you can do what you like with it.” As my little friend wrote strictly private across her note, I am not able to mention her nsme of her good mother ; but, all the same, the “ Blessed Babe of Bethlehem will reward them and all who help the orphan children.In conclusion, I would like to say that the reason I have not acknowledged in the papers during the year the many gifts 1 have received from the Orphanage is that, as we decided to publish a financial report every year in our little Annual, the “ Orphan’s Friend,” and as our little paper is gradually gaining an increased circulation, both here and in Canada and United States, and as the little Annual is more enduring than a daily paper, I have thought the most fitting place to acknowledge the donations and gifts to Villa Nova will be in that little paper, and side by side with tho account of the progress of the work these good people are helping on.Xnd if I break through this rule just now, it will be only to mention a few of the special gifts, and to say that I felt ever so grateful to good the members of the Star of the Sea Association for their kindness for placing at our disposal their splendid Hall for our lectures and concerts, and the members of the Total Abstinence Society were equally kind.During the year I received, through my friend, Mias Gleeson, £30—proceeds of coffee party in T. A. B. Hall—and .from Mrs. Hutton, £40, proceeds of conceit in Star of the Sea Hall. R. Holden, Esq., gave us a Jubilee giftof £10, with a promise of repeating it in the years to come ; and if we do not make good biscuit in our bakery at Villa Nova, it will not be Mr. F. St. John's fault, who supplied us with some necessary machinery.It would seem out of place, 1 dure say, even at the end of a }ear, if I thanked our good Bishop for his unvarying kindness to Villa Nora, seeing that he is the beginning and end of the Young Institution ; but I would like to say that many of the Priests have imitated his noble example.To the many gentlemen in business establishments who, during the year, have shown us kindness and given us their valuable patronage, we send a glad New Year’s Greeting; for to all our dear friends at home and abroad we will pray earnestly that 1888 may come to them freighted with the 'epolia opina, and that they may be blessed by the good God to their heart’s desire.Faithfully yours,MICHAEL P. MORRIS.New Year’s Bay at Villa Nova.Terming a Total Abstinence Society.A Total Abstinence Society was formed at Villa Nova, the ccntrepoint of Topsail district on New Year's Day, by the Rev, M. P. Moms, of Villa Nova. After Mass the Rev. Gentleman preached an eloquent sermon on the benefits which accrue from temperance. Sixty-four persons took the pledge, they were all from the seU elements of Topsail, Villa Nova and Kellegrews. A hall, of which the frame has already been cut, will shortly be erected at Topsail. Owing to the scattered condition of the settlements halls will also have to be erected at Kellegrews and Villa Nova. The object for forming the society is a two-fold one; first and principally to induce the members to refrain from indulgence in intoxicating liquors. Secondly, to spread agricultural literature and foster the propagation of educated ideas of land cultivation. The land in the neighborhood of these settlements is capable of yielding good crop returns if properly tilled. The fisheries, for the last few years, there have been-practically nit, nnd the inhabitants must teilly nitty turn to the soil for a living. Father Morris, with his usual common sense and foresight, anticipates the unccrtainresuU of almost* solely depending on the si*a ; and to avoid this was one of the reasons for which the society was formed on Sunday, With, the railway to ensure rapid transit, and its nearness to the St. John's market for the disposal of its products the district around Villa Nova must ere long become a great agricultural one. Since going among the people Father Morris has been untiring in his zeal for their material as welt as spiritual welfare, and the bright picture of the future which he - paints for them is not overdrawn. Gentlemen in town who are interested in agriculture are kindly Asked, to send to Villa Nova any back numbers of agri-j cultural papers they may have to spare, /
Newspaper Details
Saint Johns Colonist
Saint Johns, Newfoundland, CA
Tue, Jan 03, 1888
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
CA 21 Nov 2023
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