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166 166 B. CATHERINE lionses and talk to the aged and infirm, who could not come to the gatherings of the community. In one of the wigwams he found Tegahkouita, who was pre- Tented by a wound in her foot from going to the fields with the others. Ever since the first visit of the missionaries she had been longing to become a Christian, and now she frankly told Father Lamber- ville her wish. She said she would have great obstacles to overcome, but that they would not frighten her. He saw in her one chosen by God, but his ex- perience among the Indians led him to take many precautions before admitting them to ihe sacrament of baptism. At last, at Easter, 1G7G, he found no further cause for delay, and christened her by the name of Catherine. He was astonished to find in her so many saintly qualities. Those who were least dis- posed to follow her example were struck by her holiness, and for a time treated her with great respect ; but by-and-by her modesty appeared to the young people of her village to be a reproach to tho libertine life they led. They ridi- culed her, and threw stones at her on her way to church, while her uncle and aunt starved her and behaved very un- kindly to her. At this time a number of converted Indians had withdrawn to the Prairie de la Magdejleine, and amongst these new settlers was a friend of Tegahkouita' s, whose husband helped the missionaries assiduously. This young couple made a plan to take her to join them, but her uncle was greatly incensed at the depopulation of his part of the country, and tried to prevent any more of his people from leaving the place. In his absence the young man with a friend came on a pretended hunting expedition, and took her away with them. The uncle soon heard of it, and ran furiously after them, resolved to bring her back dead or alive. He overtook the two hunters, but they had hidden the young convert in the wood, and after some futile conversation he concluded that he had been misinformed. Catherine arrived in the Prairie de la Magdeleine in October, 1677. Her friends had no cabin of their own, but lodged with a fervent Christian named Anastasia, who devoted her life to the conversion and salvation of women, preparing them for baptism ; and here Catherine gave her- self, without reserve, to God, and took giant strides in the path of holiness. She had not received her first Com- munion, and it was tho custom not to grant it to neophytes, but to prepare them by long trial. She expected to have to wait like the others, but her director soon discerned her fitness and her fervour, and granted her this privi- lege, to her great comfort and to the edification of others. Her best friends urged her to marry, as it was until then unheard of that an Iroquois girl should remain unmarried. Even the mission- aries had never suggested such a things but at last Catherine received permission to make a vow of virginity, and was the first of her nation who did so. Tho neophytes were declared by the other Iroquois to be enemies of their country, and they expected to be frightfully tortured should they fall alive into the hands of their compatriots. Her mortifications undermined her health, and she became very ill. After a long time of suffering she received " the holy oils " on the Wednesday before Easter, 1G78, and she died the same afternoon, aged twenty-four, at the Sault St. Louis. Her exemplary life and holy death caused a great increase of fervour amongst the Iroquois of the Sault St. Louis. Immediately after her death her wasted features recovered their bloom. Her tomb was soon a famous resort for crowds of the faithful, who flocked there from all parts of Canada. Those who sought her intercession were singularly favoured, and miracles encouraged the general opinion which regarded and to this day regards her as the protectress of Canada. The inhabitants of several of tho neighbouring parishes were in the habit of assembling at the Sault St. Louis to sing a Mass in her honour, although she had not been canonized. A new parish priest recently arrived from France refused to conform, fearing to authorize by his presence a public worship which the Church had not yet permitted. All his hearers said he would be signally