1  One  who  took  a  leading  part  in  the  settlement  of  the  terms  on
which  the  Sisters  were  to  work  the  Devon  House  of  Mercy,  gives,  in  a
letter  to  the  author,  a  characteristic  insight  into  Mother  Harriet's  method
of  dealing  in  such  conferences.  "  It  was  a  personal  interview,  and  as  I
had  to  make  myself  fully  acquainted  with  all  the  bearings  of  the  case,
in  order  to  draw  up  a  Report  of  the  proposed  scheme,  I  remember  my
first  question  was ;  *  Now,  Mrs.  Monsell,  I  want  to  know  what  ad
vantage  we  are  to  get  by  being  made  into  a  Provincial  House. '  I  can


124         The  Progress  of  the  Sisterhood

Shortly  afterwards  S.  Andrew's  Cottage,  a  home  for  occa
sional  rest  for  ladies  of  limited  means,  was  built  near  S.
Andrew's  Hospital,  together  with  a  row  of  almshouses  for
poor  ladies,  adjoining  it.  Out  of  this  work  has  grown  a
Society  for  providing  aid  and  sympathy  to  ladies  in  different
forms  of  distress,  under  the  title  of  "  S.  Andrew's  Cottagers,"
which  is  now  very  widely  extended.
Again,  three  years  after  the  work  was  commenced  at
Bovey,  arose  S.  Raphael's  Convalescent  Home,  Torquay,
for  female  patients, — one  of  the  Community's  own  Founda
tions, — to  which  lately  a  ward  for  men  has  been  added,
through  the  generous  beneficence  of  an  Associate.
