72 SISTOVA and Frorae-Selwood.-Tho parent house of the "Sisterhood of St. John the Baptist "was founded at Clewer in 1849. The sisters have there a house of mercy, St. John's orphanage, idrew's convalescent hospital, St. An- drew's college for accommodating women re- covering from illness or requiring change of air and nourishing food, and St. Stephen's mission, embracing an upper class boarding school, a mil Idle class school for girls and boys, and an infant school. The sisterhood has established brunches at London, Oxford, Torquay, Glou- nnd other places. This organization embraces: 1, choir and lay sisters living in community ; 2, a second order formed in 1860 of ladies who enter on the sisters' life for pe- riods of three years at a time, to be renewed continuously at their own desire and with the consent of the sisters ; 8, associates, who live in their own houses and give such assistance to the work as their circumstances may permit. The " Sisterhood of St. Mary," Wangate, was established in 1850, and has branches at Bed- minster, Plymouth, and other places. The " Sisterhood of St. Mary the Virgin " estab- lished its parent house at Wymering in 1859. The society consists of sisters of charity, who, being resident and under a religious rule, con- stitute the sisterhood, and ladies of charity or associates, who undertake to promote the in- terests of the society in their several spheres of private life. The sisterhood has established branches at Manchester and Aldershott. The rhood of St. Thomas the Martyr," which has its parent house at Oxford, has branches at Liverpool and Plymouth. The society of the s of the Poor," founded in 1851, has its parent house in London and branches at Edin- burgh, Clifton, Eastbourne, and West Chester. In the Protestant Episcopal church of the United States, an organization of women for voluntary service as nurses in hospitals, infir- maries, &c., called " Sisters of the Holy Com- munion." was founded in 1845 by the exertions of the Rev. W. A. Muhlenberg, D. D., in con- nection with the Protestant Episcopal church of the Holy Communion in Now York. They are humid by no vows, and though it is desira- ble that they should remain in their work for life, they are free to leave whenever they are so minded. They are usually received between .res of 25 and 40 years; if under 25, the written consent of parents or guardians must be obtained. Candidates for the sisterhood are required to spend one year of probation be- fore entering upon their vocation. They have no marked uniform, though the dress is gen- erally black, with a white muslin collar and head dress. The sisters managed for several years the infirmary of the Holy Communion, and since 1*58 have had charge of St. Luke's hospital, New York, under Dr. Muhlenberg's superintendence. (See DEACONESS.) SIMOU. or shMov. i fortified town ..f r. garia, on a height overlooking the right bank of the Danube, which is hero navigable for SIVOKI vessels of 500 tons, 35 m. W. S. W. of Rustchuk and 23 m. E. by S. of Nicopoli ; pop. about 15 000. It is defended by a citadel or cas- tle, now much dilapidated. The houses are ill 'built, but the mosques are of considerable beauty.' A treaty of peace between Turkey and Austria was concluded here Aug. 4, 1791. SISYPHUS, in Greek mythology, son of ^Eolus and Enarete, and married to Merope, by whom he became the father of Glaucus and others. Some later accounts make him the son of Au- tolycus and the father of Ulysses. To him are attributed the foundation of Corinth (Ephyra) and the establishment of the Isthmian games, lie and his family were considered the most deceitful of men, and he was punished in the lower world by being set to the task of rolling a huge marble block up hill, which as soon as it reached the top always rolled back again. The crimes which induced this penalty are, ac- cording to different legends, that he betrayed the plans of the gods, killed travellers, and re- vealed the abduction of ^Egina by Jupiter. SITKA. See ALASKA, vol. i., p. 239. SIVA. See INDIA, RELIGIONS OF. SIVAS. I. A vilayet of Turkey, in Asia Minor, bounded N. by Trebizond, E. by Trebizond, Erzerum, and Diarbekir, S. by Marash, Adana, and Konieh, and "W. by Angora and Kasta- muni; area, about 25,000 sq. m. ; pop. esti- mated at about 600,000. The most important town, besides the capital, is Tokat, and its prin- cipal seaport is Samsun. It is traversed by several branches of the Anti-Taurus mountains. It is drained by the Kizil Irmak (anc. Halys), the Yeshil Irmak (//*), and their affluents, and several smaller streams which flow into the Euphrates. Among the minerals are iron, cop- per, lead, alabaster, marble, slate, and especial- ly salt. Most of the soil is exceedingly fertile, but not thoroughly cultivated. The pastures are extensive. In ancient times the province formed parts of Pontus and Cappadocia. II. A city (anc. Sebastia), capital of the prov- ince, in an extensive plain on the Kizil Irraak, 440 m. E. S. E. of Constantinople ; pop. about 25,000. The town is defended by two old castles, and contains fine mosques and many ruins. Access from the Black sea is easy, and the trade is active in the large bazaars. SIVOKI. Ernesto Camillo, an Italian violinist, born in Genoa, June 6, 1817. At the age of four years he was able to perform whatever he heard his sisters play or sing. He received lessons successively from Restano, Dellepiane, Costa, and Paganini, but modelled his playing chiefly upon that of the last named. His first concerts were given at Paris and in England when he was but ten years old. He then stu- died counterpoint for eight years under Ser- ra, and afterward gave concerts throughout Europe. In 1846 he visited the United States in company with the pianist Herz, and went also to Mexico and South America. Next en- gaging in a mercantile enterprise in Italy, he lost all his earnings and was obliged to resume
