East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1860-02-02
NUMBER 27.

no for performing her miracle.
To see a miracle was worth little
squeezing; L, therefore, resolved on i'm.
proving the occasion, and joined in the
race. l crossed the bridge, ran through
little square, up some steps, and so into
a spacious cloister which goes round the
church. Here, innumerable silver er ro-
tos glittcred on the walls, amid rude rep
reservations of miracles. Some Of these
last would have been worth copying
nairete and want of perspective making
them ehefs-deave in their way. The
throng here formed in procession, four
or five abreast, the sick, with their small
or large group of kindred and friends, in
the front rows. Moving slowly round,
they all wended their way to the church.
door, through the open portals of which
the miraculous statue was seen. The
blaze of jewels on all parts of the image
together with the quantities of lighted
wax-torches surrounding her, produced
certain effect even to me. was positive
ly dazzled. An explosion Of admiring
CALCULATIONS, of broken appeals, of sighs
and sobs, mostly from the female part Of
the congregation, broke forth at the
gorgeous sight--a concert shrill enough
to pierce even the stone ears of Nostra
Signora del Laghetto; but, nevertheless,
overpowered by the rich bass of two
sceptial blind men, begging for aims on
either side of the door. Their faith
must have been langnid, indeed, since
they preferred carrying on their supplica-
tions outside, at the risk of being hattcn-
ed against the wall, to trying their chan
ces with the Madonna inside. The cor
tege took to the right of the chapel, and
advanced till its front row stood opposite
the main altar; then it came to full
stop, and the presentation of the sick be-
gan. An old man, with snow-white hair
and face like parchment, was hoisted
up towards the image; but for the shiver-
ing of his palsied limbs, the poor creature
might have been taken for a corpse, so
unconscious did he look. %, Madonna,
fategli la grazia :" Grant him the bless
ingD screamed several voices--"F "Fategli
la grazia !" responed the whole church in
chorus.
OTIS the Madonna going to cure you
|
your arms to her." cried an old shrivell-
ed peasant-women to the wretched Grip
pie.
He did try and managed to raise his
arms little, but only to let them drop
again, while his head sunk on his shoul-
der with groan. go, Madonna, it is
too cruel" sobbed the old woman in
state of distraction, "after / have said
so many prayers to you, and given so
many aims on your account. You know
you can do it, if you like. 0 me .
me you know you can."
"Make another effort" cries young
man to the old one. "Only say Salve
Regina, an Ave-anything you can re-
member" Alas it was past the power
of the sufferer, already covered with cold
sweats, to do anything but tremble and
shake; and he and his disconsolatc friends
must make room for another party.
Ny jolly friend, the father of the deaf
and dumb child, with some of his rcla-
tions whom he had met, came forward
Poor Marina was duly lifted up, and
held towards the Virgin, with the GUS
tomary invocations. 1t was sad and
touching sight, indeed, to behold the in
telligent little creature join her hands,
and evidently pray-O, so earnestly
her eyes distcnded with eagerness. and,
in answer to her fathers expressive pan
tomimc, try to speak. Nothing came of
| it, of course, but some inarticulate sounds,
which apparently deceived a portion of
the more distant spectators, for they be-
gan shouting "Shc speaks! she speaks!
A miraclc-she speaks "
/ shall never forget the half-angry
half-dejccted glance of the father, as he
shook his head towards the spot whence
the shouts proceeded. He then looked
up at the Madonna, made an attempt to
address her; but his emotion was too
great for utterance lucky it was SOY and
he retired in silence, his child clasped to
his bosom.
The third sick presented was spectral
young man on crutches, obviously in the
aststages of consumption. The persons
round him-mountaineers from their
dress-looked particularly fierce and ex-
cited. They raised him up, uttering saw
age cries "that they m,st have him cured
After moments pause, they lowered
him again, and babe him stand and walk
without crutches. saw the poor fellow
stager like drunken man. i heard
frantic ordinations of disappointment
mixed with muttcred imprecations. /
saw fists raised in defiance. l
could stand no morc-I was sick at heart,
less with the shocking exhibition itself,
than with the spirit in which it was con
Quoted. i literally fled from the church,
and turned my back on the shrine, Oh ridte
The moon shone bright on hill and
vale, and the starry sky rccounted the
glorics of the Lord. The soothing and
elevating influences Of the divine harmo-
nies of creation stole over me as walked,
and turned my soul to forbearancc. Did
the poor people ] had just seen at the
shrine know that they were about p
Was it their fault il they were taught no
betterY And put my trust for them
in the Great Mercy--reachiug Nice at
midnight, in q more Christian frame Of
mind than l could have anticipated a