, 1870-10-13

4 correspondent Of the London Telegraph
writes:
'1he French are not 4 religious people.
They lack tbs. Instinct which drives the lus-
sian to make vast pilgrimases, and the Span
i.ta to spend his savings In decorating the
shrine Of his favorite SAINT We're they re-
Igious, they would flock to morning mAsa Ut
the great csthe1ra1s OF AmienB and Rouea to
pour forth their supplications to The God Of
Nsttles, or to tuvoka the tnterression Of our
Lady Of Victories: But the Prensh have sat
1t the feet Of Volt.,re, and they do not go
to church. In the cathedral Of Amiens, yester-
day morning, and in that Of Ronen this morn
Ing, I found but few worHhppe1s, and nine
teatha Of the suppliants. need ecarcely add.
we're women. Il il 20 ali ths world over Wo-
men keep the lamp Of religion bright. Yet,
although the worshippera were few, the knaal.
ing, prayerful groups did not lack an element
OF pathos- Some were drcssed In deop
mourning, which told but too eloquently Of
the son, or brother, or lover, who had died
for France 1t Worth or Sedan. Others. with
fearful faces, aobbed silent prayers Tor, It
might be, son, OF brother. or lover, whom bat
the risks of stool aud FIRE to run. And ia the
cathedral Of Rouen. this morning, ono group
Of suppliants presented 4 sight which was
none the less pathetic because heretic OF a
philosopher might have deemed it .udlc1ous IS
well. In tho LETT trAuseps theto ii a chapel
dedicated to Our Lady Of Sorrows. To that
place Of sactiticiA grief came s string Of
ton, went to ! business.like old dame At tho
left corner OF the altar and bought 4
candle. The old Indy really kept q chand-
Ier'e shop. Her wares varied in thick.
ness and length and price, soma being as
thin as . rush, and scarcely foot in length,
while others wore a. thick - an ordinary t.
pei, and couple Of feet long. Some could
te had for ten ceutimes, others for twenty,
third set for twenty-five. and, what may
call the prensieTe clnsse, for half franc. Eaef,
huppliant had I choice prppostioned to the
depth Of her devotions oE the length Of her
purse. Tie lowest quality .gsre 50 flicker
mh fhe ssso unpes.nt sas .sa asasl 'feps to 5
woEsllippers; At least, oae determined
yonng WOMAN first lighted ono candle, and
then another, before she was satisfied. The
majority Of the worshippe1a, howevar. meekIy
paid their copper coin, aud left the aged ves-
powers Only one supplisnt hsd been 1uu s". So e1-
travagant as to pAy atty francs, and her token
Of faith lowered lbovo all tho others like 4
Matterhorn above tho lower Alps. The
bystanders could easily measure the several
lengths Of tho Illuminated players, because,
in the most busincss-like fashion, each was
tod ont from tab!e corered with lead. While
the candles were burning the suppliants wcra
engaged in prayer, and tho rolamn silence was
broken BY the horrible persfstency With which
ths old candle woman counted her coppers,
making them chink, chink, chink, With aacti.
le6tous metallic ring. Well, after 81, it was =
trade which tho poor old woman had pursaol
day by day. perhspe, for generation
and long familiarity with the handling
Of :.cr~d slssnsa il ap. L
breed paiuful contempt. or what look ) iike con
tempt, even In the very priests Of tho san :tu
ry. And, II In the laying of the candlos be
fore kneeliug down to Pray .hero seemsl
ludicrous and even horrible clement OF pa
g.nism. after all, evcrs religion haa symbols
self would be 4ileucod before such a group o
suFrli,nt women, who, with soul. d,rkonei
ty III, shadow OF that Angel Of Death whicl
ii passsng over this stricken land, had com
to lAv breaking OF broken hearts 1t tho foot o
Our Lady Of Sorrows