, 1872-11-06
Appearance Of the Woman in White-.-
Bursting Forth Of the Mirac-
ulous Spring.
The Procession to the Grotto.
A Miracle--A Dumb Girl Cured
in the Presence OF
Thousands.
Co1respondcnce Of the New York Herald.

been recorded in the history OF this century, and
can only be compared to the antique celebra-
tions Of past ages. It is q gigantic exodus OF
voluntary pilgrims and several thousand priests
gathering from every part Of france round the
famed grottoes OF Massabellc, in the village OF
Lourdes (Hautes Pyrenees), for the purpose OF
obtaining through prayer the -
REGENERATION, CONVERSION, AND PEACE OF
FRANCE.
The present pilgrimage consists OF 50 ,00o tray
ellers, including those from Paris IS well as
from the principal provincial cities, but not the
thousands Of pilgrims from other parts belong
ing to the diocese in the department II winch
Loudres itself lis situated The great idea lB to
when i've Bishops are to ofhciate at MASS and
vespers at five different altars erected among
the mountains, and where as many OF the priests
who are crowding thither -are also to say low
mass, one after the other, at the numerous
churches and side chapels for miles end miles
around.
Lourdes is small and picturesque village in
the French Pyrenees. Whether the traveller be
en- route for Barreges, Saint Sauveur, Cauterets,
OF Bagneres-de-Digorre, or whether the tourist
be IeaTing Cauterets or Pau for Luchon, he
must pass by Lourdes. This little spot Is = CEN
tre whence al the roads to the thermal stations
radiate and get no one knows any more about
it than if it had not fortress on the top or q
rock and had not been besieged by Charlemagne,
and we're not the key Of the Pyrenees.
Up to the year 1858, this village was to every
Was to every one nothing. but what have Just
said Of it, thoroughfare to the winter stations.
Since then it has become famed for
MIRACULOUS SPRING,
and other miracles too numerous to relate here.
Whist adds to the wonder1nent Of all who know
anything about Lourdes is this: Every Pe1son
connacted with the stories related IL awe 9uen
names, their dwellings are known; they haSe
been questioned and cross-questloned they nave
been brought up before the authorities and Of
fcials: have bean examined and found-Periecs-
" sincere. The oaler remarkable fact Is that tine
clergy and Bishops we're opposed to the propaga-
ton Of the great event which marked the origin
Of the religious celebrity Of Lourdes.
The following are the Il. fcts related y tnoqs-
'559, the day being clear and mild,
THREE LITTLE 61BIs
rere sent out to pick up sticks in tie ditect1on
Of he G1otto of Massabielle. Two we're sisters,
Marie and Bernadette soubirons, the other girls
81 very poor parents, SO needy that the sticks
they were to bring home we're the 1uel waited
for by which to cook the family dinner Marie
eoubirous was healthy and strong; but Berna-
see ir her sader by few yea5s vas t5ouRlTa 10 PFC
cate that che did not look more than TO-. This
Bernadette haanot been brought up at home,
but by friend ot her mother, living at BartreF,
snd xho, for the J.. snan sum Of i've francs =
had been arranged that shs should lend what IS
distance she could, but as she was too delicate
to work at the farm OF held, ehe kept tho sheep,
and sat whole days doing nothing but fondling
the lambs.
From year to year it was settled this should
be the last Of her stay at Bartriea; but the good
people loTed hsF tad e. 'f fst .o vas thr OWL and
nes % list, when the next autuzan came Bsrnadetss
WIS kept, and had only been y fortnight home
when the memorable day OF p1cting up fagota
marked great period in the fortunes Of the
Eillsge OF Lourdes. As ! have sa1o, the tTO
Jeanne, vent out together. They creased 9
bridge over the Gave, went past the mill OF II.
de Lafitte, <he wealthy man Of Lou1des,
PICna UP BITS OF DEAD WOOD
as they walked along, and thus came to large
meadow, the two robust girla much ahead Of the
more delicate Bernadette, who stopped to cough
each time she stopped. She wore black stuff
frock and the white coarEe woollea capulet OF the
and tie only thing which distinguished her from
the other poor children vas pair OF stockings.
These had been given her by her mother IN CON
sideration OF her weak lungs. On the three girls
went until they came IN front Of the Massa6le4e "
grotto, where they we're certain to find plenty
OF sticks, for the rocks in which the excavation
is barred by nature are overhung BY short brush-
wood that the wind wrenches out OF the acanty
nAtely natrow stream to cross; but the girls
found it nearly dry. Jeanne and mary sooI
took OF their wooden shoes and .saded over:
hopping from stone to stone, and laughing al
their big leaps upon stones which were la
spart.
Grow COLD THE WATER 1s,'
said one OF them, when they got on dry land and
sat down to put on their dry shoes. Bernndette,
on hearing this, Was afraid to put her small feet
in the stream.
ssDo throw some big stones quite Close" she
begged, shuddering on the opposite; II should
like to keep my feet dry,
But the two healthy girls vera too busy pick:
ing mp plentiful sticks to attend to the request
OF Bernadette.
"You must get into doing as We ao," at last
cried Jeanne; stake leaps and come over"
Poor Bernadette had to make up her mind to
the dreaded water, leaned her back on frag"
msnt Of rock and began to pull her . stockings g
ehe heard sudden swell OF the river and a
whi1ling in the air as il q terrible storm was
gathering; but when she looked up she found
The poplars perfectly straight and none Of the
leaves shaken by the wind ~ thought !
heard the leaves rustle, she said, looking about,
and then went On pulling her other stocking off.
Tho noises increased. Bernadette looked up,
and suddenly her figure fell together, while her
face remained uplifted; like q crushed flower
down she bent and remained On her knees. She
saw vision She saw
4 RADIANT vmaH IN PURE WHITE,
without iexss or coronet; nothing like what she
had fannief: vas the Blessed Lady; q real figure,
such shs could have imagined was that OF Prin-
cess OF Queen, had she ever thought Of any one
80 nlnch above her station. This apparition held
= long chaplet on her arm. Bernndette Was not
afraid. She fixed her eyes on the beautiful
viaion, then seeing it smile and make the sign OF
the cross, ehe did likewise, and then the vision
vanished. Be1nadette vas still spell-bound to
the spot long after the dame had disappear
ed After time she looked around her. The
Gsve, close by, was running on as usual, but
everything seemed night aud darkness.
IN TIE HOLLOW OF THE aRoTTo,
= few instants before filed with luminous
vision, there Was nothing but branch OF wild
briar that she had often seen before. She could
not make ont what had happened, but, deeply
moved, she hurried over the stream, finding that
both JEANNE and Marie we're looking at her,
Her surprise WAS immense Oh noticing they we're
not surprised.
"Whats" they asked.
"Notbing7" No one?'" repeated Bernadette.
"What have You seen ?" asked the little girls
"Oh," replied Bernadette, with feeling Of
timid pleasure, not unmi1ed with fear. 81
you hsve seen nothing cannot say"
The two girls looked at her, and, though they
7oh1 Ia oyA CTR hay