Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-08-29

The Holy FoUNTAINl OF LoURDEs.-We
clip the following from NJ. D. Conway's Nor
mandy letter to the Cincinnati Commercial:
The great religious sensation in France just
now is connected with the alleged appearance
OF the virgin to young girl at Lourdes, named
Bernadette SoubiroiS. The story runs that this
young girl met the Virgin Mary, and at the
point where the apparition occurred fountain
Sprang up which had never been there before.
BeTnadete at once became nun, and the new
fountain has not only been visited by large num-
bers, but is being bottled and sold in various
parts of France for more than seltzer water.
An editor in the region where this fountain
has sprung up has written to the papers declar-
Ing that there has always, since he was a child,
been fountain at the spot named, though it
has been somewhat changed in character by
some worlmen who dug about it shortly be-
fore the alleged miracle. But he is denounced
as I'm hbre penSeur," and the wonderful sto-
ries are circulated in thousands of tracts. In
one of these tracts l invested five cents, and
therelrom learned that the waters of the foun-
tain taken internally had cured a widow named
Rlzan of paralysis suffered since 1884, and had
restored completely the sight of blind young
lady, Mile. Moreau de Sazenay. But the main
part Of the tract is occupied with the mracu-
lous cure of the authors niece, Juliette Four
nler. She is the daughter of a free thinking
sea captain, and her elder brother was free
thinker Both father and son have, however,
been converted since Juliette, after having been
given up by her phySiciauS-she suffered from A
complication of maladieS-waS cured by Jug of
water from the holy fountain of Lourdes The
narrative closes with graphic incident. 1t is
related that Juliette had long been trying the
hydropathic treatment. (rhis, you will observe,
at once checkmates any skeptic who might at
tribute her cure to the simple waters) Every
morning she had been in the habit of Journey
ing to a neighboring hydropathic establishment
on donkey, which was of all animals the
most peaceabe, docie, quiet, and patient
The donkey, when the invalid was on
his back, was accustomed to march along
with the mourning friends with a soemnty
which showed his sympathy with the sorrowful
family. He was, indeed, almost like one of
their poor but atfectionate relations But on
one occasion, after Juliette had lbeen almost
cured, she resolved to visit the water cure once
more; when lol this quiet, peaceable, patient ass
began to rear and pitch, threw Juliette on the
ground, and dragged her some distance. The
Commissions received were not grave, hut, it is
added, "She Tenounced thereafter hydropathy
and all other merely human means. The lesson
had been learned; and wrong or right, Juliette
was clear that she had been warned by the ass,
like Balaam."
In order to impress the truth of this story, the
author of the tract-E. Artus-agrees to wager
10000 francs against any one who will seek to
disprove it,
The notable thing about the tract is that it is
wei WIllUeu. IL Is IIOul nrSt 10 last clear, arts
tcally described, and the scenes around the bed
of the invalid were portrayed with the skill of
an old romancer. In various parts of Ireland,
and some parts of Germany, one can buy tracts
relating to miraculous cures at holy wells, or
other legends, but they will always be trashy,
ungrammatica, and stupid. But here in
France one may find Superstitious narratives of
the grossest kind written by persons who have,
in sense, been well educated, and who have
considerable literary ability.