The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-09-11
Personal Statement Of Maximin Giraud, Whe
Saw and COnvcrsed with the Virgin
Mary, to the Special Correspondent
Of the New York Herald.
Grand National Pilgrimage to
Our Lady of La SaIette.
SIX THOUSAND PILGRIMS.

first man who saw and conversed with the Virgin
Mary during the present century. Is word for word
as follows
The beginning OF the miracle was In this wise -
't was towards noon (pefS rnidn on the 10th Of
October, 1916, and not time OF day favorable to
ocular illusions. The sky was serene. No clouds
cast their shadows on the mountain. The sun
shone in its full spendor.
~ was on the summit OF the holy mountain with
Nelanie Matthew,
THE LITTLE sHEPHERDEss WHO SAW THE VIRGIN
with me. was eleven years old and she fourteen.
We were seated together on heap Of stones placed
one on the top Of the other. aud which formed
sort Of bench, near fountain which had dried up,
but which began to now again from that day for
ward, and is now called a-
THE MIRACULOUS FOUNTAIN.
Melanie and were making our frugal meal Of
black bread. Our cows and sheep were browsing
near us, on the mountain side. l had only been
employed for O short time as q cowherd, my family
being unwilling TO let me 60 out so young, and
was very tired; so, when 1 had done eating, I
stretched myself on the grass and was just drop
ping OF to sleep when heard the voice OF Melanie
calling:-'Memin (which Is the dmnutive of Maxi
mn), Memin. come along and let US look after
our cows Being older than I, she exercised
authority over me. as girls will, and was fond OF
teazing me. started up from my dose when she
called, took my stick IN my hand and followed
Melanie, who knew the mountain better than
did, and acted as my guide. We crossed the Sezia
and rapidly mounted hillock near 1t. On the
other side OF this hock (mOnttcule) we found our
beasts, which had strayed away while we dOsed
In search OF sweeter pasture
ave were going back towards the stone bench
where we had left the remains of our breakfast q
few moments before, when Melanie stopped sud-
denly. Her stick fell from her hand, and she
turned to me with frightened face, saying, do
you see thai great light yOnder?' Yes, see IT,
said to her, but come, pick up your Aittk.' and
brandishing my own in threatening manner, If
1t touches u.s. added Il will strike hard at IT,
ne l1t en- donnerdt un BON COUP.
This light, before which the sunshine seemed to
pale, appeared to open in tho midst, and we could
distinguish in the interior OF 1t the form OF lady
more brilliant still. She was in the attitude OF a
person profoundly afflicted. She was seated on
one OF the stones of our little bench, her elbows
resting on her knees and her face concealed in
her hands,
Although we were about twenty yards distant
from her we heard soft voice as though 1t came
from mouth close to our ears, saying
CONVERSATION OF THE VIRGIN MARY.
"Draw near lGUanceyj, my children. Do not be
afraid, am here to bring you great tidings" (une
Orande nOuDeue).
The awe which had seized on us and stayed our
steps vanished as she spoke and we ran up to her
with as much confidence as though she had been
kind and most excellent mother. The beautiful
lady also advanced towards u.s. and noating in the
air few inches from the ground in front OF us, she
began her discourse thus
III my people will not submit themselves to me
shall be forced 70 let go the arm Of my Son. 1t is
so heavy and weighty Isl lOurd ct 81 pesant that
can no longer restrain It,"
at is a long time that suffer for mankind and
If I desire that my son shall not abandon you
must pray without ceasing; out, as for ye this
seems but small thing to you.
~ have given six days for labor. have re-
served the seventh for myself and we will not give
1t up to me. 1t IS that which weighs down the arm
OF my Son and makes it so heavy.
''If your harvests arc spoiled tt Is because OF
your SINS showed this to you last year by the
roots Of the earth (the potato famne) and ye would
not see. Far otherwise. When We found that your
roots were diseased We began TO curse and to
swear, and We took the name OF my Son In vain.
Those which We now have shall last till Christmas.
the day Of His nativity, and then there will be no
more"
Melanie not understanding what was said to her,
the beautiful lady, divining her thoughts, resumed
in these Words
"Ah, you do not understand French, my children;
wait WHILE" She then continued her discourse
in the pdtots tdalect) OF our mountains (Which
your correspondent will translate for the benefit Of
the American reader, giving merely a specimen of
THE VIRGINS PRECISE LANGUAGE
in foot note.* and promising that the apparition
which was seen by Bernadette in the grotto OF
Lourdes also spoke her in the dialect or pdtOls
OF the Pyrenees).
The rest OF the Virgins speech may be thus done
into English - .l...
"Let him who has wheat forbear to SOW It, for IL
will be eaten by the beasts OF the field, and II
some ears OF corn should spring nevertheless they
will fall to dust IN the threshing.
There will come great famine; before the
famine there viii be a pestllence, and little chill
dren under seven years old will die of commissions
IN their nurses arms. Adults will do their peni-
tence in want and hunger.
''Your grapes shall spoil in your vineyards, and
your nuts shall turn bitter before they are gath
ered.n This is great country for nuts and
grapes.)
must here remark, said Maximn Giraud, that
when the beautiful lady spoke to me Melanie heard
nothing and that when she spoke to Melanie no
sound was perceptble to my ears.
'Ifn continued the Virgin, I'VE will turn and re-
pent the stones and the rocks shall become wheat,
and the roots or the earth will grow in abundance
without your labor Ye shall reap that which ye
have not sown and gather that which ye have not
planted"
"Then," said Maximin Giraud, who saw the
Virgin Mary, to your correspondent "the beautiful
lady asked Of Melanle and me. DO you say your
prayers correctly Diem my childrenpn
"No, my lady," we both answered. "we do not
know them well, or say them often.n
"Ahl my children" pursued the lady gently, "you
+''Si Ia recolta sc gasta, ere que per vous
aoutres; vous laY on 70 verge Fan passa per las
trunas n'aia pas ia cas-, eza oou countraire quaint
mem trouDava DO gasta, Jurava l'y ottawa lou
none de noun Garcon vau countinua que per
chalAndss. NY oouere plus,r lT - =