The New York herald., 1873-08-23

topper. who could empty pint of wine ct draught.
IL was clear too, that there was going 20 be an
awful row in the town, and Prudence, so careful
OF little things so careless Of great Ones steadfasy
vowed to keep out OF it. The doctors began the
fight. Most OF them pooh-poohed the thing. ana
were prepared to show that any child who held
conversation with supernatural beings wanted
physicking, just as Samuel did "The girl Is cata-
leptic," said the doctors, with decisive grunt.
'Ahp' replied DR.. Dozons, who happened TO Dc
the most distinguished medical man in the town,
and was not fond OF hasty conclusions, 81 know All
about cxtalepsy, but cataleptics OF this sort are
very scarce. and shall be glad to see one." Ac-
cordingy, this DR.. Dozons, with N. Dufo the prInci
pal advocate OF the town, number OF his legas
brethren, all members OF the Bar; M POugat, Pres
ident OF the Local Tribunal and almost every other
person OF note at L0uraes determined to
watch the little girl at her prayers in the grotto, to
interrogate her sharply and bluntly by turn and
to find out as they true men II they could dis
cover any signs Of catalepsy deceit in her. They
found no indication whatever of either malady.
CALLING IN THE CHURCH.
The local clergy, when called upon impatiently
to put stop to the thing or to sanction it, steadily
refused to interfere. The Cure of Lourdes M. Pey-
ramale (who still holds the living, was then
wise, somewhat stern man, nifty 5ssrs old. 'lI"
said he using an argument not uasamiliar to Bible
readers, 'if these things are OF God, nsthing can
be done with effect to oppose them; II they are not
the moment for the Church to intervene IL
when 1t sees heresy or sacrllegc on foot" In
few words 'Let US leave things to Providence"
and the local clergy hearkened to the voice OF Abbe
Peyramale.. When Monseigneur Laurence, Bishop
of Tarbes, was appealed to, he confirmed the
cautious decision Of the Cure of Lourdes. 'Let US
wait" said the Bishop, and he forbade all ths
a.
with Bernadette or her grotto till further notice
The French priesthood determined to maintain an
armed neutrality.
THE VOICE OF LIBERALISM.
Then arose the liberal party in Lourdes who
read the Steele newspaper and were loud about the
rights Of men and women, aud they shouted out,
''In the name OF Liberty, is there way of shut
ting up this little grlf In the Of conscience,
there no means OF stopping her prayers and the
prayers of those who are praying with herr In the
name Of Freedom, shall people be allowed to go ON
their knees in grotto s''
EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY.
M. Dutour the Procureur Imperial; II. Duprat
the Judge, with the Mayor, the Town Clerk and the
Commissary of Police, also took alarm. miracle In
the nineteenth century, performed without per-
mission from the authorities, seemed to them an
intolerable outrage civilization. Their honor
was clearly concerned in putting stop to 1t. Such
was the state OF affairs at L0urdes on the 2lst q
February 1858, which was the first Sunday IN Lent
and the third OF the fifteen days appointed by the
Virgin for the visits of Bernadette the grotto in
the Rocks of Marsabielle Long before sunrise an
immense crowd. which could be only numbered by
thousands OF people, had assembled on the bor
ders of the Gave, and swarmed over the
country from every point within sight or hail
of the gr0tto AS soon as the dawn broke Berna
dette arrived usual, attended by her mother and
sister. Her mother having witnessed her ecstacies
the day before had now become convinced OF their
supernatural character. But she would make no
money by 1t and poor she and her husband lived IN
extreme poverty till their death The child walked
simply on without assurance and without embar
rassment The crowd respectfully made way fos
her. She did not seem TO understand that she
was an sbject OF general attention. She went into
the grottO as one who Is doing some plain act OF
duty, and she knelt down to pray there.
A few moments afterwards she was transfgured
again in the presence OF thousands of witnesses
Her brow beamed with mysterious light, and
grew radiant with surprising glory. But her face
did not flush; she seemed rather to become paler.
If her nature were too weak to bear the presence
Of the apparltion manifested to her without giving
way. Her mouth was half opened, as that OF one
breathless with wonder and admiration. Her eyes
became fixed and dreamy, and the poor little vul-
gar peasant girl appeared as though she no longer
belonged to earth but had passed into higher
sphere. All who her thus are still ready to de-
clare that never before nor since have they
seen human face so changed. Their i'm
preston that she really did behold cees
tal vision continues as strong as ever even
to this day, and twenty Of them separately
interrogated (all persons having no object in de-
ceiving me-none of them innkeepers or pious rub
bish mongers or prlests) have sOlemnly assured
me of these facts upon their word OF homer, within
these last three days July 26, 1873.
MEDICAL TESTIMONY
Doctor Dozons was beside her on this third morn.
ing Of the fifteen days that the Virgin had promised
to appear before her. He watched her closely.
marked all she said and did, and he especially
noticed that she never lost consciousness Of what
was going on around her, and that she was per-
fecty calm and reasonable when addressed.
"There is neither catalepsy, nor haliucination In
this girl" said Doctor DOzons. "Her limbs do not
stiffen; she knows quite well what she is about.
The phenomena exhibited in her case are alto
gether unknown to medicine. Her pulse Is per-
fecty regular She Is in no state Of bodily or mem
tai over-excitement"
The Virgin, having enjolned Ber1adette to pray
for the wicked" vanished from her sight as on
previous occasions.
THE LAW INTERPRETERS
As Bernadette was leaving the church Of Lourdea
with the Of the congregation alter vespers, on
the evening of the day when she had kept her
fourth appointment with the Virgin, the awful
form OF the French Official stood up suddenly in heI
path like lion, at least that animal which wore
lions skin.
''In the name of the law, said the voice speaking
by the mouth of Policeman Jacomet
"What do you want, sir ?" inquired the small
shepherdess, who in dress, manners or appear.
ance could not be distinguished from any other
little peasant girl who had just said her prayers.
81 am ordered to arrest YOU and taKe you up,"
replied Jacomet.
.sTake me up where ?" said the wondering girl.
Cup to the Commissary OF Police. Come along"
growled Jacomet.