New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-09-16
A BRITISH PILGRIMAGE.
pIoUs JOURNEYS BY RAIL AND STEAMER

MONIAL--TITLED PILGRIMs-PIETY AND Gossip
MASS ON sInPBoARD-ARRIyAL AT PARIS.
lYRoM TIE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBUxsI
PARIS. Sept 2-Midnight.-The Victoria Railway
station at London being of the principal outlets
from the CITY, occasionally offers some notable spec
tacles but never before in its history saw it any
thing like the phenomena presented this morning.
The last time in the station on public occa-
sion when the Shah took his departure Then
| saw the Prince of Wales the Duke of Edinburgh
in word, the flower of the Royal Fam1y'-in
humble attendance on q dark-skiDDed barbarian
who had just outraged the proprieties of ciyiliza
ton within the sacred precincts of Buckingham
Palace. But what saw then sinks into insigniG'
compared with the spectacle the four walls
of the station incosed this morning.
Nearly $50 ladies and gentlemen, dressed in cos
tunes of the period, starting pilgrimage to tbe
shrine of foreign saint who lived 200 years ago
this was but fraction of the Pilgrim Band At
the outset it expected that perhaps 800 might
60 and there was a time when fears were enter
tanned that 30 would be nearer the actual number
But after hanging fire for some weeks the pilgrim
age fever gained a sudden access and for the past
week it has been clear that the trouble of the pro
mOters. of tho enterprise would be not
to get company but to secure Tho
list for the special train originally
contemplated was closed fortnight ago, and later
arrivals were fain to go to Paris by the ordinary
routes and take their chances of reaching Paray
thence A boat load went over last night, and this
morning the leaders and pastors, and those whose
names were first enrolled left Victoria Station at
half-past 8 O'Clock The Duke of Norfolk was there
early. with Lord Arundel OF Wardour. Lady Herbert
of Lea Lord Walter Kerr, and other members o. tho
aristocracy. All wore the left breast the badge
of the Sacred Heart-a little red flannel cross stitched
on larger piece of white flannel IL was carefully
arranged so there would be priest in each compart-
ment OF the several carriages that the congregations
might be complete in themselves, and this
part of the undertaking was vigorously carried
out the only departures from it bcingin cases where
there were two priests in carriage, OWING 10 an chi
barrassment of riches. The number OF pilgrims reg
ularly enrolled was go. of whom 100 were priests.
$50 ladies' and $40 laymen. Possibly because their
loose robes made them the more conspicuous in ths
hrong the ladies and the priests appeared to DO IN
dScided majority.
As soon as the train moved out Of the station. wo
got to work at our devotions. There were seven
persons in our comparment-the priest, jolly
looking man. whose disposition, | discovered upon
further acquaintance did not belle his face; pretty
| little pilgrim dressed in deep mourning, who did
not seem so apt finding her places in the manual "a
she ought to have been; two decenty dressed women
who looked like upper seryantsof saving habits VINO
were managing to undertake little excursion; a
handsome young deacon who, before we had passed
Victoria Wharf had discovered that the pretty mt
! tie pilgrim who sat directly opposite TO him had
| bewitcbinply soft gray eyes, an elderly woman
with corkscrew curls and large tin box which lat
ter she held on to all the way TO Newhaven and an
nucodlv journalist. I'm the way of peace and pEos
perity may the Lord, almighty aud merciful, direct
our steps, And may the angel Raphael accompany
us on the way, that We may return to our home in
peace safety and jOy.' This and all the rest that
is written in the Itinerarum did the cheerfuliook
ing priest recite, following it up by the Litany of
! the Sacred Heart seven Paters and seven AYES
| for the Pope and the prosecuted BISHOPS OF
| the Church. Then there was an Interya.
broken again when we had trayersed q dozen miles
by the recitation of the five joyful mysteries Of the
| Rosary There being at the end Of each mystery
ten Hail Marys to be said, this part of the per-
| Torrance grew somewhat tedious; but tue jolly
| priest did not let his tongue stop, but ratified
| through under tunnel and over bridge at pace
which seemed designed for rivalry with the railway
system under which the pilgrims of the nineteenth
! century find themselves. When the devotional part
of the journey was over the priest woke up with in
creasing vyacty, and began TO relate anecdotes
one at least of which made the handsome young
| deacon who had attentiyely listened 10 II
| throughout, cross himself and mutter a brief
| additional prayer. When his stock OF
anecdotes was exhausted, the Father turned Ia
the elderly Lady with the cork-screw curls and the
large tin box, and chaffed her most numerically
upon the palpabe appearance and possible contents
of her luggage. Under pressure, she confessed that
there was, inter ala. coffee-pOt in the box and
there might have been feather-bed as far rs cubic
measurement was concerned. What the old lady
will do with her tin box when she gets TO Paray |
do MT know. Perhaps as we pleasantly suggested
to her. she will find for tbanktulness at having
brought it, supposing she has to sit doorstep all
night. 1t generally agreed that, as the priest
had taken such profound and friendly interest III
the box. it would only be fair that he should carry
it down to the boat from the station. But though
the good Father had been quick TO the
jokes fitting about this was beyond his comprehen-
siOn and the only evidence he showed Of having
heard the remark was found in his getting ont of hs
carriage with suspicious aacrity d the train
drew up at the station. A quarter OF an hour later
saw the tin box struggling through the crowd in tho
arms of an ingenious male pilgrim, behind whom
the lady and the cOrkscrew curls walked. the former
protesting that the young pilgrim was too kind"
and must be " very tired" but never Offering TO
lieye him of his burden.
The special boat was lying mOOred at the pier
when the passengers came down, aud it was
filled from stem to stern. and second steamer.
which had been kept in readiness, was brought into
requisition. A small crowd has assembled az Vic
tOria Station To the Pilgrim Train start, and a
faint half-mocking cheer raised AZ it steamed
out of the station There was another crowd lining
the pier overlooking the boats, which had come out
with evidently strong curiosity to see what modorx
pilgrims were like. and must have been disappointed