The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-30


muddy, gray color, and all around was damp and
comfortless. It was place for a little maid to
brood In, this mill. In the street beneath were
barelooted children scudding about and HARD
times and the wolf seemed near every door-only
lookout upon broken walls and broken windows
and weeds and muddy water. The walls OF the
mill were whitewashed, but the whitewash was
stained and had rubbed of in patches. The doors
were cracked. The nO0rs were 0verlaid with
planks which had never been secured, and here
was rafter and there was q beam, and the win
dows were patched with paper. That was the
home OF Bernadette.
Beside this mill was another where her sister
now hves but Bernadette's sister is evidently not
under the protection Of the clergy, for upon the
wall Of her house was painted
CHAMBRES A LOUER.
saw Bernadette's sister and her br0ther-in-law.
They are not lovely people; and are said TO have
become greedy since their parents died and
Bernadette left them. never heard however, sthat
the family OF Joseph the carpenter, were very dis
tingushed persons. 1t Is certain that they were
troublesome.
THE PEOPLE OF LOURDES
are hard, slow witted, cautious race, wonderfully
like Scotch.f folk, with dry jokes about them like
spare cash. One Of them has written over his bar
Der shop, "Here, on paying to-day. shave to-mor-
row for nothing" which is presume. the Lourdes
idea Of being funny. I asked another what he
thought of Bernadettes He turned his tongue
seven times in his mouth before he answered.
dryy, 81 think she is Just wench who makes
good deal Of running about" fc'est une file Qast
Jatt oeoucoup co,rtr) an answer which would have
done very well for North Briton.
A PRIEST OF THE GRorT0.
asked one Of the officiating priests Of the grottO
whether Bernadette had ever seen the Virgin
again since she grew up to womanhood. "N0,"
answered the priest land she is in perfect igno-
Of her celebrity, devoted entirely to her
humble duties among the Sisters OF Nevers. Is 1t
not written somewhere that the young only see
Visions the '0ld dream dreamsY"
COMMERCIAL ASPECT OF THE THING
The water of Lourdes does not work miracles
without faith. 1t is no use to buy it wholesale and
put it in bottles for mercantile purposes 1t Is not
mineral water. 1t has no curative properties &C
knowledged in medicine. 1t Is only very pure and
digesuble; very wholesome.
The revenue Of the town is only 3O,000f. year.
1t Is badly paved and badly lighted. The pilgrims
do not throw away their money. Not much Is made
out Of them. Thirty cents for breakfast of four
courses ffty-siX cents for dinner OF five courses.
wine included; thirty cents for bedroom, with
clean sheets and plenty Of towels do not leave
large profits.
EASY SHAVING.
60 to be shaved every morning, for all the
Southern people are cunning with the razor, and q
beard Is mere dust-coector on the road. I find
a lot of rosyfaced children playing about the
barber's shop, and ask one of them II he has
ever seen q sour The child looks up wondering,
and answers, "No." Then he scampers Off with q
shout to tell Of the strange man who spoke to him
Of an unknown thing.
"Come, thou barber, what's to pay for doing o
dirty job at best which will take you quarter Of
hour, besides the cost ofsoap and clean towelf
WHAT'S to pay at the current price OF labor at
Lourdes for cleaning the face Of strange mani"
"What you please" says the discreet barber. ~
please twopence."
After mature thought barber looks amazed, and
says "Thahk you," through his nose, not without
emotion, and down-at-heel wife listening with
surprise at the door. The current price OF his
labor for fifteen minutes soap and towel included.
is under half-penny.
Igo to the Post once to prepay letter and am
too late for the Paris post leaves at ten O'Clock In
the morning am too late. The letter box has
Just been sent Off to the station .'Hallo ~ roara
the Postmaster and his wife together. ''What's
the matter 9' sayL 1--WE have stopped an omnibus
for you You can still post your letter at the sta
ton II you make haste. Here 1t is ready stamped"
''But nave uOJ pdlu tHe pOSJdBe." ''NeVeT uhuu
that" ~ have not change either to pay my omni
bus fare" "Well, here are five francs" have
never before seen these good people who are 50
ready to render me service, and do not know
them from Adam. They do not look as II they be.
longed to population Of cheats and humbugs.
cross over to the telegraph office. 1t Is Just
closing The telegraph woman Is going on to
breakfast for the rest Of the day, and lust catch
her at the door. tell her l am anxious to send q
telegram before she shuts up, and that must 60
home to fetch some money. "Why" she an
swered, "can't you send it without money and pay
another time ?"
Igo into an image shop and buy little medal
for a lady in Paris. It's weight Is about that OF
five franc piece, and it Is beautifully made. l am
charged seven francs for 1T, and have not enough
In my pocket by four francs. "Pay another time"
says brisk little old woman who keeps the shop.
Everywhere l found the same civility, simple
trust and honesty. bought box OF matches at
tobacconists and laid down the Paris price Of three
sous on his counter. He ran after me all down the
street, with his hat OF, to tell me had paid him
sou too much, and bring 1t me back couple OF
active British swndlers would starte these people
like the shot from q double.barrelled gun falling
among mock Of inc experienced wild ducks Many
OF the streets Of Lourdes have pious names. There
are the Street Of the Groto and the Street OF the
Banner and the Street Of st. Peter. But ind 1t
almost impossible to get hold OF Lourdes priest
for conversational purposes. The Cure Is drowned
In letters by every post and half sunocated by
visitors all day long. The superior OF the grotto
and the ofncatng priests are equally aficted; for
the miracles of Lourdes are arousng the attention
OF the whole religious world, besides that OF the
wondermongers; yet there is no hunting up Of
likely strangers with subscription lists.
THE RUE DE LA GROTTE.
walk down the narrow and crooked lane which
Is the highway to the miraculous fountain and
which Is trodden by thousands OF pilgrims daily.
Most OF the houses on each side OF me can
not let for more than SIS year each.
Many or them are mere novels Bread is sold at