National Republican., 1874-05-07
THE SACRED SPRING.
REPORTED CURE OF A CANCER BY
WATER FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF
I,OURDES 49, ~
dubuque Times.l


Mary WaldroD, of this, county, young
woman Of twenty.six or seven years of age,
who formerly wasa domestic in the service of
Bishop Henncssey, then with Father Ryan, but
for the last three years an inmate Of the county
asylum, where she has been helpless with can
Ger of the stomach, furnishes the most recent
evidence of the wonderful curative qualities Of
the ewater OF. the famous Spring of the Lourdes
that has como to our notice. She has been
afflicted with, the cancer about eight years.
Three years ago she became 80 nsarly helpless
that she was takon to the county house. At
times she would be taken with sinking spells,
from which it seemed Us il she could not sur
vive, the cancer froEn month TO meath growing
more malignant in its character ----
Being OF religious turn or mind, She has
spent the time since the cancer fastened upon
her in preparing for that epd which seemed
inevitable. She had read and thought much
Of the curative waters of the sacred spring or
fountain Of LoHrdes, in France and when tBe'
recent miraculous cure of the young lady
afflicted with curyature-of the spine; IN frank
lin county, was reported, she became also i'm
pressed with the faith thai, n could also cure
her, and accordingly her friends sent Tor some
Of the water few weeks since, and she drank
small portion, and also applied 1t externally
to the cancer. For q moment or two after she
was noticed to turn pale, and it was thought
she would faint. I'M few moments she recov-
cred, stood upright, and said she felt as If the
cancer were 1oosing It's hold upon her. At the
time she took the water she was bed-ridden.
An hoar after she was on her feet, and the
next day she came down to- the city; stopping
at the residence of Mr.. Hugh Treanor, and at
other places where she was acquainted, and
walked the distance Of several blocks. She
has applied the water on one or two-ocoasions
since with the same remarkable effect, from
which there is no relapse, and the cancer gives
every evidence Of soon disappearing entirely.
These facts were given to US yesterday after
noon at too late an hour for our reporter TO
visit the asylum and inquire into the full par
ticulsrs 80 desirable in this connection; but
what we have here given is from atrustworthy
source. In this connection IL may be we'll to
reproduce the following tradition regarding ths4
origin of this SACRED spring. which APPEARED in
these columns few weeks since: =
The small town OF Lourdes Is situated near
the base Of the Pyrenees, In the province of
Tables, in France. Near the town, and on the |
banks of tho Care, Is the tsGrotto of Marsail- |
enne, from which Cows stThe Sacred Spring, !
or the Fountain or the Virgin Mother.n 0nf
the lth day OF February, 155B, little peasant |
girl Qhe daughter Of . poor miller, named |
Berrodette L6ddirons, went with some COM |
panions to pick up wood for fdel along the |
A--%-s~.
the child, who was behlhd her companions,
saw standing in the Srotto me apparition of the
Mother of God, sarrsnnded with q halo of
light. She thus stood a short time, and van
ished. Other visits occurred, in each Of which |
the "Virgin" appeared to the child, and on
one occasion spoke, commanding that a chapel |
be erected to her memory on the site of the
grotto. -. . ~ --.s. ....
On subsequent occasion she commanded
The child to wash herself In the fountain, who,
she meant the river Care, which ran
close by, she approached, Tor hatpurpose, but
he presence stopped her and commanded her
% dig in the sand at the bottom of the grotto,i
which were then, and always had been, dry.
The child did SO, and immediately the fountain
burst forth. Its curative properties immSd-
,tely became, known, and Thousands of inva-
ids from all parts Of France, and the world,
nave visited Lourdes TO be cured by che waters
# the spring thushallowed by the presence of
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