The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-04-02

| recom"enoeu nerselt TO nary some drops OF
tho miraculous water went into her mouth
she made long and fatiguing fort to swallow
it, she waits, she tries again.
Her throat refuses it. "I cannot )"
sadly murmured the dying girl. The spectators
looked on, saying in low voice: at would
| require miracle, and there will not be q
| miracle"
Franchise, however, persisted in keeping tho
phial in her hand. In the evening, during the
| exercises of the Il onth of Mary, word was sent
to the paster: "Come quick FRANCHISE is
dying; you may not even be in time to read
| the prayers for the dying" He hasteued; the
convulsion which seemed to precede death soon
ceased, increasing the dying girls agony. Her
brothers, coming in from work, found her SO
weak that they thought they were scarcely in
time to bid her q last farewell. Choking with
grief, they could take no supper
The poor young girl suffered excrucisting
pain. She still cIuDg to hope. The whole
night and all the follow ing day che held the
| Phiai in hor hand. From time to time she laid
| it down to let it cool and, feeling that she
| could not succeed in drinking, she put it closed
into her parChed mouth, to give her temporary
relief. Her lips, almost speeohless, slowly
muttered the beloved words: 80 Mary, con-
ceired Witkoat sin :"
One time perceiving, in the midst of her
agony, that her poor parents were crying, she
said to them: "Do not cry Tho
Blessed Virgin will cure me with this water" !"
Her father, man full of faith, heart. broken
by his daughters sufferings, yet submissive to
the will of God, did not go to work on Friday,
that he might hear the last sigh and catch the
last look of that dear child. He passed the day
in running from her bedside to the church.
Distressed by the excrucating sufferings of
FRANCHISE, he prayed fervently to obtain for
her relief or deliverance by a speedy death,
which would, however, break his heart. The
whole village were expecting every instant the
sound of the death bell every one was aston
ished at the length of her agony, and all pitied
the poor child.
Towards two o'clock in the afternoon, she
was 80 weak that every one thought her last
moments were approaching. FRANCHISE mur-
INJURED:
"1can DO no more am dying.
want to see my brother" The young man
soon arrived. Without speaking q word, he
wruDg his sisters hand, weeping, and fed with
his sorrow to his workshop.
The Children of Mary were preparing their
white dresses for the funeral. Froucoise her
self, some days before, Notwithstanding her
persistent hope, h had asked one Of her aunts to
go and get her Child of Mary's dress, that it
might be put on her when she was dead. And |
the dress had come, and Prancoise had seen it !; |
she had shown her aunt where to put it in the |
closet that her mother might not see it.
About four o'clock in the afternoon the priest
came for the third time that day. Francoise,
n stihed voice, her eye bright with fever,
Iaid to him: Oh, Father, am burning! am
,urning! All, if l could drink a
title water Father, you ought to
ure me" "Poor child. cannot none but
! Cd can do it. Have confidence in Mary; cH,r
Ter your sufferings; pray. will also 60 to the
hurch and pray for you"
FRANCHISE wished to prey. Bat those who
we're present saw the stupor of death coming
N.
The priests sister, who had been for long
ime at the bedside Of the dying girl, went
way for moment. She stopped at the door
o speak to q neighbor, talking Of Francoise,
7hen suddenly broken and trembling voice
allied her. 1t was FRANCHISES mother. She
hought the last moment had come, and has {
ened to be present at it.
Ao0 u"'UB W"bneE "eb neI Ou the /
hreshold saying in clear and piercing tone !
Franchise has drank; go uP.' She had
osrcely reached the Top of the stairs, when q !
ry of joy came from the bed where che had
,ft the lying girl" Cured, Marguerite am
ured ~ In trath, she saw Francoise sitting up
the bed, radiant, happy, her eye bright with !
", and she repeated in full voice: "Yeo, c
1rod! really cured! See, Marguerite; see, it Is q
liS water tits the Blessed Virgin Go and tell &
70 priest TO Gomez
re - ceaunuoa,I iG