The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-04-02
tMrs. A. T. Sadliers Transation from the French of
Mgr. de Segur]
THE WONDERS OF LOURDES.


lContlnueu
xXXI
| INsTANTA NEoUs CURE OF YOUNG woRKING.
GIRL IN HER AGONY.
In that same year, 1857, Our Lady Of Lourdes
manifested her merciful power in the little
village of Maquens, situated at the gates OF
Carcassonne. young working girl named
Francoise Pailhes twenty. one years of age
was the recipient of this favor from the I'M
maculafe Conception. She was good girl
gentle, Industrious and truly pous. At four
teen or fifteen years of age, her health had been
injured by the unhealthy labor of a cloth
manufactory. She fingered on for ak months,
and just after Christmas, 1866 she was obliged
to keep her bed, prey to the most cruel suffer
ngs. The seat of her disease was the heart.
Very painful commissions soon reduced her to
the most pitiable state. For four months, she
could only take little broth.
In the s'mo o:tth Of April, her condition became
most alarming. Every one thought her death
very near. FRANCHISE alone hoped. She de-
rived this confidence from her devotion to the
Blessed Virgin; her constant prayer, the only
one her weakness permitted, was the famous
Invocation 30 Mary, concerted ,cithout sin
pray for US ,rho hare reconrse to thee!' She wAs
convinced that the Blessed Virgin would
restore her. In the beginning of the month of
Mary, she made one of her brothers arrange o
sort of little altar to the Blessed Virgin before
her bed, with q poor little plaster statue and
some flowers FRANCHISE often looked at the
holy image she then felt still more hope and
courage.
She was so weak that she could not turn in
the bed. In her convulsions, which became
one occasion, her brother was obliged, for
three hours, to use the whole strength of his
arms to keep her in the bed Death was
rapidly approaching.
On the 9Th of May, Sister of Charity came
to see her, and related, to console her, the
apparitions of Lourdes, and the miracles
which were wrought by the water of the grotto.
" To be sure" said the good Sister afterwards,
Il believed in Our Lady of Lourdes; but then,
l did not even think of cure, for the poor
girls death appeared to be so inevitable and
SO near" 90 Sister," said FRANCHISE in an
almost inaudible voice, " send me some of that
water quick; it will cure me-" The Sister
took leave of her, thinking it was for the last
time, and asking for her holy death.
"Oh, if had some of that water !" was
henceforth the poor dying girls only thought.
Next day, the disease took such form that
the excellent pastor of the village fastened to
give FRANCHISE the last Sacraments. A slow
and painful agony then commenced. Several |
times poor Francoiso lost consciousness, and |
hey thought her dead. That whele night and |
he day following passed in a series of terrible |
struggles between life and death, each time the |
ecovery becoming less and less possible.
The whole village, which the good pastor
lad led to piety- by devotion to the Blessed
yirgin and frequent Communion, were praying
or the unfortunate young girl. In the rare
vould make an effort to repeat: "Sister did
ot send the water thenf 1t will
ure me-"
From the beginning of her agony, the poor
irl could not take even the slightest drink.
he doctor, yielding to eager entreaties, came
n Thursday, May 9th, merely through kind
ess, declaring that his visit was entirely use
,ss. He tried to make the patient swallow
ew drops of liquid by opening her mouth with
spoon. Her suffering whilst he did 90 was 90
reat that he turned away his head, unable to
ndurs the sight of it. All was useless and
he doctor left saying: &C. knew it well there
10 hope for her"
Two friends of FRANCHISE, going to Carcas.
oDne, came to see her on their way.
Oh, tell Sister," murmured the dying girl,
tell Sister that she did not send me the water
ON the grotto. Do not come
ack without il. OBJ, how will
ait for it'll"
In the evening, when the little bottle of ,
iraculOua water was given her, she collected I
sT strength, worn ont by the agony, and con-