The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-03-12
Translated for the Morning Star from tho French of
Mgr. de Segur.
THE WONDERS OF LOURDES,
tContinued.I J
SUDDEN CURE OF AN tx. GENDARME

SUDDEN CURE OF AN Ex GENDARME
John Mary Fosses, native OF Tribon.
| (Upper Pyrenees), q retired gendarmes mus
tered out Of service, and at the present day o
inn keeper at Arsacq, Lower Pyrenees), wa
suddenly freed from an incurable disorder, O
the eleventh Of November, 1867. at the prott
of Lourdes.
On the first day of the preceding August
Fosses, lately risen from a bed of sickness
was seated before his door enjoying the COO
evening air. Suddenly a rush of violent ca,
overspread his face then, cold, clammy
sweat broke out over his whole body, and aftel
awhile, his neck grew stiff and rigid. In 6
short time frightful pains shot through hi.
head, and seemed to ransaok it's every nook
with species of impl0cable rabidness. Thence
forth, the poor man did not know O moments
rest. The days were heightened out by fright
ful sunerings, but the nights were intolerable
his body was visited with racking tortures foz
which there was no respite. During several
hours, always the same, be groaned in anguish
a prey to this strange disorder. The inside OF
his head seemed tunneled in all direations
whilst the outside felt if burrowed and bar.
rowed over it's whole surface
The physician endeavored to master this
atrocious distemper. but his efforts were fruit
less. To complete the wretchedness of Fosses
gloomy fancies and vexatous Imagining
worried his day and night thoughts. Anxiety,
irritation came over him by degrees he lived
in state of permanent evaporation He YVES
conscious of the change operated in his tenn
per. Formerly he was good nstured, cheer
1ul' ahectlonate, master of himself now, his
humor was harsh. and even brutal. He bit
terly bewailcd the impossibility in which he
was to put a check to these involuntary and in.
controllable outbursts. This impotence added
greatly to his suaerings
He refused medicament One remedy
after another was called for and applied,
week after week dragged along; never was
there lull in the storm.
In the month of October, his appetite failed
altogether. Thus tortured by unremitting
bodily anguish and deprived of all rest, he de-
olined visibly, and soon became q complete
wreck.
He felt the hand of death laid upon him, He
home his son and daughter, who
we're at distance, in order to embrace them
once more, and bestow upon them his nal
blessing. After few days his daughter was
compelled to return to her grandmother's.
Good bye, my poor child" said he, with tears
n his eyes, "good bye, l shall see you no more
n this world"
Fosses fell into the deepest detection, grew
mere gloomy and sullen, and finally determined
% reject all medicines. The physician at
empted to reason with him to no purpose.
AS for you, esteem you as a kind, devoted
man," replied the sick inn-keeper with firm
less ; but of all your remedies, not single one
las given me relief, they only help to kill me- |
t is useless to prescribe more"
At this stage of affairs peddler happened |
0 put up at the inn. Fosses was seated near |
he FIRE, silent and depressed in spirits. The |
raveler broached a subject of conversation,
nd by degrees drew him from his moroseness.
he inn-keeper relates his sad story, and de-
pairingly depicts the state of hopelessness into
'hich he was sunk. "Well," said the peddler,
l have been in the same straits in which you
re now +; like you have been very i'll, nav,
ven despaired Of consulted physicians
CODED myself with medicines during three
ears; all was labor lost. Yet 1 am cured.
ut the skill of men had no share in nv re-
'very. am in no wise indebted to the COL
gel of doctors. On my neck, festered and
'nkled an old sore of a most repulsive nature,
hence distilled flow of fetid suppuration.
suffered cruelty. Ny profession and the !
eagerness of my resources, obliged me to be !
tramping around heaven alone
nows what endured in these expeditions. 1 7
ent to the waters of Cauterets, Bsgneres de-
igorre, Bagneres-de-Luchon spent good G
'und sums efmoney, and al without result" l