The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-11-13

put SIN weeks old her father, who had
also been in robust health since boy
hood, died of smallpox, after the
disease had been communicated to tho
child.
From very carly ago one of tho
greatest cnioymcnts Of tho girl ap-
pcarcd to be the care Of the sick and
unfortunate, and showed remarkable
fitness for her labor of love. Up to
her sixteenth year lIer life was an
almost unErokcn succession Of sick
ness, privation and dangers. Years
before she had received internal in
.jurics, to which at first she paid little
attention.. Tho symptoms developed
SO seriously, however, that her life
was dcspaircd of and she received the
last sacramcnts of tho Church. a
novcna was then begun for her benefit,
and soon attcrward she said that she
was not to die at this time. Shc rc-
covered, but three weeks later was
again prostratcd by an acute nervous
headache and sharp pains in her left
arm, sidc and leg. Then car:c Nh
aDsccss under left shoulder, followed
by an cxpcctoration Of blood which
made her SO weak tl,at she could not
without difficulty, take the medicine
prescribed, or swallow anything but q
little water. This was about her con-
ditlon for over seven months, until
death again seemed imminent, and the
blessed Sacrament was administered
to her for the viaticum. Feeling i'm
pcllcd TO pray for recovery, che did
SO, and scarcely had concluded when
she told those ut her bedside that this
illness also was disappearing. After
TWO days OF convalcsccncc she arose,
but was obliged to lie down again.
"Ihc fourth time | get up" she said,
with smile, call will be WE'LL" and
sho added with JOY that on the 21st of
April, 1868, shc would be able to hear
Mass and receive Holy Communion in
the parish church.
On the night of tho Goth she refused
Il drink that was offered her, "For,"
she said, II am to receive Holy Conn
munlon tomorrow morning." Early
ncX1 day she aSt0nishcd her mother
and sisters by getting up and saying
that her pains and weakness had sud
denly disappeared. Regardless of the
severity Of the weather she walked to
The church, where almost the entire
population of tho village was assem-
blcd to sec her.
Three days after, upon q Friday,
She experienced a return Of the acute
pains and then appeared the first traces
OF the stigmas. Blood trickicd from
Il spot in her left side. This was re-
pcatcd on tho following Friday, ac-
companicd by similar flow from the
upper surface Of each foot. With con-
siderable anxiety to know what it
meant, Louise made known the cir
cumstanccs to her conf SIS ~, NJ. Nicls,
who, however, paid little attention to
the matter until the next Friday when,
at nine O'Clock in the morning, the
blood began to flow again, not only
from seeming wounds in the feet and
left side, but also from tho palms and
backs Of both hands. BY advice of
her contrssor the service of DR.. Come,
physician, was sought. lie regard
Ell the flow as u natural phenomenon
and for several weeks tried means to
stop it. lie failed, however, and
finally Louise, convinced that her case
was not one for Il physician, discon-
tinucd medical treatment.
NJ. Nicls now thought it proper to
inform Mgr. Dcschanps, Archbishop
OF Mcchlin, of the case. Being brought
before that prclatc, Louise answered
his questions with q mOdcsty, clear
ness and simplicity that made a dccp
impression upon him, and he subsc-
gave free expression to his
conviction that she was q saint. An
investigation Of her case was now
ordered by the Bishop Of Tournay,
the commissioners for the purpose
being four distinguished thcologians,
under the presidency of the two Wears
General OF tho diocese, and number
or practising physicians, under the
direction Of DIR. Lcfcbvrc, professor Of
medicine in the University of I,ouyain.
The members Of tho faculties Of mcdi-
cine in Belgian Universities that were
regarded as being "libcral" in matters
OF religion were also invited to partici-
pate in the investigation, and several
OF them availcd themselves of the
invitation. After q careful eNamina-
ton that continued for year and a
half, lIr. Lctebvrc published a report
IN behalf of tho medical medical men
OF the commission, and tho ccclcsias-
tics laid before the diocesan authori-
tics report cmbodying the result of
their investigation. DR.. lmbcrt, pro-
icSsor of medicine ut Clcrmont,
France, as well as other doctors, also
wrote professionally upon the remark
able case. IL appears that Of all who
were present at any part of the inves-
tigation. not ono has denied or even
called in question a single fact or cir
culnstancc reported by the Commits
sioncrs, and yet there has been sufi-
cicnt opportunity to disprovc any of
their statements had they been un-
true, for the phenomenon could have
been witnessed upon any Friday.
On Friday, September 25, 1868,
blood flowed for the first time from
her forehead and q number of points
around the crown Of her head, and
five years later, April 4, 1873, an ad-
ditional wound, rather larger than
any of the others, appeared on the top
Of her right shoulder. Ever since
that time, it is said, blood has flowed
from all the places mentioned regular
ly every Friday. 1t usually begins to
flow about midnight Oh Thursdays.
Occasionally the bleeding from the
left side does not begin until some
what later. Sometimes the flow is
only from either tho upper or tho
IOwnr ct,rfnon np @l,o