The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1883-09-15

face in my hands and hair and pray |
all the way down. Then he will carry !
me on shore and into the church, and |
I will fall down al tho feet of good
Saint Ann'-brow, breast, left, right |
-ssand pray, and pray, until am as
light as a feather, and I rise right up !
and my legs are long, and strong, and
straight, like anybody's."
Then I asked her all about her
father. She told me all she knew, and
that was so little. However, got the
name of the ship and the date of sail
ing. It was long before. The Child
seemed to have no idea of the lapse of
years down there in the darknes And
as for Cape Horn, she seemed to think
it was only some bend in the river a
little distance off. kissed her, crowd
ed shilling into her bony and unwill-
ing hand, as hurried away, and left
her there in the damp and darkness
With her crutch. I went to good
lady whom ! know-we all 60 to
women somehow when we want a
good deed done-and told her about
this queer little girl with her bound.
less faith in the miracles of Saint Ann.
"There will be a miracle; there shall
be miracle !" cried this stout-hearted
Protestant lady, with tears in her
eyes, as told her how eager the child
was to go down to the shrine of Saint
Ann. "But," continued the good Pro-
! testant lady, ssit will not be such a
miracle as these faithful Catholics be-
lieve in but I will tell you what it
will be )" and here she lowered her
head and whispered slyly: "Her
f,< l,1~ cEon 1>o fOpnn1 Vnc hor fokhor
will come to her, and that will be the
miracle: Oh, do not fear me, or doubt
for an instant that there is good
take her tomorrow, to the shrine of
Saint Ann, and my word for it, her
father will come for her from his long
voyage around the Horn for this Is
the only kind of miracles we have
now"
And 80 it was agreed that we two
should take the child to the shrine to-
gether. Meantime, tho practical Pro-
testant, who did not believe in miracles
of to-day, busted herself in trying to
get track Of the poor absent father. 1t
was nearly week, however, before
we got off, for the days were wet and
dreary, and the child was hardly strong
enough to make the journey there and
back on bad day. We got off at last.
1t was great occasion for the child.
She nestled her little head, with its
mass of wealth, down on my bosom,
and prayed all the time as I carried
her on board and laid her down on the
little bench reserved for cripples, be-
fore the land burning at the feet ol
\ good Saint Ann. The good Protestant
lady, leaning over her said:
"My child, pray for your father te
come to you. know he will come fol
you soon, may be to-day, and he will
be your legs, and that, my darling
will be the miracle"
eff my papa comes to me from
around the Horn," piped the pitiful
failing voice from down there in thu
, white pillows and from under tho
clouds of black hair, "if my fathe
+ comes for me after I have come to th'
shrine of Saint Ann''-brow, breast
+ left, right-"why, he won't have t.
, carry me at all, for will run at hi
! side as light as feather, ma'am, ant
my legs will be long, and strong, ant
, straight as anybody's."
II And so I carried her ashore and int
the church, and laid her praying at tn
pitiful feet OF the mother of the Hol.
Virgin, full of faith, and hope, ant
! peace; of boundless belief that miracl
q should restore her, and make he
a tstrong and straight, like Others.
!, An hour later we came back. Sh
, still lay there before the shrine between
r the two tall pyramids of crutches, lei
, there by the thousands who had beel
y healed. But her little crutch still
n peeped out over the little shoulde
p through the clouds of hair. 1t wa
q timo to go, and, leaning over, too
the little one again in my arms.
! "Oh, am as light as feather" sh
v whispered, as she nestled down her lii
h tie head and passed out Of the church
Z "and know that my papa will com
! from around the Horn, like the goo
, woman said, only shall rise up an
4 be straight and strong, with legs fik
v anybody's."
;. We laid her down on the little be
in the boat as before. She was, ia
a deed, as light as feather. Her fait
+ was not shaken. She assured the goo
Il Protestant lady that we would not hav
o to carry her on shore, but that sh
a should surely walk at her side. AS W
}, left her the woman was crying, bl
~ the face of the child was radiant wit
, peace, and faith and hope. At last til
D lady said:
n "I know as we'll as ] know that
n m lixipO that tho father has cOoe In