Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-04-23
The "Cour Des MlracIes.s

1t Is announced that the first blow of
the pick will soon be struck on the
houses of the Rue des Filles-Dieu that
the Municipal Council of Paris has de-
voted to demolition. Certainly no
Partisan will regret it, the narrow and
filthy zane of old Paris, into which the
passer by dare not penetrate, and which
is like an ulcer right in the heart OF the
capital.
This Rue des Filles-Dieu, the oblite-
ration of which is now but a question
of a few days, has its history, strange
history that deserves to be recalled. In
the first place, let US remark that it
took its name from convent founded
in 1226 by Guillaume Ill, Bishop of
Paris. This convent was destined to
receive, in the words of the chronicle
of the period, "women who had fallen
into beggary."
There, behind this convent was the
famous ''Cour des Miracles" What
sinister souvenirs are instantly evoked
by that name! According to the mag
niticent description Victor Hugo has
given OF it in 'Notre-Dame-de-P Paris''
it was a vast irregular and ill-paved
square. like all the squares of Paris at
that time.
At night fires, around which swarm
ed strange groups, shone upon it here
and there. Sharp laughter, the wailing
of infants and women'S voices were
heard. The hands, the heads Of this
crowd, black against the luminous
background, described there a thousand
bizarre movements. Men, women,
animals, age, sex, maladies, all seemed
to be in common among the people
who lived there, and all huddled to-
gether, mixed, confOunded, grum-
bling.
The "Cour des Miracles" was IN the
past the haunt of all the ragamuffins
Paris contained, and they were numer-
GUS. Counterfeit blind men, counter
felt lame men, counterfeit lepers,
wTetched men and women, scoundrelS
of every description found shelter there.
When day dawned they scattered about
through the city, returning only in the
evening. Then began unbridled riot,
mOnstrous orgies, brawls in which the
knife played the principal role.
When the adventurous paSser risked
going there he was followed by blind
men, one. armed men, men on crutches,
Jacks-in the bowl, who demanded
charity of him in every language, and
when he stroye to back out the Jack-in
the-bowl had recovered his legs, the
one armed man barred the road with
both his arms, the blind man glared at
HIM with flaming eyes-all these beg
gars, stimulating inirmities Of every
sort, suddenly Strengthened them
selves up and became thieves and mur-
derers,
The sinister inhabitants of the 'CouI
des Miracles" called themselves the
''TruandS.n They were divided into
three principal categories: ''the Ca.
pOnS" or thieves. the Francs Mitons''
or mendicants, the ''Rifodesn or vaga-
bonds. An elective King-the ''King
of Thune"-goyerned them. He had
his banner and his coat.of-arms, to
wit: dead dog borne on the end Of a
pole.
The "COur des Miraclesn enjoyed the
fright Of asylum" Bohemian, ruILed
scholar, good d-for-nOthlngs of all nations
and all religions, unfrOcked monks,
robbers and assaSSins coYld take refuge
there without fear; the police dare not
go there to search for them. When the
soldiers of the watch, the agents of the
provost, the Kings men. yentured into
the labyrinth of lanes leading TO the
''COur des Miracles" the cry of a
''Truand" posted as a sentinel gave the
alarm, and then from every direction
bounded the beggars, ready to seize the
policemen as If IN a gigantic spiders
web. The latter, overcome with fear,
FASTENED to beat a retreat before this
risiEg en- ndSSe Of the army of crime.
In 1654 the historian Sauval wrote
the following description of the ''CouI
deS Miracles" 1T is a square of con.
siderable extent and in a very large
cul-de-sdc, muddy, foul, irregular. TC
get there it is necessary often tC
wander about wretched little streets
winding and dirty; to enter 1t one mus
descend quite a long decllvity, tortuous
rough and uneven. saw there hOust
half buried in the mud, shaking iron
top 10 bottom with age and rottenness
which was not four teise5 square and IL
which dwelt more than hundred per
sons. In all parts the square is envi
roned by low novels, buried, obscure
and disfgured, full to overfowing with
wretcheS."
Two years later, in 1856, an army Of
archers invaded the ''Cour de5 Mira
cles." The 'Truands" strove to resist
but were not given time; they strove t
flee, but the quarter was surrounded.
Meudicants, real or counterfeit intirm
people, thieves, yagabonds, all were
sorted out, examined and sent either tC
prison or to the hospital. The royalty
of the liking of Thune" was broken
the "Cour des Miracles" had had it:
day. Now, even the spot upon which
it stood is doomed to disappear.