Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-15
Saint Anne.

| QUEBEC, Oct. 10.
| We have now been in this wonderful old
city, which seems more like a medieval
stronghold than modern town for over
week. 1t seems strange to think that when
the whole of New England was a wilderness,
with bowling sayages roaming over it, this
place was inhabited by some of the nobility
of France. There is not much left of them
now but their history. A few days ago we
took a delightful sail down the northern
channel of the St. Lawrence. As we went
by BEAUFORT we had a splendid view of the
insane asylum maintained by the Sisters of
Charity. 1t is more than twice as large as
the one at Augusta and contains about 1900
patients. On by St. Pierre and Chateau
Richer, and by the glorious falls of Mont
morenci, of which we had an excellent
view, we arrived at St. Anne, earlyss in the
afternoon. With this little hamlet, which to
accommodate the many pilgrims and visitors
which gather there has hotels large enough
for city, are connected many quaint legends
The story runs that many years ago little
more than century after the adventurous
Cabot discovers the sea coast of this coun-
try, some hardy Breton mariners were over
taken by storm which arose suddenly in
the river st. Lawrence. In the fear of in
slant death they vowed to St. Anne, mother
of the Virgin, that should she bring them
safe to land, to her they would erect a
sanctuary on the very spot where their feet
| first touched the ground The.clouds were
suddenly dispelled and when they reached
the shore the sailors built a little chapel,
which long resisted the winter tempest.
From that time on pilgrims began to visit
the shrine and depositing votve offerings
went away healed of their intirmities In
1860 another church of wood and stone was
built.
As years rolled on the tide of pilgrims and
the number of miracles performed steadily
increased, and the chapel became renowned
through Canada and old France. Among
those who sent offerings to the shrine of the
saint were the celebrated Anne of Austria
mother of a race of kings, Marquis de Tracy
and the pious bishop of Saval. The elo-
| quent priests who came as missionaries to
the savages in this section, attracted multi
tudes to the little chapel in the forest. One
of these early fathers lost his life in noble
attempt to rescue the drowning occupants of
an overturned canoe, and his grave, marked
by simple wooden cross, occupies an OBJ
scure corner of the church yard. In 1880
the present elegant cathedral was entirely
completed, and since that time the number
of pilgrims has steadily increased, till during
the last year over one hundred thousand Wis
tied the shrine. When we arrived the church
and yard were full of those afflicted with all
kinds of diseases clasping their humble
offerings. and firmly believing that through
their supplications they would be granted
new lease of life. We fingered for several
hours examining the quaint old trophies with
which the cathedral is adorned, and unsuc-
cessfully attempting to decipher the antique
French on the moss covered tombstones A
we went on board the noisy steamboat, it
seemed like coming out from the mystery of
a previous century to the hurry and hustle
of the present. Mac.