New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-18
lola AT LOURDES.
THE AUTHOR OF MAMA MARCHING BE.
HIND THE HOLY SACRAMENT.
Paris. September


alism often furnishes those sensations which
are the breath Of life 10 modern Parisians. as
they were to ancient Athenians. His first
| famous novel, "LAssommoir, was one. 50 was
| Mana" So was la Terre." So. too, for
different reason, was lie Reve" Interviews
with him, printed in the papers, have furnished
others He is apparently fond Of being inter-
viewed, and on such occasions often says start
ling things. Another sensation OF the first
magnitude was caused by his attempt to get
elected to the Academy, and his subsequent
controversy with his successful rival, NJ Viaud,
or Pierre Lott
In itself, too, Lourdes Is sensational place.
il the term may be, without irreverence, applied
to It, Nothing could be more truly sensational
than the annual pilgrimage thither. the iocking
to that shrine Of tens Of thousands OF devotees.
dozens Of special trains running to it daily; tho
daily procession, with thousands of priests and
tens Of thousands Of the laity; the fervent
prayers Of the supplicants and the wild exulta-
ton Of those who are miracuousy healed-or
who believe themselves Ia, be healed II Is
impressive even to see tho thousands, for whom
there is no possible shelter, lying down to sleep at
night on tho ground, under the open sky, like
there is no more remarkable scene than those
presented at Lourdes during the annual
pilgrimage.
Now, since this famous shrine is place Of 90
great interest, and since all France Is always
ready to hang spell-bound upon the words and
actions OF NJ lola, may only imperfectly
imagine the sensations caused by the announce
ment that the two were TO be for tire con-
Joined: that NJ lola, in brief, would this year
join the holy throng and make the pilgrimage.
1t must be confessed that the sensations werd
much varied Some thought only Of the new
book he would write, naturalistic novel about
Our Lady Of Lourdes Some-the railroad people
thought Of the throng Of sight-seers his
presence there would attract. Some. many
indeed, looked upon it with pious horror i"
them it was not merely Saul among the Prophets.
it was Anti Christ among the Disciples. They
protested. They even sought to invoke the law1
both civil and ecclesiastical. to prevent NJ. lola
from going thither: all of which was, Of course
in vain, and only served to amuse the object OF
their di.favor and to give him welcome material
for the novel he had in mind.
To the reporters and correspondents, however,
it was something more than sensation; IL was
a godsend. Occurring in the dullest part Of
the dull season, with only the grim tidings OF
tho cholera to record, it furnished columns OF
acceptable ccopy." A great relief. too such
gossip was, to the daily tale Of horrors So
many TO the pest house carried in; 30 many
from the dead-house carried out" 30 they
literally thronged about him and dogged hia
footsteps everywhere. He could not take step.
or turn his head without the fact being recorded
in score Of notebooks
So NJ lola, accompanied by Nine lola, went
to Lourdes, and, following the crowd. proceeded
at once to the Holy Grotto. He found 1t sur"
rounded by more than twenty thousand people,
Of both sexes and Of all ages and conditions.
Indeed in none of his novels is q more striking
scene portrayed than that. In the afternoon the
daily procession occurred At its head marched
no less than two thousand priests. monks and
nuns. Then came the Holy Sacrament. borne
beneath silken canopy. After 1t came the
sick and suffering. who had come thither to Do
CURED There were crippes on crutches or lean
ing on the arms of friends tho blind. led by,
friends or fellow-pilerims; sick and deformed
infants in their mothers arms; here and there
a cripple and blind man arm in arm. relying
upon each other, the one for support the other
for guidance Behind these thousands came other
thousands of suppliants. sightseers, perhaps some
scofers, while yet other thousands stood by and
gazed upon the scene.
Among the last named stood NJ. lola. He
was dressed In black, with q white straw hat.
In his hands were notebook and pencil and
with him folding camp-chair. upon which
sometimes he, sometimes Nine. lola. sat, when
weary of standing lie also knelt when all
around him did so. at the passing OF the Holy
Sacrament, but kept his eyes open and his note
book and pencil in hand meanwhile. He asked
innumerabe questions of those who stood about
him, and evidently much moved by what
he saw When the whole throng burst into
audible applications, his eyes behind their glasses
glttered, partly with sympathy. partly with tears.
Save u.s. Lord Jesus or we shall perish - cried
the multitude and Jesus Thou Son Of David,
have mercy on us!' "Oh, Lord sneak but a
word, look on us for a moment. and we shall
be healed" Then those who had been sick
began TO shout that they were cured. Ona
woman. bedridden for years, sprang from the
litter in which she had been carried, exclaming,
" Cured, Saved!' The whole crowd cheered
vociferously and shouted EXPLANATIONS of praise
and thanksgiving NJ. lola brushed his ewes and
murmured, 1t is wonderful wonderful"
There was another procession at night. The
Holy Grotto was illuminated and the statue of
Notre Dame dc Lourdes was adorned with
wreathcs bearing lighted candles. Each pilgrim
in the procession carried taper, and all sang
the Ave Maria as they marched by tho
shrine. In this procession there were seven
notable persons. Six Of them were pilgrims who
had. they said. been miraculously cured that
very day The seventh was VI. Zoa himself.
He contrivcd to hold in one hand both notebook
and taper while hc welded the pencil with the
other " II lights my book so that / can WRITE
ne raid. referring to the taper. His ears and
tongue. too busy. lie listened to and
jotted down every devotional ejaculation, and
asked innumerabe questions Sometimes he
got pleasant enough answers. but sometimes he
was sharply rcbuked for his irreverence. The
next morning he went to the priests and asked
for an authoritative list Of the miracles that had
been wrought just nonchaanty as he might
have asked project Of police for list of the
IA, &c orra.ts' Tho nr,ss,s leclinad 70 orat;f,y