Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-08-29
CURE AND CARDINAL.

fnoW Young Priest of Lyons Rose to
High Honors In His Church.
About the year 1927 young priest of
the diocese of Lyons was appointed to
parish beautifully situated in the mid
die of a deep valley. In a short time
he succeeded in winning the love and
veneration of all Meek and gentle in
manner, sympathetic and self-sacrific-
ing, he was ever ready to help those
In distress of mind and body, sharing
generously his modest income with the
poor. No wonder that he became the
closest friend and counsellor of all his
Pensioners
One morning, soon after daybreak,
the violent ringing of the church bells
warned the villagers that some danger
threatened. A reservoir, swollen by
heavy rains, had burst its dams, and
the torrent swept down the valley to-
ward the village, forcing its way into
the houses, and marking its path by
destruction. The good priest, who had
been spending the night at the bedside
of dying man, was the first to organ
lie plan of rescue, and his calm de-
meanor and presence of mind restored
courage and confidence to the fright
Z ened villagers.
Suddenly heart-rending scream was
heard from afar. The flood had dashed
with overwhelming force against a
: cottage standing at the extreme end
of the village, and already the waters
had risen to the roof, upon which a
woman with two small children had
taken refuge. The torrent surged
round the walls of the hut, which
threatened every moment to give way
and bury mother and children in the
food How was assistance to reach
them? Every heart was paralyzed
with fear. Anxiety had risen to the
highest pitch, when the cure was seen
plunging into the torrent, mounted on
horse hastily borrowed from a neigh
boz. 1t seemed as if the waters would
: overwhelm both horse and rider
But the brave priests courage never
failed: he kept his seat, and
with skilful hand guided the strug-
CLING animal to the cottage. Taking
the children in his arms, he plunged
F: again into the flood, and soon depos-
tied his burden in safety.
Once more the noble priest stemmed
the wild torrent. in spite of the en-
treaties of his flock, who implored
him not to expose himself to certain
death. Pray for mer' he answered,
: as he turned again into the flood. Men
and women fell on their knees, implor-
ing the assistance of Heaven in be-
half of their beloved pastor. When he
reached the cottage an unearthly
crash was heard. The structure had
given way, but not before the priest
had caught the woman and had headed
once more for the hills.
Henceforth the love and veneration
of the villagers for their priest was
boundless. In their eager desire to
testify their gratitude they conceived
strange and original method of ex-
pressing their feelings A short time
after the occurrence they assembled to
elect the crew of a lifeboat that was
newly built With one accord they
named their cure as captain. In vain
the latter protested. saying that
priest could not accept such an office;
they refused to listen to such objec-
ton, declaring that the project
had the affair in hand. and that
their pastor should settle with
him-they would not relent
The matter was brought before the
officers of the administration. but none
of them would undertake to decide
such strange question. At last the
minister of the interior was appealed
to, and he considered the affair suffi-
GENTLY novel and interesting to be laid
before the king. Charles x. expressed
desire to know the priest who was
SO beloved by his people, and, as re-
suit, the devoted clergyman was
shortly afterward appointed coadju-
tor-bishop of Bordeaux. and in 1852
was raised to the dignitary of car
dinal.
The priest to whom his flock thus tes-
titled their love and veneration was
the late Cardinal Archbishop Bonnet.
Ava Maria