The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-16

zied with anxiety and hope. The coolest
and most Indifferent man in the world
would not have remained unmoved.
GAS was crossing the plaza after this
scene, from one of the dispensing wagons
heard my name called. The wagon was
occupied by lady and was drawn by her
son, student at the college of physicians
and surgeons in New York. Both had
recognized me, having heard me speak In
New York. She said that the doctors at
home had told her that science and skill
could do nothing for her, and she must
make herself as comfortable as possible
until the end. which was only a few months
off. She had come to Lourdes with faith
and hope. 1 asked the grounds of her
hope and she said: "A miracle was per-
formed this afternoon before your eyes.
Did you not see it? That was the cause of
great excitement
This was her story: A young girl who
was staying at the same hotel as the lady
did, had been unable to walk or put her
foot to the ground for six years. She had
suffered frightful pain, and screamed in
agony when dipped into the icy water.
She had been sick six years, and after the
called out that she was cured. l said to
to the medical student, What do you
know about this?' He said that he had
seen the knee bandages at II o'clock that
day. 1t was swollen badly and he counted
twenty-eight running sores. | told him
that / must see that girl. The pilgrims
were mobbing the verifcation room, to
which she had been taken, to see or touch
her, and the attendants were doing their
best to keep them out and get them away.
My medical guide, with true New York
audacity. called out: The distinguished
doctor, Chauncey M. Depew, wants to see
the patient
Instantly way was cleared, and in
few minutes / was inside. The girl was
not there, having been carried home to
escape the crowd. There was an English
doctor there, and | appealed to him. He
said that he had dressed the leg at noon.
1t was swollen, supDurating and incura-
BILE; that he had cut the bandage off half
hour before, and the leg was healed and
the girl could walk, and he showed me the
cut bandage. l then insisted that l must
see the girl.
"About o'clock that evening my stu
dent acquaintance came to my hotel with
a message that she and her friends would
be glad to see me. My son and / started
off instantly. found young lady about
IL years old, with sweet, innocent, happy
face. She told her STORY substantially as
had heard it, and that she had been I'M
able to walk step for six pears. l asked
her if she could walk now, and she went
several times around the room, limping
some, but with no apparent pain. l then
ventured to request sight of the knee.
Her friends said certainly.
1.-THE knee seemed quite normal. The
flesh and muscles were firm and natural.
Black spots marked the places where the
running sores had been, but the sores
were healed and healthy skin was over
them. l have little faith in modern mira
cles but this case puzzled me. OF course,
its weak point, so far as | am concerned
is that did not see her before the alleged
cure. The testimony, however, of the
New York medical student, OF his mother
and of the English doctor was clear and
positive. They might have been deceived,
or tried to deceive me, though neither
seems probable.
For many years the press, on my re-
turn home, has wanted my experiences,
and certainly | never had more remark
able one to relate, and [ leave the case
with my friends just where l found and
left it. -