Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1895-09-25
Chauneey M. Depew Puzzled by Miracle.
Visited the Shrine at LOurdes and Was Very
Deeply Impressed.

M. Depew Puzzled by Miracle.
Visited the Shrine at LOurdes and Was Very
Deeply Impressed.
The most interesting experience he
ever had, DR.. Depew said, was at the
world famous shrine at Lourdes, with
which Herald readers are familiar.
s'Being near Lourdes while in the
Pyreness, he said, II paid visit to
this world-famous shrine. Every foot
of the walls of the basilica and church
is covered with slabs on which the per
sons placing them have recorded their
cures or some special blessing received.
Over and around the grotto hang thou
sands of clutches and surgical appli-
ances for supporting the body which
had been left there by the healed.
ION one side of the plaza when 1
visited it some hundreds of little wag-
ons, each holding an incurable sufferer.
were placed in row. The sight of
these helpless. and but for a miracle
hopeless. men. women and children, in
every stage of distortion or living death,
is affecting beyond words to express.
Gas was crossing the plaza after this
scene heard my name called from one
of the dispensing wagons. which was
occupied by lady and drawn by her
son, who is a student at the College of
Physicians and Surgeons, in New York.
Both had recognized me. having heard
me speak there. She said the doctors at
home had told her that science and
skill could do nothing more for her. and
that she must make herself as comfort
able as possible until the end. which
was only few months off. So, with
faith and hope, she had come to
Lourdes.
II asked the ground of her hopes and
she said
"'Why, a miracle was performed this
afternoon, before your eyes, did you
not see it? That was the cause of the
great excitement
"This was her story:-A young girl,
who was living at the same hotel with
her, had been unable to walk or put her
foot to the ground for six years. She
had suffered frightful pain and scream
ed with agony when dipped in the icy
water. She had been bathed on six
successive days, and after the process
sion passed that afternoon had called
out that she was cured.
PROOFS OF THE MIRACLE.
"'What do you know about thisS' I
said to the medical student. He said
he had seen the knee bandaged at IL
o'clock that day. 1t was badly swollen,
and he counted twenty-eight running
sores. The case seemed at once terri
BILE and hopeless. told him must see
that girl.
1.-THE pilgrims were mobbing the
publication room to which she had
been taken, hoping 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 DR.. Chauncey M. Depew
wants to see the PATIENT
INSTANTLY way was cleared. and in
a few minutes l was inside. The girl
was not there, having been carried
home to escape the crowd. There was
an English doctor present, and 1 ap-
piled to him. He said he had dressed
the leg at noon; it was swollen and in
durable. that he had cut the bandage
off half an hour before and that the
leg was healed and the girl could walk.
He showed ME a bandage that had been
slit from top to bottom with knife.
SAW THE GIRL HIMSELF.
81 then insisted that must see the
girl. Abont o'clock that evening my
student acquaintance came to my hotel
with message that she and her friends
would be glad to see me. My son and
l started off instantly. found a young
woman about seventeen years old, with
sweet, innocent, happy face. She
told me her story substantially as I'd
heard it, and said that she had been
unable to walk u step in six years.
asked her if she could walk now, and
she went several times around the
room, limping slightly, but with no ap-
parent pain.
81 then ventured to request sight
of the knee. Her friends acquiesced at
once. The knee seemed quite normal.
The flesh and muscles were firm and
natural. Black spots marked the places
where the sores had been, but the sores
were healed and covered by healthy
skin.
II have little faith in modern mira
cles, but this case puzzles me. Oh
course, its weak point, SO far as am
concerned, is that did not see her be.
fore the alleged cure The testimony,
however, of the New York medical stu
dent. of his mother and of the English
doctor, was clear and positive. They
might have been deceived, or have tried
to deceive me. Neither seems proba-
ble."
CANOVA'S STERN WAR MANIFESTO