The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-02

province in the dominion and even
from remote New Zealand, devoteeS
have Travelled to the cluster Of con-
vents and churches, nesting among
the blue Laurentian Hills, 20 miles east
OF Quebec.
Across the long narrow road, against
the hillside. is the little old church
Iancienne eglise de Ste. Anne de
BeauDre-first built in 1860 by grateful
Breton sailors, who ascribed their
preservation during a violent storm on
the river to st. Anne's intervention and
vowed to erect a chapel in her honor.
whenever they were permitted to come
TO shore. Here, too, IS the sacred foun-
tain, whose waters are believed to pos
SeSS powers of miraculous healing.
Farther along and higher up the Cliff,
overlooking river and country for
vast extent is the ediice where the
Holy Stairs-Scola Santa-have been
erected in imitation of the steps NOUN
ed by the saviour IL TIE palace of Pom
thus Plate. Converts for members of
religious orders and retreats for pill
grimS stretch along the crest of the
cliff. There is literally nothing in the
village OF St Anne that has not some
connection with the shrine.
As the crowds jostied along the
board walk, leading from train and
boat to the Basilica, blind beggar
stood, as of old, by the wayside, max
ing mute appeal to passers-by with his
tattered hat. Here was a subject for
St. Anne's wonderful working. Was
the saint deaf to this poor deniZen of
her own hamlet?
"Hol you! What are you doing
here?" called out a rude, coarSe-voiced
fellow, adding contemptuously, Why
don't st. Anne cure you?"
Ignorant OF English, the habitant
beggar bowed gratefully, evidently
thinking something had been added to
the stock Of pennies in the old hat.
1t was no Dale-faced aesthetic, no
visionary recluse. who stood at the
doorway TO guide pilgrims through the
sacred edifice and to apply the healing
relic to the afflicted. a broad-shoul-
dered rudy Irish priest beamed on the
newcomers and laughed welcomes
right and left. He was not of the stuff
that begets morbid dreams to work on
the emotions of religious enthusiasts
and s1lots dramatic effects to set fan
atical imaginations in q flame. Here
was a downright sort of man, with a
deal of practical common sense, with
no humbug about him and no nonsense
but the kind that finds vent in hearty
laugh These are the characteristics
that have endeared Father Holland to
all pilgrims. Imperial observers could
confidently expect sincere and unem-
bellished statements from this man.
Those" said the priest tersely,
pointing TO two great piles of clutches,
that reached from the floor TO ceiling
on each side of the center door, chose
things speak for themselves" Clutches
not in hundreds but in tens of hun
dreds-crutches with the cross bar
worn and the arm-pad frayed from
long usage by the lame, steel frames
for limbs crippled from thigh to ankle, |
iron boots for misshapen feet, steel !
corset and band for spinal deformity, |!
knee rests, pillows, bandages, ear trum- |
pets-in fact, ali kinds of mechanical |
contrivanceS for human sufferers, were !
heaped III pyramids from tiled floor to |
vaulted roof.
A RECENT MIRACLE.
Especial interest was attached to the
history of pair of crutches, recently
left in the church. Anthony O'Donnen, !
a pilgrim from a vel known place in
one of the eastern states, had been
brought to st. Anne's, suffering from
paralysis of one side. He was placed
before the altar rail of the rear chapel
where he knelt in earnest prayer
Meanwhile. service was proceeding in
the main church. The afflicted man
pressed his lips reVerently to the relic
and the officiating priest applied it to
head, shoulder and side. Confidently
believing that only lack of faith could
prevent his cure and wrought to high
est pitch of agonized expectation, the