Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-11

partly by the miracle-working sacred spring
of ST. Sera phin, which Is about mile and
half up stream from the monastery. The
road thither Is picturesque in true Russian
style, weird sense of beauty mngling with
a consciousness of unkemptness and or I'M
pleasant things felt but unseen behind the
fringing trees and in the depths of the for
est beyond The roadway had obviously
been recently widened and leveled but was,
of course, innocent of any attempt at paw
ing. On the right ran the Streamlet, and on
the left rose up the spurs Of the hill range
whose highest point was crowned by the
monastery. The road was well filled with
pilgrims, both going and returning. Two
things became noticeable among them at first
sight the entire absence of any better-claSS-
looking people, which caused our little party
to be stared at more curiously than respect
fully; and, secondly, the absence of any
loathsome, unclean diseases. The sick on
pilgrimage to the spring OF healing had GER
tainly been selected in some manner or
other, for they consisted almost entirely OF
what professional man would class as sur
gical cases, together with the blind and
deaf. large proportion were cripples OF
that class which makes its livelihood by its
deformittes, and these in most cases had
probably been artifcially produced in child
hood. All along the route were wells Of
pure spring water at frequent intervals,
and, apart fromdhe sanctity Of the water,
which was eagerly drAnk on this account, 1t
was most welconleBjn the Scorching sun
over that sandyroa to the spring. The
common people drank after crossing them
selves at almost every well, and many
threw in small pieceseof money as offerings.
Crucifxes and Russian pattern crosses rose
by the wayside at intervals and each had
some story connected with 1T, told by lay
brothers or somecbetter- Informed pilgrim to
the group of eager listeners. One of the
crosses had fallen down in the night, none
knew by what agency, but the monk in
charge hazardedl the suppostion that it was
because the peopleIshad taken away too
much sand from the foundation, for the
sand about anyfplace associated with the
| life and works Of the saint is supposed to
have healing properties. and the pilgrim car
ries handful home to mix with water and
| drink for the cure Of any bodily ailment
| from toothache to a broken rib.
Hysterical Crowds.
The sacred spring Of healing now posrs
forth from a common zinc spout. which
looks much as II 1t had been borrowed from
the nearest convenient house. Just below
a wooden chapel which stands on the banl
of the stream two hastily constructed rough
! Single boarded lighthouses for men ant
| women admit those whose piety Is no
| great enough to raise them above the
| earthly consideration of exhibiting theii
nakedness to the world at large under tn,
| spout outside. The lighthouses appeared tt
be always full; In each there was just ont
which the patients stood or were helt
gasping and crossing themselves. Outsid
| the same thing In the open air. men ant
| women all mixed up together. but ever,
one appa rently In such a fervor of religious
excitement that mere mundane considera