New-York tribune., 1906-09-23

troubles She had come to the neighborhood TO
gather fagots to keep the hearth at home warm,
and had found few.
Suddenly the place was Illuminated with a
celestial brightness and she felt herself 10 be
in some holy place With transfxed gaze she
looked upon what she thought TO be an angel
'Bernadette," it said, Il want you to come
every day for fifteen days, for have much to
say 10 you"
Bernadette obeyed. taking her beads with her.
The angel did not appear every day, how
ever, but on most days she was there Each
time she smiled sweetly on the child. One day
the vision said: 'Bernadette. 1 the I'm
maculate Conception. 1 want YOU TO tell the
cure OF Lourdes that 1 wish him to build me
church on this rock"
The cure said when the little peasant girl, full
of faith in the verify of what she had seen and
her mission gave him the message of the
Virgin: 'Bernadette go home and count your
beads and learn your catechism. Do not bother
about such things"
Bernadette. however still believed in what
she had seen in her simple fashion. and she
continued TO visit the grotto in the face of the
rock. People learned Of her visits and that she
believed she saw something supernatural there
They could not see what she seemed to see, but
her earnestness and rapt expression they could
perceive and they, too. believed.
one day as she kneIt looking the figure in
white with blue sash and gold roses on her bare
feet. the BEAUTIFUL apparition said 10 her: My
child drink of the well at my feet and wash
The child was astonished. for there was we'll
there. She hesitated a moment, but only
moment. Her faith in the vision was superior to
any doubt and, stopping. she began the motions
OF washing her hands. As she did out of
the heart of the rock and through the earth
y.ff
dette looked up after the miracle the figure
smiled and said: Il wish that there may come
many persons from all over the world to drink
and wash in these waters" Then "Our Lady of
Lourdes' disappeared. The little girl told what
she had seen, and some went to the grotto to
see if she spoke truth. Yes. there was the spring
They gave thanks. brought their sick bathed
them in the chilling water and they were made
whole.
The child was threatened by the civil authori-
ties for introducing such superstitious practices
but the wonders continued The civil authorities
put palisade across the entrance to the grotto
but that could not keep the people away. Then
the Bishop Of Tarbes and other ecclesiastics as
sembl,d and after much deliberation decided
/ that the figure in the vision could have been
, no other than that Of the Blessed Lady. and il
was decided To carry out her wishes regarding
the er, ction of a church The Pope sent his
blcssng ana millions Of persons have since made
pilgrimagcs to Lourdes. The little maid died a
number of years ago in a convent.
This is the legend told Of the origin Of the shrine
of L"urdes. To-day pilgrims to the number OF
2OnOo) or 300OGO come to Lourdes every year
T. worship and secure help for their ailments
or those of their friends who are unable 20
come. Besides those who bathe in the water at
the grotto are many who cannot go to it, but
70 whom the water is sent. The mailbag Of the
postman who carries the mail to the priests of
Notre Dame Dc Lourdes is a heavy one. Some
/ times he brings as many as 900 letters in one