The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1906-08-11
EDITORIAL EXCURSION.
sainte Anne de Beaupre. Worker of Mira
clas-aIontmorency Falls-Delightfu1
Days at Montreal and Ottawa.
Home Again, and Goodbye.
Staff Correspondence of The Chief.

qualnG little OLD church and cemetery
of St. #Roch in New Orleans need no
word painting to picture to your
imaginations the 'sChurch of Mira
clesh at Sainte Anne de Beauprg, a
primitive little town which ekes out q
sleepy existence on the outskirts of
Qubec. That is, the likeness subsists
insofar as sentiment and custom are
concerned, for Ste. Anne, like our ST.
Roch, is Canada's patron saint of the
infirm and suffering, and within the
doors OF her temple are pyramids OF
erutehes, wooden legs and other arti-
fetal means of locomotion employed
by the afflicted, supposedly left by
those who have been cured through
the intereession OF this good and
powerful saint. This same prac-
tice is observed at St. Roeh, but the
church Of La Bonne Sainte Anneu
differs from the simple, unassuming
little shrine of our st. Roch, in that it
is a new and noble structure which has
lately been erected to replace the primi-
tive place of worship which formerly
occupied the site, and is enclosed in a
beautiful courty ard and surrounded
by lovely trees and quaint little
fenced-in gardens. The visit of the
editors to Beaupre happened at the
interesting time when the church was
in the throes OF mission, and SO the
press folk encountered thousands of
pious souls bedeeked in great long
wooden rosaries and nearly every
other religious adornment you can
possibly imagine, engaged in one of
the periodical pilgrimages to the
church. They are singularly child
like people, these gentle Roman Cath
olics, amazingly polite, as are all
Canadians, and locked il the strong
holds of a faith. as invulnerable and
immoyable as Gibraltar and as sub
lime in its perfect simplicity. They
question not-they just believe. But
I, looking upon the discarded
wooden legs which decorate the in
terror of the edifiee, could not help
wondering if new limbs grew out Of
the places where the peg-legs did duty,
and if not, then how the memberless
ones who left the wooden substitutes
for limbs behind managed to get along.
without them? / have heard of peo-
pie walking on air. but only in a
figuratiye way, of course. Tradition
has that Sainte Anne was the mother
of Mary, who in turn became the
mother of the Christ.
Montmorency Falls was visited on
the return trip from Beaupre. and
here the editors had the delight Of be-
holding the electrifying loveliness Of
this glorious eatar act of water leap.
ing over a jutting preeipiee and pour
ing into boiling and foaming cau1-
dron an aWe-ins spring distance below.
The party mounted the natural steps
above the falls, passing along rough
and rocky lodges, many OF them over
run with graceful wild vines whose
curling tendrils and glossy leaves
were moist and glistening with the kiss
of the spray.
After a few enchanting hours at the
falls, the editors returned to Quebec
and the delights and comforts of the
inimitable Chateau Frontenac. A de-
licious luncheon and a tour in the
shopping district of the curious old
city brought the stay in Quebec to a
close, and Friday afternoon, June %,
at $50 O'Clock, the party boarded the
steamer Montreal Of the Richelieu and.
Ontario service, bound for Montreal.
This vessel is a masterpiece of the
builders art. It is nobly proper
toned, and rides the waters with the
grace and pride OF living thing.
Within, its spacious saloons and
charming reading and smoking rooms
are admirably equipped and fitted
with every conceivable comfort, and
such snmptuous environment aids ma
terially il making the trip to Mon
treal "a thing OF beauty and Joy
forever in very truth.
At $50 a. m. Saturday the editorial
party reached the commercial metrop-
oils of the Dominion, where they
breakfasted and later enjoyed de-
lightful drive over the city, ascending
Mt. Royal along a driveway enclosed
in graceful groves of hemlock. pine
and maple. Reaching the top Of this
picturesque mountain, the editors be-
held in spe1l-bound admiration a most
exquisite view of the city below, whose
spires and turrets cleaned IN a pal
pitating haze of sunshine and pre-
sented a picture of rare beauty and
prosperous 1oVeliness TO the behold
ers. The party remained in Mon
treal over Sunday, enjoying a Ear
ride in the forenoon and attending
services at many Of the handsome
churches Of the city during the day.
At midnight the deleg gates left over
the Canadian Pacific Railway, and
Monday at q. M. found them at OF
tawa, where, following breakfast. they
were officially welcomed BY the mayor
of the city. Hon. James 4. Ellis. The
MAYORS We1l-ehosen words Of greeting