Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-08-01
TRAVELS In SPAIN.
DESCRIBED BY REV. T. F. BUT
LER, OF LEWISTON.
rSrEREsrTSe LETTERS TELLING OF
TRIP MADE BY HIM IN HIS sru-
DgNT DAYS.

Rev. II. r. Butter pastor OF ~ Joseph =
church Of Lewiston, formerly Of Ellis
worth, recently loaned 10 the Lewiston
to,, nal series Of letters written by him
In his student days, In the summer Of
1872. while travelling In the wonderland OF
spain. lie writes
.From Bordeaux We took the train for
tourdes. The scenery along the route
presonted the same aninteresting aspect
a. before, tlll we reached L0urdes where
the landscape began TO b. very fine. We
.topped for awhile Al Tarpes, where we
had 10 change cars. It's quiet, rather
neat, old-fashionsd town where all APP
reared TO take things easy and not to
bother themselves about the hustle OF the
great world outside their limits.
1--WE arrived at Isourdes few hours be-
fore the shades Of evening began to 'all.
and A. Dame Night had not yet shut out
the day with her starry mantle, we had
the pleasure of observing our surround
ings. You see we began 10 be a little
poetic, and the scene deserves, at least,
some change Of spirit.
"After leaving the station we found
ourselves quietly driving along beauti-
fol little valley. bordered ON every side
BIS hedge OF hills, which In the distance
rose even to the dignity OF mountains;
for 1t must be remembered we are now in
the department OF the Pyrenees. All
along the sides OF the hills are scattered
houses, walls, and farms, without any Of
iensiye disorder, resembling by the colors
Of the varied produce and the irregular
boundaries, immense maps in relief, VIII lie
the serpentine roads nigh be compared
to the courses OF rivers.
Before the apparition to Bernadette,
Lourdes was OF no Importance whatever.
Oar first desire, naturally, was TO visit the
er0tto The approach was through one
Of those winding streets which one con-
tinually meets in small European towns,
across which one could easily jump, and
the way was lined with small booths or
stands, whore beads, images, crueihxes,
etc, are sold to visitors. On high hill
before US appeared an immense erucifix-
lou, the cross being of wood OF about
twenty or thirty feet in length. The APP
preach To the grotto Is barred by chain
50 that carriages cannot enter, except
when bearing lnyalids, but one can pass
on foot without any hindrance.
"Well, here We arc at last at the famous
grotto. As once we feel that We are on
holy ground, for We are standing before
the spot where the queen OF heaven
deigned to appear before simple child as
an Introduction TO the blessings she was
TO bear not to the mighty and the proud,
hut to the afflicted and the humble Here
We stand at the source OF those miracles
with whose fame the world is familiar and
the testimonies Of their truth are before
us Behind ns rashcs on, with a great
deal Of noise, little river called the Gave
before US rises in silent majesty the
rugged face Of the steep hill on whose
and cross 10 the clear blue sky above.
THE oRoTTo At LoURDEs.
AT the foot of the ball, beneath the
church where we stand, Is the famous
grotto, Illuminated with hundred can
dies, while all around the pilgrims who
visit here kneel in reverence, kiss the
ground, and offer the prayers of their soul
for the protection and gracious assistance
Of that Virgin Mother, the purest of
creatures, for themselves ana their friends.
statue OF the Holy Virgin rests in the
niche where she formerly appeared in
reality, as II she were still present in per-
son to receive the petitions of the faithful
who come here; while a vast number OF
erutches, canes, Inscriptions, etc, bearing
the names OF the favored ones, proves that
those who come in the right spirit do not
go away unrewarded.
During our stay the grotto was visited
by two large bodies OF pilgrims from
different parts OF France. The church,
which is capable of containing from two
to three thousand, at rough guess, was
completely filed by each in turn.
1.-THE church itself is beautiful build
ing. tbs built OF light-colored stone, ON
an emlnence commanding fine view, and
has two fine chapels. The crypt, or
lower chapel, is large enough for few
hundred persons, and contains six affairs.
well as others, receive communion before
attending high mass in the grand chapel
above and as several masses are celebrated
at the various affairs, much time is not re-
quired to satisfy the spiritual wants OF a
large party. The remainder OF the lower
part of the church is occupied in part by
two long corridors where a number OF
eontessionsls are ranged by the side OF
the wall. These stalls bear not only the
name of the Clergyman to be found there,
but also the kind OF language he speaks is
mentioned, whether it be English, French,
German, etc.
The grand-chapel is reached at the
main entrance by a broad double line oil
steps, to the right and left, built OF the
same stone as the editice, and at their
summit is a spacious group representing
st. Michael overcoming Satan, and on the
left stands Our Lord revealing His Sacred
Heart, while close by you behold Notre
Dame di Loudres.
9stt.s..tr.,. . no ohat,aI xyon And yOurself