The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-01-18

tho Virgin appeared to tho younai
maiden, all who were cured Of dis
cases at LourCles wero living; their:
names, their places of residence were,
known. their attidaviis were on file:
they were questioned and cross-uues~-
toned by clcrgymcn. doctors, Judges
and lawyers; they wcrc brought uu
before the authorities and officials, and
they were found perfectly sincere.
After registering at my hotel and
n few days, | hurried away in the die
rcction or The C:rotto ut Massabielle.
l nccdc no directions, having but
10 follow the multitude when | cntcr-
rd the principal street. which is lined
with shops and houses and dominated
by mountains To the north and south,
| passed the old frowning fort perched
on the top of Il hoard and formidable
rock. stopping now and then to ex-
anime the marvellous displays of re-.
lisious articles exhibited in the shop
, windows. I then struck OFF to the
right, following a. line of dcvout pil-
srims of all ages, profcssions colors
and sizes At cngth | entered tho
lrhddcn road that goes winding
through admirable and imposing seem
cry. not stopping till came to a
bridge which crosses the noisy, rush.
ing Gave. There j stood to study the
aspect Of the country and people ats
tcntlVcly. The land is wild in some
pnrts, charnIinsly peaceful in others:I
green pasture land. thick woods, SHARP
rocks stand in the foreground with
snowy peaks rising at the back. thus
n'inglng sharp aspcrity and inviting
rcposc ut IL single glance.
Some time during tho night the Or
leans railroad brought IL great train
or pilgrims in two sections, and huns
drcds. yes thousands of them, were
now moving towards tho wonderful
church and grotto. In this animated
mass OF humanity passing by me. =
noticed the same extreme contrasts
which ] saw in the landscape around
me. Here was hoary, white-headed
age here came the middle-aged
Inollntainecr with his knotty stick, his
sun -scorched face, dark, flashing eyes
and lnusced limbs; here the wrlnkled.
tottcrlnG matron, white haired, neat
in her person, clean Of dress and say~
ing her beads as she moved past me-;
here passed tho beautiful southern
maiden Of Bayonnc and Aries, in their
rod, blue and yellow capulets, grace
ful as princes and dignified as Roman
matrons; here passed the BASQUE
peasant, in his colored beret, his
shaggy coat, heavy CATERS and ear
rings; here walked the Bearnais. Of
pointed chin, prominent cheek bones
and of thin features, cast in the same
mold as those of Henry Nv. Then
| Swaggered by the Gascon, with q
broad smile on his cheerful face and
d barely Derccptible consciousness of
| his own Importance. Here, too. fol-
iOWcO Tile pFOVlnCAIS OF FTancc; here
1 doctors, dealers and merchants. ladies'
in very modest garb, and women Of
the world, masquerading as poor fe-
male pilgrims, all trudging in and out
Of the road. all Of one opinion: that
Lourdes was a favored spot, blessed
by the extraordinary apparation Of
the Blessed Virgin-a spot dear to
God, and, therefore, the most fitting
place to join in prayers for France
and the church.
After satisfying my laudable cur
iosity to observe the people, I, toe,
Joined the procession and soon found, /,
myself in front of the grotto
|, There are three excavations boredi
by natural agencies through the old
rocks of Massabelle which stand on /
kind of an island formed by the
waters of the River Gave, and canal,
THAT was turned aside some years aSai