The Irish standard., 1908-02-01

ABOUT the lady she had seen and. as
they walked along the banks Of the
Gave, wondered if she would appear
again. When they reached the spot
where Bernadette knelt two days be-
fore the young girl fell on her knees
and began to say her beads. This was
on instantaneous act and became like
one emparidised in beatific vision. Her
eyes were fixed in ecstatic wonder, for
once again. across the brook, closing
the opening Of the grotto there stood
the marvellous vision. Her companions
saw nothing. They beheld the face of
the young girl. they saw the radiation
OF the supernatural, the eyes wide open
and motionless, they looked upon a
kneellng figure that seemed no longer
one OF them The vision faded away
and Bernadette rose to her feet. When
she came again, two ladies who had
heard her story accompanied her. They
brought with them paper, pens and ink
and they said to Bernadette: "If the
lady appears today ask her to speak 20
you and tell you what she wishes you
to do" And the vision appears. and
Bernadette drew near and said. what
's IT you want Of me, Lady-will YOU
tell me your name and who you are7"
Then the apparition spoke and said:
DO mo the favor to return here, at
this hour. for the next fifteen days"
The young girl replied: II promise u
do So" Day after day for fortnight.
this innocent girl of fourteen years
Kept her tryst and was daily favored
with the supernal visit. Crowds visited
her every day and went with her to the
place of meeting. They saw the won-
derful change that came over the face
of the child. 1t was like unto a trans
tiguration. Men who had no faith in
miracles, surgeons, lawyers. doctors
and local government officials were
present, and they declared the child
was evidently sincere, that her ,ulse
was normal and that her brain and
nerves were not diseased. They saw
her lips move as if speaking to sorne
one. but they heard no conversation
The child declared she spoke in a full
voice and that the Lady also spoke in
strong voice. L. But only twice were any
words heard by those present. Once,
the young gill said there was a. look
of sorrow on the Lady's face. Berna-
dette asked her what was the mat.
ter-what should she do? The lady
answered, "Pt4yy for sinners" Besides
revealing to her three secrets which
concerned thy Ayyoung girl herself, the
vision told the child to so to the priest
of the parish and say to film that it
was the Lady's wish that she .;ould
build a sanctuary-a cflurch-on this
spot in her honor. Bernadette took the
message to the parish priest. and no
laughed at her: "wfiy. ma petite" he
said, II haven't a decent soutanc to
my back and where can get money to
build a church? Run home to your
mother
Again the girl was sent back to the
priest to deliver the same message.
"see here, my Child, return to the Lady
and tell her that if she wants me 10
build a church there, let her show me
some sign that you speak the truth.
1t is now winter; let her make that
dried-up rosebush at my door bud and
blossom roses.:' 1t was the month Of
February. The child repeated to the
Lady what the priest had said. But
roses did not bloom. Then she gave
the second order to Bernadette in :hese
words: Go drink and wash in the
fountain and eat Of the grass that
grows near it,
The child naturally looked at the
waters of the brook, but the Lady
turned and pointed to the right Land
corner of the grotto, into which the
child crept on her hands and knees. but
no water was there. Then, following
further instructions. she scooped with
her hands a little earth away and in
the hollow she made there began to ap-
pear drops of water. By degrees the
cavity filled with water. which flowed
over in q stream no thicker than a
straw. In few days this streamlet
swelled and made for itself a largo
basin and from this fountain, every
day for the last so years. about 10000
gallons Of water flow daily from the
rock that, from immemorial times was
as barren as the Nubian sands. On
the fifteenth, Bernadette again ,sked
the Lady who she was and what was
her name. Then with hands partially
spread out like an opening Tan, and
looking up to heaven with eyes divinely
bright and Il face sapremely tender,
she exclaimed: Il am the Immaculate
Conception" and disappeared.
"Rllt SURELY s,rol,, xro,, do MT ~