The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-07-19

| TISTE, NEW YORK, THINK | RELIC RESTORED SIGHT TIC l BLIND WOMAN - LAME MAN
 SAID TO HAVE WALKED. New York. July 1s-Among the thou
 sands who thronged the Church of St
 Jean Baptiste, 159 West Seventy-sixth street. yesterday to attend the Novena of St. Anne, there was much talk of | an alleged mircle performed the day | before. The altar boys, and others who had been present declared that a Mrs. Purcell, or PurselI of Amsterdam avenue. widow who was blind and had lost her twelve children, had grop- ed her way to the altar, had kissed the case that holds the relics of St. Anne. and had walked out with her sight restored.
 For nine days before St. Anne's day, women. men and children, the lame, the blind, the deaf, flock from all over the city. and from the adjacent towns and country districts, to kiss the relics of St. Anne in the hope that thus their afflictions may be taken away.
 Only in three other places on this continent, are there relics of St. Anne. and so, in those nine days. the priests Of St. Anne Jean Baptiste are busy rom early morning to 10 o'clock at night, presenting the relics to be kiss ed, and touching the places that need to be cured with the round silver, glass-topped case that holds the. wrist bones, as they say, of St. Anne.
 Saturday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock, the witnesses declare. Mrs. Purcell en- tered the chapel dimly lighted with candles. Two altar boys. James Clark of 345 Hudson avenue, and James saw her come in. They say she was a small slight woman, dressed entirely in black, we'll beyond middle ace, and that she groped her way with her hands. along the pews toward the al- tar, as though totally blind.
 Many persons, men on crutches or lettering with sticks, palsied women. little children lame or deformed from birth. and many others seemingly not afflicted. were going toward the altar intoned the service. The blind woman fell in behind the rest.
 Finally, according to others who were in the church, she groped her knelt beside Mrs. Mary Brown of 42I Willis avenue. It came her turn at last, and the priest touched her eyes with the little case after she had kiss ed it and passed on. leaving the chapel.
 But Mrs. Brown and others stayed there to pray, and next to Mrs. Brown, praying in a whisper. stayed the blind woman. This is Mrs. Browns story of what happened:
 T did not see her come in and did not know she was blind. only noticed she was praying, and I don't think noticed that really at the time, but afterward. for I was praying, too
 Then suddenly she cried out loud:
 CT see you. St. Anne! Oh, good St. Anne. see your
 .I. caught her elbow for I thought she might be i'll, and every one else looked | ssaS up; , Whats the natter Il and began to weep.
 Why she said. holding to me as people crowded round. I see as well as ever. I was blind, stone blind, for eleven years. and now I see like a young girl.
 T was not thinking of my eyes, she continued. I came to take the novena, to prepare for confession Il was thinking over my past mortal sins s and praying for forgiveness by the five holy wounds of our Lord | Jesus'-those were her very words" | said Mrs. Brown.
 Then lifted my eyelids,' Mrs. Brown says the other continued, >.and | saw up there the good Saint Anne. | ike a. girl
 Then she told she was Mrs Pur- sell. and that she lived in Amsterdam | avenue. but I didn't note the address,
  widow and had buried twelve children. She looked to be 60. perhaps.
 ffsShe went and sat in a pew, and | told1 everyone what St. Anne had done 'or her. and then she prayed in a | curious voice, so clear and happy, Glory and praise and thanks to good st. Anne and to our blessed Lord And when she did go out, she walked as 'traight as any one. not groping at Ill., and her eyes looked quite well, and he sight seemed to be in them"
 They tell also of another miracle of hat same day. The altar boys say here came into the church on crutches m aged man, somewhat deformed, who wung both legs together as he went O lhe altar. He, too. kissed the relics. nd then got up, with his crutches in lis hand. said nothing but looked and, although still misshaped. walked without his -crutches to the |, loor and drove off in his automobile.
 This man, the boys say has come , many times before to the church. and |, las before that often kissed the relics # St Anne. yet they have never seen i'm able before to move without winging on his crutches. Yet they ould not give the mans name. and 70 they story was not confirmed But he fathers in the parish house had leard of both miracles. and particularcI y of that of the blind woman, though hey had not witnessed it.4----f..,s.,. -,