Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1910-12-15
AEChe Puaoolit,qQ Qdt(,tS.|
IS Of tde llfarlt K Kfesus III

u Is d sweet anu
possession which many visitors come
from afar to venerate.
One Christmas eve the sacristan
was arranging the treasure confided to
his care, which was to be exposed to
view on the great fete of the morrow
The sacristan was little. hump
backed man, bandy-legged and red
nosed, and it was to this ugly person
that the privilege was reserved of al
ways caring for the adored relic. We
must not be astonished at this, but
must reflect that often the most hum
BILE and unattractive are chosen to be
nearer the kingdom of heaven. But.
unfortunately, the hump backed sacris-
tan had no idea that he was one of the
elect. and the marvellous character of
his task gave him no extraordinary
emotion. During the 20 years that he
had snuffed the candles of the cathe
dral, and been in daily contact with
the treasure, he had received no en-
lightenment; he never made the sign
cred linen, and he treated it with the
same mechanical indifference with
which he had hammered the soles of
the boots in his former occupation of
cobbler
This day. on opening the cupboard
in which the linen of the Infant Jesus
was carefully enclosed, he whistled
little dance tune and thought: ugh!
It's not nice weather outside"
A violent wind was blowing in the
town, unlocking the signboards of the
shops, and making the chimneys shake
on all the pointed roofs.
The man, on entering the sacristy,
listened to the moaning of the wind,
and thought that the fury of nature
did not accord we'll with the fete for
which he was preparing; but doubtless
there was a striking symbol in the
storm, and the unloosed elements
might calm themselves suddenly when
the words of pardon and pity were
said: "On earth peace. good will to-
ward men"
The sacristan went to put his coarse
hand carelessly on the Divine relic,
when an unheard-of event happened.
The window in the sacristy opened
suddenly. pushed by a great rush OF
wind. The storm entered like an In
vasion of the Barbarians: 1t rushed
over all in the room. knocking down
the sacred objects, and the linen OF
the Infant Jesus. taken up in the
whirling tempest, was blown out OF
the window. The hump-back remain
ed for a moment stupid and stricken.
then recovering himself. he rushed
into the 'hurch. crying:
Saint Joseph! Saint Martin! Helpl
Help! They have taken the linen!"
At this alarming cry the people ran
from all parts. The priests in their
suplices. the beadle in his cap, the
Swiss with his halberd. the old women
who had been praying. ran with pale
cried out:
What are you saying? Holy Moth
er! what are you saying7"
The little nump-back tore to the
door: he seemed stricken with mad
ness.
Inc WHAT Nht
en-! BY the window! A pun of wind!
Run quickly to catch II again."
Then in the road was sudden tumult!
everyone began to run in pursuit of
the stolen relic.
The noses turned up TO the houses
resembled notes of Interrogation.
There! there!" said some one.
mo. no."
They discovered II at last II was ly-
ing close to crest high UP on tho
roof OF the church. One would have
said that the fretwork column. chilled
with cold had taken refuge In the
shelterlng folds.
"There II is! there II is'" Every.
one cried out together, But how were
they to reach IT.
ITS the sacristan's duty to go up;
n was he who Yet II GO" The hump
hack whistled no longer.
Suddenly courageous man came
forward. He crawled up the columns,
he hooked himself 10 the fretwork, he
hung from the protectors; after a
thousand perils he arrived at the
place. and extended his arm to take
the linen. But-at this moment. the
linen unfurled Itself and was blown to
a neighhorlng roof.
People rushed to catch e.; II waited
until the haLda were quite close, then
n few OF 20 the other side Of the
street
Now began an extraordinary race,
From street 10 street. from root to
roof. the Divine swaddling clothes
Few. pursued BY the crowd
What chasel The priests. red with
indignation. stitilng. lifting their arms.
crying orders. and gesticulating madly.
The swiss followed with his useless
halberd The little hump-backed sacris'
tan ran also as fast as hts handy legs
would go And behind came the old
women. lmpiug plying themselves,
and invoking tho name of Mary
The whole town was rapidly raised
by thia great agitation 10 the mad
dened priests and the old deyotoes
g.s4 f0Iu,d 4 pOuHlutluu RUNNING and