St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1910-12-24
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Is of fb4[ ofa,lt JESUS Ii

NINlU4 pO6SSSOCS do I'D AhOoL
WW sacred relic the swaddling
IVY clothes of the Infant Jesus.
It is a sweet and beautiful
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 a little. hump
backed man, bandy-legged and red
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
of the cross before touching the sa-
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 sacrfsty.
listened to the moaning of the WIND,
and thought that the fury OF nature
did not accord well with the fete for
which he was preparing; but doubtless
there was a striking symbol IN the
storm, and the Embossed 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 great rush OF
wind. The storm entered like an In
vasion of the Barbarians; it rushed
over ali 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 rhurch. crying:
saint Joseph! Saint Martin! Help!
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
faces and terrified eyes. and everyone
cried out:
What are you saying? Holy Moth
err, what are you saying?"
The little hump-back tore to the
door: he seemed stricken with mad
ness.
THE linen!-what misery!-the lin.
en-! By the window! A puff of wind!
Run quickly to catch it 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.
"No, mol"
They discovered 1t at last. 1t was ly-
ing close to crest high up on the
roof of the church. One would have
said that the fretwork column, chilled
with cold. had taken refuge In the
sheltering folds.
There it Is! there 1t Isl" Every
one cried out together But how were
they to reach It?
ITS the sacristan's duty to 60 up;
It was he who let it CO." The hump
back whiStled no longer.
Suddenly courageous man came
forward. He crawled up the columns,
he hooked himself to the fretwork. he
hung from the projections; 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 neighboring roof
People rushed to catch it; 1t waited
until the haEds were quite close. then
It few of to the other side OF the
street.
Now began an extraordinary race
From street to street, from roof to
roof. the Divine swaddling clothes
flew, pursued by the crowd.
yzThof a nhosoi Tho nrjeafs rad u{th