The sun., 1916-12-31
BY w. T. MARTIN.

"IlE thousands of persons who
had come from every corner Of
France in the three previous
days as pilgrims to the shrine at
Lourdes, seeking relief from their Ills.
IRE still gathered in front of the ba-
silica- For the last two hours they
have been standing ana knceling here
before the great church hat towers
high above them on its natural hill OF
rock, awaiting the benediction OF the
Blessed Sacrament. 1t Is the first big
event OF the great annual pilgrimage.
While the outer edges OF the mighty
thronG break up as the pilgrims begin
o.pour away in thick e toward
the town again there are many who
still remain. They are gathered about
the great rectangular open space
around which the sacrament had been
carried.
The scores of cripples and invalids
among them the wars derelicts-and
folk otherwise too feeble to take care
Of. themselves. who were lined along
the edges of the open space on beds,
stretchers. or propped up In chairs, are
still here. They helplessly await friends
or relatives to carry them away.
Other pilgrims who remain kneel
near these. There Is a crowd OF sew
eral hundreds on their knees op the
stone Tagging. praying. Conspicuous
among them are young m in the
prevailing color, black. some soldiers
and some feeble old people whose faces
for the most part are ~sunburned and
scanned deeply in wrinkles. Many OF
them are peasant people. the simple
folk OF France. whose bodies show the
toll Of the fields and among them are
mothers Of Heroes.
The crowds about them melt away
little by little and leave them, "A throng
small only by comparison. there alone
before the broad steps of the church,
About is silence. except for the sound
OF many feet. a low shuttle that Is
heard everywhere. OF countless num-
bers, it seems; a frequent clapping OF
folding stools and the voices OF chill
dren. In the vastness OF IL they seem
> faint and weak. From somewhere
ZONES the cry Of an infant. II Is heard
very distinctly in tho silence and
makes a strange impression.
But from v in front Of the church.
where the throng Is kneeling. comes a
loud murmur. 1t is a confused bah
bling of voices, for in their earnestness
these simple people are speaking
aloud, and the voices Of man are
broken and cracked, Here and there
the voices rise up suddenly in tone In
their earnestness, die away again. and
remind one OF the confused murmur
Of a school room where h children
speak aloud over their studies.
I'VE give Thee hearty thanks for
that it hath pleased Thee TO do with
US as Thou seest ht." comes a voice
near by. II Is from an elderly woman
who kneels at the end OF the mass,
One wonders what her story Is.
II is an impressive sight and Is moi
forgettable. At another place is a young
woman. a girl OF about 20, and in her
earnestness she forgets those about
her. In a distinct voice h Is repeat
ing the same thing over and over
again. Thou didst give him to me
Thou gavest him to me-" she Is say
ing. Protect him now. ! ask" II Is
in the accent of the south.
II is only on an occasion like this
that the tragedy OF the people IL easily
evident. At other times tortured minds
and breaking hearts are hid hehind
smiling faces, for such are the people
~ France behind the lines. 1t Is but a
feeting glimpse into the lives OF them
! The crowds are filing the town
again In thick masses that throng the
streets everywhere. Soon they again
MI the eating places or have taken VI
quarters outside on the pavement for
the evening meal. 1t is'the first big
day OF the pilgrimage m this night
there viii be n mighty procession IN
which they will all take part, Then
they will leave for their homes.
II Is the procession II fambeauX,'
when the thousands VIII march along
carrying torihcs, through the end o'
town over by the bas,lica and around
u, In a great procession that VIII star
from the Grotto near by,
Word has g ne around that the pro-
cession viii starr at half past 3 o'clock
So a. dusk comes on and the time
! Approaches the thick streams II peo'
y" pour over by the Grotto n
mas Of many thUuSands. % the
nn''i' llc MIS- all the space about 4
and stretches back toward the towr
az FAR Ms ono can eco In the darkness.
There ~ little nose now, All faces
40 turned III the direction Of th'
frnt'c, Then, rs the darkness gather
and tho mass Of people walt, suddsnl,
from the tim NJ onA Of the hiWhAU