Year: 1876

| sIoNs Tclse for IT, 1850 of the/'-


In conseauea"i "a apparently triang &c


cldent, yenng girl named Marie Rousse, OF


Tfebons (Hautes PSreuees), was taken with a


brain disease which soon endangered her life


Marie ss about twenty years of age. She was


gentle and pious; all her family were truly
Christians, especially her father, whose faith


was able to remove mountains.


AS soon as she had taken to her bed, poor


Marie. was seized with terrible commissions,
which lasted long enough to completely ex-


haust her strength. Some weeks passed thus.
The family yet were not very uneasy they
supposed it was one of those nervous disease 8


which are very painful, but not at all fatal I;
which 60 as they come, and leave no traces in
the constitution. This security vanished.
The disease took a very serious organic form.
Marie could take scarcely any nourishment !;
she became excessively weak, and felt sharp
and continued pain in her head.


Two doctors who saw her agreed perfectly as
to the nature of the disease and its treatment.
But their prescriptions only produced trifing
and momentary relief. Her life was going,
and it was feared that the poor girl would be
carried off suddenly in one of these attacks,
which distorted her limbs. The poor child
showed great resignation.


The priests of the parish had already visited
her several times. Tho danger being imminent,
the Holy Viaticum and Extreme Unction were
given to her. The whole village was interested
in this young girl her excellent character and
edifying life had epdeared her to all her youth
made the general regret still greater. All ex-
pected to hear her death. knell, and those who
had seen her had no hope.


Her father was deeply afflicted every time
he came from his daughters bedside his tears
were more bitter. Almost without hope, he
went one morning to Bsgneres to consult one
of the two physicians who had treated her, and
he brought back new prescription. "What
shall do ~ said he to himself on the way.
" When all the medicines have had no effect,
what can this one do, now that the child is
scarcely alive ," And he wept.


Suddenly q thought took possession of his
mind: IL will go to Lourdes. The cure lie
there. If God only gives me time to get there"


From that moment he prayed all the way.
He went home and said to his daughter: 81
have another prescription. Bot listen, Marie
would you like to have some water from the
grotto will go and bring you sone."


"Oh! yes" murmurred the dying girl in a
faint voice, in q tone of hope and confidence.


The father had just come eight kilometres on
foot he set out again, without ever sitting
down, to walk twice sixteen or seventeen,
and with rapid step. In the bills which he
had to climb, he did not care how he got up.
He had but one thought: to get back in time.
His heart apd his lips necessarily implored the
Blessed Virgin. "To understand what his
prayer was when he knelt before the grotto,
one should see his eyes moisten, hear his voice
tremble, when he speaks of it now," says the
missionary of Lourdes, to whom the worthy
man applied.


After his supplioation to the Mother of God,
In whom his confidence was unbounded, he
filed bottle with the miraculous water, and
set out for home. From the very first his heart
was lighter. Prayer had consoled him, and be
felt himself as if borne up by hope. without
stopping or resting, or perceiving the length of
his journey, he returned to the village.


The dying girl was in q state of complete
prostration. She was almost insensible. This
ives q moment of intense anguish to the poor
father. He expected q miracle; he thought
that no human remedy could restore him his
daughter. But divine remedy was there.
"wen," said he softly, "hero is the water,