Year: 1872

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impossible to say how much more should
have heard II the procession OF banners had not
LOurdes, and the immense concourse or peope
drove those who were In the plaza to the sdes OF


The procession wound It's way down the road 10
the Grotto. IL was just mile long, and the nrst
banners entered the prairie before the last had
left the parish church. Alsace and Lorraine had
sent theirs In mourning. borne by girls in white
The people pressed forward when 1t passed to kiss
the tassels that hung from it. The magnificent
embroidery, painting and work in relief on these
2So banners cannot be surpassed. They were
ereen violet, white and blue. The Lille banner,
though very handsome, was outshOne by the
banner from Nantes rendered 70 heavy by gold
and embroidery that six strong men could scarcely
Chartres, Paris were in the second order Of beauty
and COST


The sight can be imagined under q dazzling sky
waving banners, followed by people OF all classes,


AN IMPOSING CEREMONY.


The banners collected In q vast circle round the
altar ut the further end Of the prairie during ves-
pers, after which the eight bishops blessed them,
their knees to receive the final benediction OF the
bishops all the prelates stretching their hands out
over the multitude. After this ceremony the ban
ners fell again into professional order and were
carried up to the new temple. II possible this was
the most imposing sight OF all. as the ascending
paths wind In and out along the ACTIVITY. There
was moment when the prairie lay In a blaze Of
gold reflected from the banners by the gradually
sinking sun and ra not sdd until The magna





peaks did the last banner enter the
basic: Here another blaze OF wax tapers
lighted the edihce. One by one were the banners
lowered, and without any great effort OF imagina-
tOn 1t was easy to compare them to those OF VIC
tortons crusaders seeking refuge after goodly
covered and after short thanksgiving the gather
ing broke up: To the surprise OF all the road back
was already Illuminated aud b0nfres were burn
ing on The mountain sumnits.


THE ILLUMINATION.


In the evening the pilgrims again assembled for
the procession by tOrchght to the GrOttO. Thou
sands OF wax tapers were sold and cut in small
pieces for those VINO had not wherewith to buy q
whole one As many as pilgrims each bear
intricacies OF the mountain paths singing
psalms as they slowly advanced. 1t was
from the valley, produced an indescribabie efIect
At midnight the Illumination was over, and each
rest @ not al a for there
threaded through the crypt under the new temple
In the dead Of night to find 1t full Of pilgrims in
prayer. When sleep threatened to conquer good
VIII they joined In dozens and walked up and down.
Two professions OF 100 pilgrims in each left the
crypt to walk around the Grotto, singing night


The following morning saw the multitudes again
gathered round the rocks OF Massabiclle, though u
fearful deluge OF rain had ushcred In the day.


MIRACLE-THE DUMB SPEAK.


While I was standing among the others was
eyenis It has been MI my duty to % record Mass was
going on and diseased people were being carried
to the pool formed, as have already explained, BY





Two girls in peasant costume pushed forward to
get near the water. One was almost idiot-l00king;
she was leaning on the arm Of the other, who with
difficulty tried to clear passage for her afflicted
companion. A gentleman by my side, perceiving
1t was her intention to make for the pool.
nature Of the disease that her friend or sister
was suffering from. ''She ts deaf and dumb"
the girl nd Il We n IN all the
N0tre Dame de Lourdes for she IL an orphan.h
The. inquirer, touched with the speakers sim
the leader to follow him. l stood some distance
from the pool, and the pressure OF people was so
great that got divided from the Blois travellers,
ana did not see the deaf and dumb orphan i'm
mersed, but some ten minutes after the above
dialogue had been exchanged in my hearing loud
shout Of JOY arose in the crowded mass Of behold
ers, and 1t was followed by "Vtve N0tre Dame de
LO,trdesr that ran like wildfre through every ear
ana mouth present, to be echoed by the mountains
around. used all my strength to reach the pool
deaf @ ana dumb charge Va. no longer Sy her her
grotto to the bishop.| ''Whys" .'she Is cured"
nCuredn prelate then made his way up to our
you have seen.n he asked kindly. ''M0nseigneur,n
replied the poor girl, governing her emotion, 1--WE
Lourdes to cure nv friend, and when we got to the
pool helped her put her head under as much
water as could pour over 1t and made her drink
glassful. She seemed to hear all at once and o
good gentleman who noticed she looked confused
at some noise, understood she was getting sounds
to say after him the words he said ana
he said, 'vive Notre Dame de Lourdesp and my
friend repeated, 'vive Notre Dame de Lourdes'
when presently all the people standing round us
shouted out the same words, and my friend was
frightened but the gentleman carried her In his
arms away from me to the ratings OF the grotto,
which the priests inside opened, and she is inside
now"


at is miracle" said the prelate.


The news had now spread all over the place.
People came running % down all the paths to have


pushed on to the ratings and saw that the
scared child was surrounded by fathers and priests
One of them said she could not understand the
sense OF what was spoken to her; but she could
bring out the words told her, as parrot would.
This of course Is natural effect OF deafness. To
aver that the girl could talk would be gross i'm
position, as never having heard the human voice,
she could no more understand 1t than newborn
babe but the miracle Of hearing and OF uttering
be acquired by habit. ! will refrain from mention
ing anything did not see. Other miracles were
ey that day St At ts
the incident as told above is rs true as that am
relating It, and as that those who have fallen on
l was greatly moved, and looked up to the rocks
Of Massabielle with feeling akin to awe; and,
thinking Of these things, returned to the hospice,
through the beginning Of this correspondence.
There was no inducement to go ont; the rain re-
doubled and came down now pouring, swelling the
streamlets on the slopes around.


BERNADErTE AND HER FAMILY.


had got through the best part Of my letter when
Sister Elizabeth walked In and after some apology
for interruption expressed q wish to have talk
with me. was no less desirous, and put down my
pen. After some, some preliminary Introduction we we
Of Bernadette Souberous, and gathered what fol-
lows:-
OF curiosity that people came far and near with Of
fers OF protection for herself and family, which
were all declined. John Souberous her father. re.
NAMED the poor miller he had always been, and
died poor miller. Louise Souberous, Bernadettes
mother, died on the Sth Of December, 1859. Berna.
dette herself had been adopted by the Sisters OF
the hospice and remained eight years under their
roof She was the gentlest and most amiable
child, would never talk Of her visions unless very
much questioned, was fond OF battledore and
shuttlecock. When the villagers or strangers
wished to see her she would take either Sister \
arm or Sister Gilberts and walk upand
down the entrance; then return to her sewing
or play. When called In the parl0r to
speak to priest or visitors she would SIT down on
q chair nearest the door and answer every ques-
tion precisely to the point, without adding word
atrsao tad