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In view of the interest created by the late Franz Werfel's book, "The song of Bernadette" and by the motion picture of the same title now showing in the city. we give below the historical fact relating to the apparitions which cccurred at Lourdes, France, in 1858. Those who have read the book or seen the film, will note the amazing fidelity of both to the historical record. Had you been a fugitive from the justice of the French law courts in the mid -nineteenth century, seeking a :emote hide-out, you might well have hit
upon the out-of-the-way village of Lourdes as the least of all the insignificant Situated in the places in France. 'oath-western corner of the country, in the Basses and between the foothills the lIantes Pyrenees, ,within easy reach of tht Spanish border, Lourdes was utterly remote from the world. You might have :elt safe in this hamlet, but you could scarcely have grown to love its straggling cobbled streets, its dirt and poverty, and its air of incurable somnolence. IIad you lingered long in the hamlet you must very soon have made the acquaintance of Francois Soubirous, one of life's failures, Once he had been 'mall miller on the River Gave, but business had failed and he and his !aril} now lived in considerable poverty. They lived in the Rue des petits Fosses, in a sunken hovel of stone, formerly a prison cell. Francois had frankly lost heart, had grown lazy, and was somewhat addicted to the beniusoment which alcohol can give. In his family/ were four children, two boys and two girls. The eldest girl, Bernadette, was a delicate child suffering constantly from asthma. There was nothing to distinguish her from her brothers and sisters, or indeed from any of the children of the neighbourhood unless it was her extreme ignorance. She was a pious child, submissive to her parents, humble in the many menial tasks of a poor home, ana devoted to the Rosary-the only form of prayer with which she was acquainted. On the eleventh of February, 18511, Bernadette, with her sister Marie and a friend, Jeanne Abadie, crossed the ancient bridge connecting with the left bank of the River Gave to collect fire By the river hank, close to the wood. spot where it could be easily forded was In its a large rock called Massabielle. face were three singular excavations.
Now, greatly sound tilled the air. alarmed, she furtively raised her head, and glanced across the river towards Immediately she stood Nla,sabielle. erect as if transfixed, and, shading her
One formed a large natural cavern, and to the right, above the cave, was a cleft in the rock resembling a niche in It was a wild, desolate a church. place, used by the town authorities as
rubbish depot. While the other two girls waded through the icy water to the other bank, Bernadette hesitated on account of her health, and hoping to find a way across without wetting her feet. De ciding at last to risk the adventure, she was startled by a fierce upsurge of Strangely wind through the valley. the trees by the riverside were perfectly motionless, It was by then close upon midday. Bernadette concluded that she had been mistaken, and, though stil a little mystified, again stopped to remove her But once more the strange sabots. a
MERCERS AND DRAPERS
ary, the snow-white beads of which were strung upon a chain of gold. Bernadette, who at first sight of the wondrous vision had vainly endeavoured to make the sign of the Cross, quickly produced her own well-thumbed Rosary, and held it tightly, The Lady smiled graciously as if pleased at the gesture, and made the sacred sign upon her awn brow The little girl
eyes with her hand, gazed as one re garding some spectacle the reality of which was to have been doubted. The grotto of Massabielle was filled with a wondrously shining light, the place glowed with a brilliance which, indeed, understood, and commenced to recite she could not have conceived. The the Rosary. The Lady remained in a next moment she was trembling in listening attitude, her expression showevery limb, the cry which had risen to ing the tenderest, deepest, gratification, until Bernadette had concluded. her lips dying away in fear. Bernadette rose Then she vanished. The "Lady.' Bernadette grew incapable of any as- from her knees, and, feeling strangely tion other than to throw herself upon happy, crossed the stream. She peerher knees. For, there, standing with- ed into the Grotto, but saw no trace in the niche in the great rock, and of its late beautiful visitant. The niche was empty, and the wild surrounded by the radiance which she had seen in her first glance, was a rose branch lay around its base as bewho fore, having no sign of haVing been Lady of surpassing loveliness, smiled the sweetest encouragement at pressed by those loving feet. She was the affrighted child. Of middle height, amazed to observe her two companand quite young, the Lady was, a ions move about unconcernedly, whollong robe, white as the driven snow ly occupied in filling their aprons with falling in many folds to her feet, and sticks; but even more surprised when confined at the waist by means of a they each responded with a disinterestwhite ed "No" to her inquiry as to whether A flowing girdle of pale blue. veil hung from the back of her head they had seen anything of an extradown to the hem of the robe, envelop. ordinary character. She did not ening her shoulders and arms. Her feet, lighten them as to her own experience: which were hare, rested upon the rock, but in the evening she revealed her lust lightly pressing the wild rose secret at home. Her parents were disbranch. and upon each foot there was turbed, deeming their child the victim She wore no jewels, of a delusion ultimately likely to affect a golden rose. but suspended from the clasped fingers her reason, and she was sternly forbid (Continued on Page 10.) of her alabaster -like fingers was a Rot -
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