Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, July 22, 1894, Page 10

) S RESUME OF LOURDES. 0 of Zolo's Great Published. Brief Synopsis of the Po Story Which Has 1 FIRST DAY. The opening sc in Is in a the A young ourdes,” in_Sun- f the “'white sick pilgrims the pilgrims 15 Womnan, who, for ne of form CHAPTER 1 which was comme ‘s Bee of April 15, i whiclicarries l:,.m Parls to Lt 5. arie de aint, years, h n bedridden. She 18 accof by _her father nnd the Abbe Plerre From CHAPTER 11.—The Abbe Plerre was £ o chemist who lved at Newilly. Living next hem were M. de Guersaint and his family. Little Marle de Guereaint and Plerre played togethes and finally fell in love with cach other a8 they prew up. Marle received an which re- julted in nearly t he could priest. n the train is In- half an hour ¢ son HEL-The Jense w stops Poiticrs for. lur CHAPTER 1V u ) the diseaged simp) tor of Lourdes. ChAvTiR 1 e istory of Bernadotto, visions In the otto, A8 h fnto the station at ourdes an u dies. tells the story foot by pping it_in the w The Abbe desori] train 15 glven of the CHAPTER 1 + landed and con- sonfusion when reyed to the ho APTER 11 d. AUS o parts. Fat Hon to pr the man in hospital Is greatly over- he procession to grotto sks the vast congrega- acle, as the body of ain Is to be im- the pool In that life will be hope ‘The Abbe mects his old friend, or. The crowd forces the Abbe to the dead man 18 brought in and im- mersed. No mirncle occurs. On going out the Abbe finds that Marle has been bathed without HTect. CHAPTER the Abbe to Grivotte, who onsumption, am_cured CHAP Josing he tinuing the accompanies ifications. La Iast stages of shouting, *'I 1V.—T the Bui had comes Chassaigne of ( the rushing in, Abbe visits Marie, who I8 eads to the invalids, con- rnadette. The. He story of I THIRD DAY, R L—Plerre discovers that Mme. Vol- U pilgrim, has come to Lourdes to lov 1. —Plerre and Desagneaux, Mile to whom 1 places of it CHAPTE mar, a de meet Dl CHAPTER meet” Mmo. M. de Peyrelonsue Baged. They visit st CHAPTER 111 nicd father and P’ m torehlight procession. CHAPTER 1V, P Erotto to remain throughe Sulre s) M. de Guersaint ‘monde and monde 15 en- by her gnificent es Marie to the the night. Baron spring. g bout his and describes the to build a church with" Bern efforts of the Abbe Pe at Lourdes. FOURTH DAY. CHAPTER IL-The death of Mme. Vetu ls vividly B CHA shown d Brother e is great religious fervor ices. In the midst of it beside of the could ddenly Ste wilks to the Plerre mbers stands Marie's cart he rem that one physlclans called in o cured in a per Marle stands up in her Bureau, and her cure Is pi CHAPTER 1V.—Marle d procession. Plerre has lost his faith, and by his vows has lost the tight to love Marie now that she can be a wife. CHAPTER V.—Dr. Chassalgne takes the Able to Bernadetie's room. He also takes him to the church that. the Abbe Peyraniale started to build. The ambitions and dreams of the Abbe Peyramale are graphically described. PIFTH DAY. CHAPTER L—The abbe it too agitated to sleep dui ng the last might of the Dilgrimage. Ho nervously awaits the return of M. do Guer- saint from a_pleasure trip. Barly in the morm- ing he Is summoned to the next room, to find already dend an old lady whose fortune goes tb & crippled boy, who his been brought 1o Lourdes to be cured. The father regards the old lady's death as o vine recompense for the la miracle In healing the bo Valmar in the ha Sho confessea all to him, Jeft than Murle appears, full of life « “‘Lourdes’” will be continued in next Sunda Bee, CHAPTER 1L It was 8 o'clock and Marie could no longer contaln her impatience, but roamed about the room, going constantly to the window, as though she would draw, in a single breath, all the wide, open space, the whole of the vast atmosphere of heaven. Ah, to go about in the streets, in the squares, everywhere, and still further, wher- ever her wishes inclined her to go! to show thus how strong she really was; longing Wwith a certain vanity to demonstrate before ~the world how many miles she could walk, now that the Holy Virgin had cured her! It was an impulse, an irresistible restless- ness of her entire nature, her heart and body. But when ready to start she decided that her first visit must be to the grotto, where, with her father, they might both thank Our Lady of Lourdes. After that they would be free, with two whole hours befor them, to ramble where they wanted, befor Boing back to breakfast, and tie up her lit- tle bundle at the hospital, “Come, come, are we real M. de Guersaint. “Let us start,” Pierre took his hat and all three went down, talking very loud and laughing on the stalrs like schoolboys out on a holiday. As they reached the street Mme. Majeste rushed out from the porch. She had waited for them to go out. ““Ah, my dear gentleman and young lady, allow ‘me to congratulate you. We have heard “of the extraordinary blessing con- ferred on you, and we are o happy, so flat- tered, that the Holy Virgin should so dis- tinguish by her favor one of our customers.” Her hard, dry face melted with good na- ture, and she gazed at the miraculow cured girl with tender oy Then she called quickly to her husband, who was pass- ing: “Look bhere, my dear. It Is the young lady. This is the young lady.” Majeste's smooth, greasy, yellow, fat face took on an expression of joy and gratitude. “Indeed, miss, I cannot express how hon- ored we feel. We shall never forget that your father stopped her It has already made many feel enviou All this time Mme. Maj stopping the other travelers who were going out, and had beckoned to several families already installed in the dining roem, and would gladly have asked in the whole street full it she might have received their praise for showing that there in her own house was the person upon whom the miracle had been performed the day before, about which the entire town was wondering. Quite a crowd gathered, little by little, while she ‘whispered in each one's ear: “Look at hor; it i she—the young person. You know, the person- Suddenly she cried: line from the shop. he young lady." But Majeste kept her back, with a digni- fled alr. “No. Leave Appoline alone. She has threo ladies to wait on now, and surely these gentlemen and the young lady wili not go away from Lourdes without making some purchases. The small souvenirs that one carries off are so delightful to look at later. And our customers never buy anything out side of our shop, that adjoins the hotel. “T have already made all offers to help them,” Insisted Mme. Majeste, “and I re- new them now. Appoline will be so happy to show the young lady our prettiest things and at such cheap prices that it is almost Incredible. Oh, such lovely things, beauti- ful things" Marie became very impatient at being thus detalned, and Plerre was annoyed by the awakened curiosity that was increasing all about them. As for M. de Guersaint, he enjoyed the popularity Immensely, through the triumph of his daughter. He rnmlml to return. “Of course we will uy some little trifles, te had been “1 must fetch Ap- Appoline must see ome souvenirs for ourselves, and soveral presents. But later, when we come back." They finally escaped and Avenue de la Grotto. Again went down the the weather was superb, after the storms of the two preceding nights. The refreshing morning air smelled $o In the w ad brililancy of the clear sunshine. Y sidewalkts we already crowded with busy people, happy in the fact of ing alive. And what N hantment for Marle, to whom It was all new, charming, unappreciable! She had that morning borrowed a pair of hoots from Raymonde, for she would not put a pair n her own valise on account of the super- stition that it would bring her bad luck. The boots fitted admirably, and she lis tened like a little child to the dainty tap- ping of the small heels on the paving stones, Sho never remembered having seen the houses look o white, or the troes 80 green, or the passersby so happy. With her each sense was In a state of joy, with a marvelous degree of delicacy. She heard distant music, smelled far away perfumes and tasted the air with greedin like some luscious fruit. But what pleased her above all was to hang on her father's arm—that was delicious! ~ She had never done it be- fore, and for years it had been one of tho happy dreams that appear quite impossible when occupied with nothing but suffering. Tho dream was realized, and her heart beat with j She leaned closer against her ather, and forced herself to walk very straight, very well, to do him honor. And how proud he was, happy as she, showing her off, overflowing with the joy of feeling her near him, his own flesh and blood, his daughter, radiant from henceforth with youth and health. As all three were La Morlusse, already of candle and bouquet in pursuit eried: “We sul the grotto. Pierre ,who was walking on the other side of Marie, completely won by her laughing gayety, stopped. They were at once sur- rounded by a horde of sellers, whose rapacious hands shoved their wares into their faces, “Beautiful young lady, kind gentleman, buy of me, of me, of me!” It ended by M. de Guer- saint buying the biggest bouquet—a bouquet of white daisies, tied together as round and hard as a cabbage—from a very pretty, fat blonde girl, about 20 years old, whose rounded bust was plainly visible through her half open bodice, left thus uncovered in her bold neglect of decency. The bouquet cost only twenty sous, but he begrudged to take um from his slender purse, being rather upset by the girl's manners, and thinking to himself that she surcly profited by another kind of commerce when the Holy Virgin no longer occupied her time. Mean- while Pierre was paying for the three candles that Marie bought from an old woman—candles costing only two francs, and, as she said, very cheap and reasonable in_price. The oid dame, an angular figure, with hooked nose and dull eyes, showered down words of honeyed gratitude upon them. “May Our Lady of Lourdes bless you, beautiful lady; may she cure all your diseases of you and yours.” That caused them fresh amusement, and they all three bezan to laugh, amused like so many chil- dren at the idea that the old woman's wish had already been fulfilled. At the grotto Marie wished to stand at once in the line, to present herself the bouquet and the candle before she knelt to pray. There were not many people there yet, so they stood in file and passed by in about three or four minutes. With what an ecstatic gaze she examined it all, the organ-harmonium, the exvotos, the engraved silver altar, the candlesticks, streaming with wax, shining brightly even in the glare of daylight! This was the grotto that she had only seen from a distance, from her cart of misery, and she entered and drew in a breath, as it it were paradise itself, bathed divinely with its warm and sweet odor, that almost seemed to choke her. When she had placed the candles in the basket and had reached up to hang the bouquet on one of the points of the grating, she kissed the rock for a long time, just underncath the statute of the Holy Virgin, that so many million 1ips have already polished. And into that Kiss, given to the stone, she put all the love and gratitude that affection promoted, a kiss in which her very soul melted away. Then outside Marie knelt down, and lost herself in an endless prayer of thanksgiving. Her father had also kneli near her, mingling his fervent gratitude with that of his daugh- ter. But he could not remain long at any one thing, and little by little he became uneasy, and, finally leaned over and whis- pored in her ear that he had an errand to do that he had only just remembered, It would certainly be best for her to remain there in prayer until he returned, While she finished her devotions le would do what he wished, and afterward they could walk about at eade, wherever they wanted to go. She did not understand, did not even hear him, but simply bowed her head, promising not to move, once more, so overcome by faint that her eyes were wet With tears, fixed on the white statute of the Virgin. When M. de Guersaint rejoined Pierre, who had remained somewhat apart, he ex- plained himself: “My dear, it is a case of consclence, I made a solemn promise to our coachman at Gavarine to see his master, to tell the real causes for our delay. You know the barber in the Place du Marcadal—and then I must get shaved.” Pierre yielded unwillingly, and otly when a promise was made to come back in a quar- ter of an hour. But as he thought the way rather long, he insisted upon taking a car- riage that stood at the end of the phin of La Nurlasse. It was a sort of green cabrio- let, and the driver, a large man about 30, wearing on his head a beret, was smoking a clgaretto. Sitting sideways on the box, with knees spread apart, he drove with the quiet carelessness of a well cared for man, thorough master of the road. “We will keep: you,” said Plerre, as they got out when they had reached the Pluce du Marcadal. “All right, abbe, T will wait for you.™ And leaving his thin horse to stand in the hot sun, he went to chat with a portly maid servant, who, disheveled and broad-chested was washing a dog in the bugin of the foun- tain near by. Cazauban was just standing on the sill of his shop door, whose high mirrors and light green color brightened the doleful looking square, empty on a week day. When he was not bty he enjoyed standing thus, triumph- ant between the shop windows, that were decorated by pomatum pots, and highly colored bottles of perfumery. He instantly recognized the gentiemen, “I feel most flattered, most honored, you please walk in, 1 pray you?" From the very first words that M. de Guersaint spoke In excuse for the man who had driven them back to Garavine, he ap- peared good-natured. Of course, it conld not have been tue man’s fault, he had no power to prevent wheels from breaking, or storms from bursting! So long as the trayelers did not complain all was for the best. “On!" cried M. de Guersaint, “it is a wonderful, never-to-be-forgotten country." “Well, then, sir, since our country pleases vou, you will come back again to see us, and we ask for nothing better.” When the architeot sat down in one of the chairs to be shaved he hurried about. His Loy was still abseni, running errands for some pilgrims who were stopping there-—.n entire family, Who were carryiug off a truuk full of rosaries, Holy Vigins in plaster and engravings in frames. From the rst floor came muflled footsteps and loud voices from a crowd of persons who were sourrying at the idea of their aproaching departure in orde: to get together a mass of purchases that had to be packed. Through the opening door of the neighboring dining room might be seen two children gobbling cups of chocolate and spilling it all over the dirty tablecloth. The entire house was let, given over, and thuse last hours of the invasion obliged the barber and his wifo to take refuge in the basement, a narrow cellar, where they slept on a truckle bed. While Cazauban was lathering his cheeks with barber's soap, M. de Guersaint ques- tioned him “Well, are you satisfled with the season?" “Certainly, sir. 1 cannot complain. You hear my travelers are leaving today, erossing the plain of filled with the band venders that rushed of the pilgrims, M. de Guersaint ly must not go empty-handed to will can THE OMAHA I)AH,}; BEE SUNDAY, JU but T expect others tomarrow, bafors we hav: time to more than give the Foons a sweep ing, and it will go on nntil October.’ Then, as_he noticed that Plarrs was stand ing or walking up and down the shop, look ing frpatiently at the walls, he turned and atil politely Sit down, abbe. Won't you have a Wi tot be long priest rofused, by a gesture, to st barber continued, in his insatia conversation e, things go on for its clean bed: the people in the town ar Oh, no! I may even say o mueh diskatisfaction,” for a moment, shaved the Joft eheeck, and then stopped again, declar ing suddenly, with an exclamation, drawn forth by a_sense of truth “Sirt The fat the grotto are play- | ing with fir That fs all I have to say." After this the bond was loosened and he talked and talked and talked. s big eves rolled round in his long face, with its shin ing cheek bones and freshly tinted skin mottled over with red, while his nervous little body twisted, fairly shaken by the exuberance of words and gestures, He re turned to his old accusations, and told of th endless grievances of the old town against the fathers, Hotel keepers complained; nerchants of religlous articles could not ake in half the receipts that they should realize; in fact, the new town took in both pligrims and money, and there was no longer ny profit in furnished rooms, hotels or shops unless they were In the immediate vicinity of the grotto. It was a mercile battle, a murderous hostility, that increased every day; the old town losing some of its life cvery season, surely destined to disap pear, to be choked, assassinated by the young, new town! Ah! their dirty grotto; he would rather cut his feet off than put them inside it! Was it not disgusting, shop for the sale of mementos, had stuck right alongside? me, over which a bishop had shown such indignation that, it was sald, he wrote abont it to the pope! He, who flattered himself that he was a liberal and a republican of ad- vanced fdeas, who even under the empire ad voted for the opposition candidates, hie surely had the right to declare that he did not believe in it, their dirty old grotto, and he would have nothing to do with it.” “Look here, sir, 1 will tell you a fact, My brother is in the municipal council, and he told me this thing. 1 must first explain that our present republican municipal coun- cil is very greatly exercised over the de- moralized state of the town. One can no longer go out in the evening without mect- ing those girls in the streets—you know, those candle venders. They come here with the drivers that are attracted each season—a loose, floating population from no one know: wh And I must also explain the situa- tion of the fathers in regard to the town. When they bought the grotto they signed an act by which all commerce was formally forbidden to them. Now they have opened a shop, in spite of their signing this paper. Is that not a disloyal rivalry, unworthy of honest people? So the new council decided to send them a delegation to exact the letter of the treaty and enjoined them to close their shop immediately. Do you know, sir, what they answered? Ah, what they have answered twenty times, what they always answer when reminded of their engage- ments! ‘That is all right, we will keep our promises, but we are masters here, and we will close the grotto.’ " He had raised himself, his razor high in the air, and he repeated, punctuating the words, his eyes rounded by this enormity: “Wa will close the grotto.” Pierre, who had continued his slow walk, stopped suddenly and said in his face: “Well, it only remained for the municipal council to answer, ‘Close it The shock nearly suffocated Cazauban. The blood rushed to his face and he was beside himself. He stammered: “Close the grotto? Close the grotto?” “Most certainly, If it firritates and dis- gusts you, this grotto! If it is a continual cause for war, for injustice and for cor- ruption. It would all be ended and nothing more heard of it. Really, it would be an excellent solution, and it there was any au- thority to do it, It would be a real kind- ness to force the fathers to carry out their menace. While Plerre was speaking Cazauban felt less and less angry. He became very calm and rather pale. But the priest could seo a growing uneasiness in the corners of his cyes. Perhaps he had gone too far in his rage against the fathers. Many ec- clesiastics did not like them, and perhaps this young priest had come to Lourdes to begin a campaign agalust them. So, who could tell? Perhaps it might mean the closing of the grotto later. They lived off it. If the old town did murmur, through rage at only picking up the crumbs, it was happy to have that pittance, and even the free thinkers, who coined money out of the pilgrims like the rest of the world, held their tongues, uneasy, fearful, as soon as there were too many of their opinion against the evil ways of New Lourdes. One must be prudent. Cazauban came back to M. de Guersaint. He commenced to shave the other cheek, murmuring in an absent way: “Oh, as for me—what I might say—about their grotto, it really does not displease me, in the end. ' And then every one must live!” ‘The children in the dining room had just succeeded in breaking one of the bowls, amid deafening screams. Plerre again no- ticed the holy pictures, the plaster Virgin, with which the barber had decorated the room, to be pleasant looking for his lodgers. A voice cried from the first story that the trunk was locked and that when the ser- vant came in he would please put the rope But Cazauban remained deflant, up- , his brain filled with disquieting hypo- theses, in the society of those two gentlemen, whom he did not know very well. He was in despair to have them go away without find(ng out anything about them, after hav- ing compromised himself. It he might only recall those quick words against the fathers! So, ¥hen M. de Guer:waint got up to wash off his chin he yielded to the desire of open- ing up the subject once more: “Have you heard about the miracle that took place yesterday? The town is flled with It, and twenty people, at least, hdve told me all about it. Yet, it seems that they got an extraordinary miracle performed. A young-paralyzed lady got up and dragged lor carl as far as the Interior of the babll- ca. M. de Guersaint, who was abgut to sit down again after “drying” his face, sald, with a complacent smife: ‘‘That young lady was my daughter.” Then Cazauban beamed bencath this sud- den burst of fortunate light. Feeling reas- sured, he gave a magisterial twist with his comb, in the midst of the exuberance of gestires and words that returned to him: “Oh! sir, 1 congratulate you! I am flat- tered to have had the care of you. From the moment that the young lady was cured your father's heart was satisfled. Eh?" And he even spoke a good-natured word with Plerre; then, when he allowed them to g0, he gazed at the priest with a quizzical air, and sald, like a sensible man, who wished to speak his mind about miracles: “There is happiness for everybody, abbe, In this world. From time to time we have to find this kind of satisfaction.” M. de Guersaint had gone oytside to find the coachman, who was sti}) chatting with the servant, whose dog, soaking wet, was shaking himself in the sun. In about five minutes the cab took them bagk to the foot of the Place de la Merlasse. Tbe errand had taken them a good half-hour, so Plerre wished to keep the carrlage, with the idea of showing Marie the town without too much fatigne. While the fathér went to the grotto to fetch his daughter he waited there under the trees. The coachman at once entered into conversation with the priest. He had lighted another cigarette, and became very famillar. He came from the environs of Toulouse, and did not complain—he earned fat gains at Lourdes, One ate well there and amused one's self—in fact, it might be called a good sort of place. He told all these things with the abandon of a man unhin- dered by any religlous scruples, yet not un- mindful of the respect he owed an ecclesias- tie. Finally, from his box, half lylng down, one of his legs hanging over, he let these words fall slowly: “Oh, yes, abbe; Lourdes has taken very, very well, but the thing is to know If it will last long!" Plerre was greatly struck by the saying, that sounded so involuntarily deep, when M de Guersaint reappeared, bringing Marie. He had found her kneeling in the same spot, in the same state of faith and thankfulness, at the feet of the Holy Virgin; and she seemed to have brought away in her eyes the brilliancy of the flaming grotto, they were shining with such divine joy at her own cure. She did not wish to keep the carriage. No! No! She preferred to walk; it little mattered whether she saw the town, it she might have her father's arm for an- need for Oh, as for well known King. But not eatisfic that I never saw He was My house | and_good | | P RN R P 445 1 . B ALY G T TP 4 4 LY 22, 1894 other heur SRS walking through d Ares—wherever she wanted! S0 when nfr had paid the driver she wanted to gh'Abn the path of the Garden of the L le, enchanted to walk slowly long it the lawns covered with flo beds underneath the great trees. It 13 80 loveW¥ dh frogh, all (he grasses and teaves, thosp Slidy o eould hear the ths, solitary, where eternal rippling of th Then she wished to return by way of the stre apapg the crowds, to see again the exeltemeit noise of life, the need of which was filling her whole being. In the Kue Joseph, where they saw th panorama imncswhioh might be seen the an clent grotto,, with Bernadette kneeling, on the day of the iracle of the tap Piorre wished to gd"fii*hnd see It. Marie was as pleased as & otld, and M. de Guersaint himself showed a_most innocent joy, above all, when he remarked that among th crowds of pilgrims that were pushed with them into the dark hallway several had d his daughter as the young woman culously cured the day before, whose name w ing from mouth to mouth. Up on the ground platform, when they emerged into the diffused light that descended fro the refloctors, Marie had a sort of svation and tender whispers, loving looks, an e static delight at geeing her, to follow h to touch her. Now came the period of glory. She would be loved thus wherever she went. It was necessary, in order to forget about her for awhile, for the man who explained the panorama to go ahead of the little flock of visitors and make the rounds, telling of the episode that was repre sented on the nense circular eanvas one hundred and twenty-six yards long, 1t represented the scventeenth apparition of the Holy Virgin to Bernadette, That morn ing, wlhen kneeling before the grotto, she had carelessly allowed her hand during th vision to fall into the flame of the candle and it was not burned. All the former scenery of the primitive grotto was deline ated there; the whole scene reconstructed with the historical personag: the doctor about to certify to the miracle, with his watch in his hand; the mayor, the commis sioners of police, the imperial lawyer, whose names were all told by the men in charge to the admiring public that followed him around. Then, by some inconcient train of thought Pierre recalled the words that tho conchman had just said, “Lourdes has taken well, but the thing is to see how long it will last.” That was, in fact, the question. How many venerated sanctuaries had already been built like this one, raised by the innocent voice of a child, all of the elect to whom the Holy Virginhad reved herself! The same story invariably commenced—an apparition, a persecuted shepherdess, who was treated as a ‘liar; then the sullen breath of human misery, famishing for some illusion; then the propaganda, the triumph of the sanctu- ary, shining forth as a beacon, to be followed by 'the decline and oblivion when anothe: sanctuary was created elsewhere by th static dream of another seer. It would seem though the power of the illusion was exhausted, as though it was necessary throughout all ages to displace it, to put up fresh decoratlons, with some new adventure, in order to restore the might and power. La Salette had overthrown those ancient virgins of wood and stone who formerly healed. Lourdes had come and dethroned Salette, and was waiting to be dethroned 1t by Our Lady of Tomorrow, whose olatory face was to be shown to some child as yet unborn. Lourdes had succeeded so rapidly, so prodi- glously, that'it cerfainly owed it to the sin- cere little soul, to the delicious charm of Bernadette. There was no superstition here, no falsehood; this sole blossom of suffering, a small, invalid girl brought to a suf- fering peoplé her dreams of justice and equality in those ‘miracles. She was an eternal hope, eterrial consolation. 1In fact, all the historical and soclal circumstances seem to have emphasized the need of (his mystical flight of fancy at the end of a century of terrible and positive inquiry; and that is why ' Lourdes will endure perhaps for a long time in its triumph, before it becomes a miere legend, one of the dead religlons, whose powerful perfume has evap- orated. Ah, that ancient town of Lourdes! that peaceful and believing town, the only possi- ble cradle in which the legend might be born! And thus Plerre reconstructed it for himself as he looked around the great can- vas of the panorama, That told all and w. the best cbject lesson that could be imagine The monotonous, stupid explications of the employe were mno longer heard—the scene spoke for itself. First there was the grotto, the hole In the rocks on the edge of the Gave —a wild, dreary place; with its wooded crags and rolling stones, with no pathway marked out and as yet nothing there, no ornamenta- tions, no monumental quays, no paths In the English garden winding about, hedges carefully trimmed, no nicely arranged grotto, deformed, enclosed by a grating; above all, no shops for the sale of religious articles— that shop of simony that was the scandal of all pious souls. The Virgin could not have selected in a desert a more charming spot in which to reveal herself to the elect of her heart—the poor little girl who walked there in the dreamy reveries of her suffer- ing nights, picking up bits of dead wood. Then came the other side of the Gave, be- hind the rock of the castle, where ancient Lourdes slept confident. Another age was invoked, a small town, with narrow streets paved with cobble stones, its dark houses with the marble facings, the old church, half Spanish, filled with ancient sculptures, peopled with visions of gold and painted flesh. Twice a day there passed only the diligences from Ba- gueres and Cauterets, going across to Lapaca and then up the steep road of the Rue Basse. The spirit of this century had not breathed on its peaceful roofs, that sheltered a be- lated population, that remained childlike, all crowded in the narrow bands of a strong religious discipline. No debauchery, but a slow, secular commerce was sufficient for the daily life; a poor life, whose rudeness preserved all morals, And Pierre never un- derstood better than mow how Bernadette, born in that land of faith and honesty, had flourished there as a natural rose, opened out on the briars that lined the roadside. “It is very curious,” declared M. de Guer- saint when the were once more in the street. “I am not sorry to have seen it.” Marfe also laughed easily. “Father, one would say they had been there, would they not? At times it seems as though the personages moved. And how charming she 18, Bernadette, kneeling in ecstasy, while the flarhe of the candle licks her fingers without burning them!” Let us see,” continued the architect. “We only have an hour more. Weo must think about our purchases, If we wish to buy anything, Would you like to look about the shops? We have promised Majeste to give her the preference, only that does not prevent us to find out about things a little. Heln, Plerre, what do you think? “0t course, just as you like angwered the priest. “‘At any rate, we will whlk on.” So he followed the young girl and her father, and came back on the Plateah de la Merlasse. Ever ince he had come out from the pancrama He'felt a most slng*l»\r sensa- tion of belng ‘somewhere else. It was as though all at ohce hd had been cafried from ono town to the ‘other, centufies ahead. He had left the pldce of ancient Lourdes, the sleepy solitude, dtignénted by the dead lights of the reflectors) to fall suddehly into the new Lourdes, shining With light and nolsy with its crowds. Ten o'clock h#d Just struck, and the ani- mation in the'’streéts was extrhordinary, the whole concourse’ appearing to be in a hurry to finish tielt pufahases before break- fast so as to Havé mothing but their de- parture to thivk ’about after they had eaten. The thousunds of pilgrims of the national pilgrintage, “in a final scurrying, overran the strbets and lald seige to the shops. One wowldihave thought it some public fairing fromshe cries, the knock: the rustling abotit i the midst of the un- interrupted rollfng 'past of carriages. Many were laying In provisions for the journey, and invaded the open alr booths where bread, ham and sausages were sold. They bought fruit, they bought wine; baskets were filled with bottles and greasy papers with- out end. An itinerant vender, who pushed his cheeges on & smal wagon in front of him, saw his wares carried off as though swept by a whirlwind, But the crowd bought religlous articles more than any- thing else, and other wandering merchants, who had push carts filled with statuettes and holy prints, realized a shower of gold, The customers in the actual shops stood in line on the sidewalk, the women arrayed in immense rosaries, and held Holy Virgins under thelr arms, while many carried cans to be filled with water from the miraculous fountain. These cans, holding from one' to ten quarts, were some of them decorated with blue pictures of Our Lady of Lourdes, others were plain, but all added to the gay aspect the gar- St of the masses, with their bright, new tins strung out and the nolse they made, dangling either in the hand or held on the elbow e fover of selling, the pleasure of spend to go away with pockets protruding with photographs and medals, changed this overwrought crowd in the masses of a kir mess or fair, their overflowing appetites being once satisfied On' the Square de Guor aint was tempted for %o Into one of the finest and mo: of the shops, whose signboard b lotters these .words, ‘“‘Soubirons, to Bornadette." “Look; suppose we there? It would' be more 1 le souvenirs would have a fr Then he passed on, saying that it would be better to look at everything firs Piorre looked at the &hop of Bernadette's ther with a slight sensation at his heart distressed him_ to think of the brother eiling that Holy Virgin who had been seen by the sister. But one had to liy d ho wondered it the secress’ family, side by side with the resplendent golden basilica mado thefr living, for the competition was tremendons, It tho pilgrims left millions behind them at Lourdes, the mer chants of holy articles numbered more than 200, without counting hotel keepers and lodging house keepers, who took the largost share, so that the profits sharply di cussed ended by being mediocre enough All alonz the street, to the right and left of Bernadette's brother, were other shops, an uninterruptod row of shops, tqueczed one_against the other, occupylng wooden sheds, a kind of gallery, constructed by the town that yielded some 60,000 francs to it offers. There were regular bazars, open booths, filling the whole sidewalk and bar ring the way of the pedestrian. For more than 200 yards there was no other kind of commerce—a river of rosarie:, medals, stat uettes, pouring through the window panes unceasing And the signs contained the most_reverend names in_enormous letters St. Roch, St. Joseph, Jerusalem, the Tm maculate Virgin, the Sacred Heart of Mary all that paradise contains to touch and at- tract the howrts of the customers “By Jove!" declared M. de Guersaint, “1 think that it is about the same everywhere. Let us go Into any shop.” He had had enough of it. This intermin- able liie of booths was breaking his legs. “But if you promised to buy up there,’ said Marie, who did not get at all tired, “it will be best to go back again.” “That's so. Let's go back to Majeste's.” But even at the Avenue de la Grotto the shops began again. On both sides they pressed forward and there was a mix- ture of jewelers, venders of novelties, sellors of umbrellas as a religious article; there was even a confectioner, who solsl boxes of pastes made with water from Lourdes, whose covers bore a picture of the Virgin. The show case of a_photographer fairly ran over with views of the grotto and the basilica, portraits of bishops, reverend fathers of every order, mixed with celebrated places in the neigh boring mountains. A library posted the latest Catholic works, volumes of titles of devotes among books published on Lourdes for the last twenty y some of them having sold with prodigious success, and which were still much talked about. In this great papu- Jous street the crowd floated along in a growing flood, the cans tinkled, and it was all most joyous under the bright sun that flooded the strect from one end (o the other. The statuettes, the medals, the strings of beads seemed unending; one booth came after anothor, and kilometers stretched away, fill ing the streets of the entire town with the same kind of bazar, selling the same arti cles. In front of the Hotel des Apparitions M. do Guersaint hesitated once mo “Then it is decided we are to make our purchases here?” “Why, certainly, lovely the shop is!" And she entered first into the shop that was in fact one of the largest in the street and occupied the ground floor of the hotel on the left side. M. de Guersaint and Pierre followed her. Appoline, Mrs. Majeste’s niece, who was in charge of the sales, was standing upon a step ladder, about taking out some holy water basins to show a young man, a very clegant looking stretcher bearer, who woi most_fetching yellow gaiters. She laughed like a_cooing dove, very charmingly with her thick black hair, her superb black eyes set in rather a square face, with stralght forehead, large cheeks and thick red lips. — Pierre clearly saw the young man's hand on the edge of her skirt, tickling one of her legs that seemed to be most willingly in that position. But it was no mdre than the vision of a second. The young girl had already jumped lightly to the ground and was ask- ing: ““Then you do not think this kind of a holy water basin will suit your aunt?" “No, no,” answered the litter bearer, as he went off. “Get another sample. I am not going before tomorrow, and I will come back.” As soon as Appoline knew that Marie was the miraculously cured girl of whom Mme. Majeste had been talking since the previous day, she showed great interest. She looked at her with a gay smile, in which there was a sort of surprise, a discreet credulity, as though she experienced the suppressed mock- ery of a beautiful woman, loose in her mor- als, in the presence of such tardy and child- like virginity. But the clever saleswoman expressed herself in good natured words: “Ah, miss, I shall be so happy to sell any- to you; it was so beautiful, your miracle. Come, now, the whole shop is for you to choose from. We have the largest selec- tion. Marie felt_embarrassed “Thanks, thank you; you are very kind have only come to buy a few trifles.” If you wiil permit us,” said M. de saint, “we will make our own selection.” “Oh! yes, sir; that is the way; choose and then we will see.” Then as other customers entered Appoline forgot about them and took up her part of the pretty saleswoman with caressing voice, seductive gestures for men, above all, whom she seldom allowed to go without filing their pockets with purchases. M. de Guersaint had two francs left out of the louis that Blanche, his cldest daughter, had slipped into his hand as he was leaving, to use for pocket money, so his choice was very limited. But Plerre declared that it would give him great pajn unless he were permitted to offer some objects to his friends to take away from Lourdes. At any rate it was agreed that a present for Blanche must be selected first. Then Marie and her father might each choose the souvenir that pleased them best. .“Do not hurry us,” repeated M. de Guer- saint, very gayly. ow, Marie, look well; what will' give Blanche the greatest pleas- ure?" They all three looked, poked about and searched. But thelr indecision increased as they passed from one object to another. The large shop, with its counters, its show- cases, its boxes that filled it from top to bot tom, was like a vast sea with innumerable waves, an overflowing of every imaginable religious article. There were rosarles, strings of beads all along the walls, heaps of rosaries in drawers, as well as rosaries for 20 sous the dozen, and even rosaries of per- fumed woods, of agate, of lapls, chains of gold or silver, and some of them, immense, made to go twice around the walst or throat, were formed of worked or carved beads as long as nuts, separated by small skulls Thero were medals, a whole shower of medals; medals in boxfuls of every size and material, the most humble as well as the most precious; some with diverse inscrip tions, representing the basllica, the grotlo, the Immaculate Conceptio engraved, ralsed, enamelled, very choice or made by tho gross to suit all persons. There were holy virgins, small, large, in tin, in wood, in ivory, but most in plaster, some of them entirely white, others painted in vivid colors, reproducing indefinitely the description given by Bernadette of the amiable face, the very long veil, the blue scarf, the golden roses on tho feet, but with slight modifications with each model, o as to guarantee the proprietor- ship of the author, There was a flood of other religious thin a hundred varleties of seapulars, a thousand negatives of plcture cards, fine engravings chromo-lithographs in loud colors, that quit drowned a swarm of little pictures that were colored, gllded, varnis surrounded by roses or ornamented with paper lace. There was jewelry, too—rings, brooches and brace lets, ornamented with stars and crosses, deco rated with holy tracings. But Parislan things dominated over all—that submerged the rest—pencll cases, purses, cigar holders paper weights, paper cutters, even tobacco cases, and innumerable articles on which might be found reproductions of the basilica the grotto and the Holy Virgin ‘without end and I every possible manne In one case of articlos for 50 centimes thure were heaped up, pell mell, napkin rings, egg dishes and wooden plpes, on all of which was ecarved the apparition of Our Lady of Lourdes in all her swiles, (To Bo Continued Next Sunday.) Merlasse M instant patron ze in larg Brother In make our purchase cal, and our sh intere t." said Marie. “Look how W de | COMPARED TO A Professional Gentleman Who is Conceded tv Eo More Perfectly Mod led, SANDOW He s Well Known in Society the Subject of M ment- How I and G s Beon vorable Com- ame Strong coful. SAN FRANCISCO, Cal a matter of made his appea park with It has been since June, remark ever ance in that ho did ¢ to be quite tho lion Commodore, appear to the untutored 80 “perfect” as he has been described. Whilst aims that his great mus- cule is due to his own system andow ¢ levelopment of training, which it may be, a well known physician pointed out the other day that muscles were not the part of a which needed developing in order that might be considered perfect “1 have a personal friend in my fesston,” sald this physician to a reporter a few days ago, “whom I am certain Is a bet- ter specimen of than . is the strong reporter declined to believe the statement, and suggested that a comparison be made. My friend would ne such arrangement, for he Is a scholi distinguished gentleman,” the “but,” he continued, “we can see him the only man in e own pro- manhood ow." The perfect r consent to @ and reply, by a little strategy.” It was then arranged to invite half a dozen well known men—athletes and medical men, as well as a representative of the press, to meet the gentleman who was said 80 near ‘‘a perfect man.' “Mind sald the doctor, “I mean mentally and morally as well as physically, and I assert that his mentality and moraiity are as well developed as his physical nature. Last Saturday the selected coterie joined in a social game of whist, and it was left to the noted physician spoken of above to Introduce his friend in his own way. Th game had not proceeded far when there was a sharp wrap at the door, followed by the intrusion of a head “Doctor, there is a outside,” said the voice. tened to the scene of the accident and the ga was suspended to await his return. Presently a stretcher came in carried by four men and followed by the doctor. “Excuse me, gentlemen,” he said, “but this man is seriously hurt’ and must be at- tended to at once.”” ~ Then saying he wanted to consult another physician he rang for a messenger boy nd dispatched him with an urgent note. No sooner had the boy gone than th infured man was taken up stair by the stretcher men. “N 4 th doctor, “my perfect man will come in re sponse to my note.”” In a few moments the door opened and a gentleman just about six feet tall, with dignified bearing and a most graceful riage, entered. His quiet but handsome face bore a slight trace of surprise as he viewed the compan but recognizing a couple of the members of the little party he shook hands with them heartily. His frame was massive to a degree, but his step was light, his broad shoulders showed not the slightest sign of stoop, and his face was aflame with the glow of perfect health. “I wanted to consult you about a case which has just been brought here.” said hi friend, and ‘with wonderful ingenuity he ¢ pelled the stranger move ery part of his body whilst explaining the accident, It could plainly be seen how perfectly all the muscles of the dark bearded stranger were doveloped, and he talked so readily and clearly about the case that the rapidity with which ha had grasped the details amazed every one. He was evidently mas- ter of his profession, and the other medical man spoke with an air of deference to his opinion, which showed that he knew he was consulting a superior. The conference came to an end in half an hour or so, and the stranger retired as quietly as he had comes “What is your verdict, gentlemen?” said the doctor who had brought about the meet- ing. It was unanimously agreed that the stranger was a learned, polished gentleman, and that his physical development was as perfect as could be. But who is he?”" said the newspaper man. “That, sir, is the chief consulting physician of that great white building, “The Hudson Medical Institute,” 1032 Market street. —He is one of the clevercst men of San Fran- cisco, Californfa. He is the discoverer of “The Great Hudyan,' that grand specific for nervous debility, impaired manhood, ete., the cures by the means of which have as- tonished the civilized world.” “But has this ‘Great Hudyan' done so much as is claimed for it?' asked the scribe. “You should drop in there or write them for testimonials and you will see,”” was the reply. They will send you a bateh which will_ surprise you, covering every kind of weakness and debilit The game of whist was resumed, the gen- cral verdict being unqualifiedly ““Superior to Sandow.” was to be you,” man_serionsly hurt The doctor has- IMPIELIES. Dr. E. Benfamin Andrews, president of Brown university, a delegate to the Brus- sels monetary conference and a well known writer on social, economic and religious sub- jects, has never been accused of being a dandy, and he delights in doing just such thinzs as Is told herewith. The home del gation to the big Daptist anniversaries at Saratoga have got back, and they know something funny. The Providence News re- lates what it is: As the Baplist train en- route SWung by a little station up In_ York state, the eagic oper- ator discovered the figure of a man towed away on the rcar platform, hat pulled down over his eyes, safe from view and everything else except the curling dust and flying pebbles. So the operator wircd ahead to the next station as follows: ‘“‘Look out for tramp on No. 56, rear platform. Jones. The operator at the next station bromptly pulled up the train, and the con- ductor went to the rear to investigate. There was the man—a big, broad-shouldored fellow, his hat pulled down over his cyes, co ed with dust, and so generally rough and tough looking that the conductor didn't hanker after a tackle. So he sent for the brakeman. What followed Is indicated by the dispatch which Operator Jones at the back station received a few minutes after from his brother operator, Here it is: “Pramp all right. Going to the HBaptist con- vention with a ticket Takes his walter stralght, and is president of Brown un versity."” vod e say8 of of of of rch An accidental juxtaposition of facts, Printers Ink, resulted in the appearance a laughable paragraph in a recent the Brooklyn Times under the h church news: ‘“The Rev. Dr. Rockyille Center Methodist Episcc SEVEN SHADES, all rich, natural colors, are pr 1 by the In Dortal Halr Regenerator, The colors are fast a Washable, but will not stain the scalp. IMPERIAL HAIR REGENERATOR! ir to its natural to hair s b hrows and eyelnsh fectly ading Crowd: al cl lor and restores gray b hleac vitality eard, ey 1 with It 16 book about it IMPERIAL CHENICAL 292 FIFTH AVE,, N. Y, §old by Shorman & McConnell, 1613 Dodgo Stroot, Omuha, Nob EXACT SIZE THE MERCANTILE IS THE FAVORITE sale by all First Class Dealers. F. R, RICE MERCANTIL andow | the ring at Central | | will exchange pulpits with church occupy his own pulpit ‘Behold, T Have Playe th e m to "t th o W ol Yo t he bri TR ings “Mary toes done the things t wicked shall be wh no That must be yaller-legye with An' ring an’ cool The coolin music's Camp meetin wlad tu An riou: I Another of the famous has lately largo 1 r Humphry Mr. EATHENT BY MAIL, tomorrow morning Mr. Hudson of the Baptist the ovening Dr. Crowdor will taking for his subject, the Fool." " the_Rev. In The Rev. H. R. Hawels has bean scolding his congretation for thelr meanness in fAlling e contribution plate with nny pleces, and even less My stock of buttons an, sarcastically buy my own loze coppers, three- valuable offer- said the clergys is complete, and I prefer Jane,” sald the rector, solemnly, steak {8 cooked to a crisp and the pota are raw You have left undone the ings that ought to be done, and cooked too ought not to be done.' s (solemnly)—And the ast into the lake of torment dieth not and the firo is ' ”\“\.\ll Ike (appreciatively)— he Rev. Mr. Ha e (ho worm quenched - CANMP MEETIN' TIME, B N nee Wood In Atlanta Constitution, time's a-comin' an' chivk pious mp the fght be il help the sinful Nick the shouter's full an’ free, s the story of salvation me! preacher in his soon music will 18 told to you ump meetin' Gime's AN’ green. vines that clamber rant, welcomo scr neath i, in the breezes float, ho soon will eateh up an’ note! a-comin'—the arbor's round it on hadows, make a where the tling back the time's a-comin’ heart feel 4 time religion's feet to knee while the birds dre singin’ nny air take your load your burden they - - it makes my good enough, at na- in the glo- can 1ve of troubles, an’ ouls" of London Violet Muxso, who has Cecil. — The literary were hinted at by the of Looks to bo found among r wedding gifts and by the presence at her fAnL oL RUGH HIKE N B NEA WHItDEST AREATERS Ward, Mr. George Meredith and Osear Wilde. married become L tes of the brid Miss ly o = = :»mw@wmu 2 *NOT MERELY: ON-PAPER: § ¢ Fdgemont Company, Omata, Neb. } et i gl GTOR /’,&L:L;_‘ SEARLES & SEARLES SPEGIALISTS Chroale Nervoas Privats AND Spacial, Dise1ses Tist,and a ool wany pooplo— {u'c oo with you. Edgemont, S. D, . thiat Fdgenont roal o-tate Tlgemont ine money—and they s £100 and upwards. Fasy monthly pay- monts CONSULTATION Fi Catarrh. All Diseases of tho Nos»s, Throat, Ches", Stomach, Liver, Blood Skin Manhood and Kldney Diseases, Lost and ALL PRIVATE DIS- EASES UF MEN. D) Perform at § 1on or address, ARNAM ST TIOND AND Leopards 20, 4:30, 9 and 10 p. m. today at Courtland Beach. Prof. W. 11 Pe haswithout donbt t anyliving Physl havelie: Tie sends with ol any suffcrerwho may send their 1.0, and Exp dross. We advise anyono wishi Eyom U, S. Jowrnal of Medioi e who makes apo ated and eveed more cases than Jissinccoss isnstonishing, We of cases of 20 vears? standing cured by him, publishesa valuablework on this disense which he o bottle of his absolute cure, frce to sad acure to add Prof, W. IL PEEKE, ¥ D..4 Codar St.. 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