UNE SAINTE-ANNE DÉSOLÉE

On ne nous accusera pas d'avoir cherché le mot de la fin. La fin est triste. C'est une pauvre Sainte-Anne de Leake county, dans le Minnesota : une Sainte-Anne, " désolée," nous venons de dire. A tout hasard nous avions écrit à un prêtre dont le nom s'y rattachait, pour lui demander quelques renseignements, une photographie si possible, et voici ce qu'il nous répond, et que nous n'avons pas le courage de traduire :

" I hâve no longer any charge of Saint Ann's church in Leake County

" It will be a long time before we can satisfy your wish. St. Ann's Church in Leake Co. stands there in the woods, twenty-four miles from the nearest railroad, and twenty four miles of the roughest, uncanniest wagon road. Tvvo or three drummers, a year, may pass there, but I don't think there was an itinérant photographier passing there thèse last twenty years or tvventy-five, since that church was built. It stands there the only bulwark of the catholic faith in a country steeped deep in the grossest and most fanatical protestant préjudices.

" It is the only catholic church in that county and in the three adjoining counties. And I am sorry to say it, but Madame Saint Ann, it seems, has not taken good care of her children there. While she stands there on a stained window teaching little Mary her lesson in the faith and love of God, the children of her congrégation are falling away into Protestantism, led astray by the worship of the Golden Calf."

Pauvre curé découragé ! Il y a de quoi aussi ! ! Si nous pouvions ! ! !

3e. DANS LES ANTILLES

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