Page:The grandmother; a story of country life in Bohemia.pdf/191

Rh break off bits and eat. Neither Grandmother nor the miller's wife noticed it, for they were deeply buried in their devotions; but Christina and Anna did, and reproved them several times. "Much good your pilgrimage will do you, and great reward you will merit if you keep on like this," they said.

The pilgrims reached Svatonovitz before dark; before entering the village, the women stopped to put on their shoes and arrange their clothing. When they entered the village, the first thing they did was to go to the sacred well, whose waters gush out in seven streams from under a tree upon which is hung a picture of the blessed Virgin. There they knelt down and prayed, then each one took a drink of the water and moistened his face and eyes three times. That clear, cold water is said to possess miraculous powers of healing, and by it thousands of people have been restored to health.

From the well the pilgrimage went to the well-lighted church, from whose walls was heard the murmur of different melodies; for processions kept coming in from different parts of the country, and each sang a different hymn.

"O Grandmother, how beautiful it is here!" whispered Barunka.

The child knelt down beside her Grandmother who bent her head almost to the floor and sent forth fervent prayers to the most holy mother of Christ, whose image upon the altar, gleaming in the light of thousands of candles, was decorated with garlands and bouquets, the gifts of pious maidens and brides, who came hither that she might grant success to their love. The image was covered with a magnificent robe, decked with costly jewels, the