A SCANDAL AT ST. SULPICE.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2608, 18 May 1877, Page 3

A SCANDAL AT ST. SULPICE.

The spirit of practical^jokirig, which is not of very- old standing in France, has of late been spreading with alarming rapidity, and has afc last assumed a form so repulsive as to call for the severest remidies (remarks the Globe). The last outrage reported from Paris is one which altogether passes the bouuds. of :nere silliness, and displays a combination of malice and ingenuity in the perpetrators which may well discourage the friends of morality in the nation. Ihe story is. told without comment by one of the papers, and indeed all comment would be superfluous in so flagrant a case. It appears that a few days ago a lady was proceeding to attend a week-day service in the church pf St. Sulpice.: -A: priest was saying low mass in one of the side chapels, when she entered the church, and without raising her eyes dipped her hand,, according'to custom, into the small font of holy water near the door. Hardly had tho done so when she was heard to utter a piercing shriek, and fell fainting against one of the pillars of the church. The service was interrupted and the 1 small congregation

hastened to the spot. The lady, half unconscious, and in a state of mortal terror, was bewailing her fate,, muttering, that she was eternally lost, that her sins had been visited by a miraculous punishment, and that her hand was, already glowing with the fires of the infernal regions. Her incoherent words induced the bystanders at last to look at her hand,' when it was seen that one of the fingers was pierced by a small wound. On the' floor, was foimd a lire crayfish, and on examination two others were observed,quietly walking about in the sacred water. The whole affair became instantly intelligible, but the lady was with difficulty disabused of her superstitious terrors. ,Itis almost needless, to say that all inquiries for the authors of this miserable jest have been fruitless. But it will not be forgotten that the church in question is in the vicinity of the students' quarter; and the succes^ 1 of this escapade is unfotuDately only too likely to encourage other tricks of a similar kind.