Newspaper Page Text
DIONYSIUS’ GAB.
BY J. H. CONNELLY.
y WK'h?, isrr. by the Author.]
Gen .1 Oleg GeuoonoC was a huge old
man. His body was immense, his limbs
were tremendous, and his head—with its
hirsute wealth ox grayish hair, big beard
and great mustache—seemed simply vast.
He was so large that, even at a distance,
people felt a sensation of being jostled if
he was in sight. When he conversed, the
windows rattled; when he sneezed people
aiar off exclaimed “God bless us!” and
when he snored remote neighbors who
knew not the cause of that awful sound
loaded guns and sat up all night. In
short, nature hud evidently made him to
be a governor, and the czar, in recognition
of his long and gallant service in the
army, appointed him tortile over the prov
ince of Kabarda. He was styled general
because that was his last rank in the army,
and indeed he looked as if he never had
been anything else, as if he had been born
a general.
Few if any persons ventured to affirm
that Kabarda was not dull. But General
Gedeonoff did not complain of it. He cared
nothing for social life, had distractions of
his own and probably would have been
contented in any place where he could be
governor. And he was a pretty good gov-
|
“IS HE AFRAID?”
ernor, since he never went out of the way
to do any mischief knowingly in his offi
cial capacity, and was really kind hearted.
His only fault was that he confided too im
plicitly in a sort of factotum named Boris
Hazin and delegated to him at times too
much authority. That, however, is one of
those things which right themselves even
tually., as they did in this instance very
finely.
The general’s distractions, to which al
lusion has been nfade, were, as he persuad
ed himself, scientific. As everybody knows,
the newspapers of Russia are permitted to
publish almost anything except news, and
one that came every week from St. Peters
burg to the governor of Kabarda gave
much of its space to scientific experi
ments. Under the head of “Electricity”
it taught “how to make a battery with a
shaving mug and a very little flowerpot;”
under “Acoustics,” “howto make an iEoli
au harp with threads in a window;” under
“Chemistry,” “how to make crystals of
rock salt;” under “Natural Philosophy,”
“ how to balance a fork on the edge of a
wineglass;” under“Magio,” “howto cook
an omelet in a hat,” and so on. And
the old general amused himself by doing
all those things. The one that pleased him
most was “how to reproduce Dionysius’
ear.” It cost him a good many rubles to
fix up a pretty little room so that he, at
his desk in another apartment 60 feet
away, would hear even a whisper in that
reproduction of the fallied chamber of the
Syracusan tyrant. Luckily he kept the
knowledge of his triumph to himself and
the one person who aided him, his charm
ing adopted daughter Maria, the child of
his friend Colonel Karatevnik, who, dying
in his arms on the battlefield, bequeuthed
her to his care.
Only one thing troubled the good gen
eral —he vehemently suspected his nephew,
Vladimir, and Maria of contemplating
marriage, to which he would have offered
no objection had they asked his permission
before falling in love with each other, but
which stirred all his antagonism when he
deemed they had ignored him.
“If such important matters,” he said to
himself, “are to be settled in my own
household without my consent or even
knowledge, God knows into what disorder
and riot the rest of the province may plunge
without even a thought of me. It will be
quite forgotten that I am governor.”
And he grew exceedingly impatient, for
the time was short for a certain programme
he had outlined to himself.
“My dignity,” he reflected, “will not
permit me to ask questions. I must seem
to discover the situation by accident. Then
I shall be furious and punish them by.a
little wholesome terror—she of being ser*
to her agonizing cat of an aunt, he of be
ing shipped off for a year’s journey. Bo’
at our Easter Sunday feast I will forgix
them and announce the betrothal. Yes
but it is Good Friday already, and I know
nothing yet of the affair—officially. ”
Just then Maria poked her pretty head
in at the door of his study, where he sat
smoking, and wild timidly and hesitating
ly, “May I talk a little to you, dear father,
of something private?”
“Aha,” he thought, “the sweet child
comes to confess. I shall be good to her.
Now I will not even shake ut her that
grisly terror, Aunt Anastasia.” And, to
“YOU NEED NOT FEAR A MAN WHO LOVES
YOU.”
encourage her, he said in tender tones that
could not have been heard farther than
across the street:
“Come in, dear child. My heart always
answers ‘Yes’ to your eyes before your
tongue has time to ask. ”
“You are very good to me, dear father,
but I have never before had to come to you
with anything like this.” _
“No, I believe not,” he replied know
ingly, “but sometime it comes to every
one.”
She looked puzzled, but went on, “A
tertain poor little girl is very much in
love.”
“Good! Good!” he responded in an af
fectionate roar. “That is as it should be.
So I would have her. The more love the
more happiness. But why did not the
timid fellow come along with you? Is he
afraid?” He had forgotten all about his
programme.
Maria was bewildered. “lie come along!
Oh, she has not dared to say anything to
him about it! He would break the rascal’s
head. Then what might happen to him?”
The governor’s eyes grew very round
and big. Deliberately he laid his big pipe
on the table, scratched his chin, stared at
her and rumbled, “Whose head would he
break?”
“Boris’, of course.”
“Now, why the devil should Vladimir
break Boris’ head?”
“Vladimir! What has he to do with it?”
“Yes, that’s what I want to know.”
“You did not let me tell you. It is
about Natalia. Boris persecutes her, and
she detests him. She loves Feodor Dani
lov, and Boris swears to send him to Si
beria if Natalia does not give him up.”
A dangerous light gleamed in the gen
eral’s eyes, but he only said, with ominous
gentleness, “So he will send somebody to
Siberia?”
“Yes. And Feodor, who loves Natali*
dearly, if he knew how Boris persecutes
and frightens her, would kill him. Hav
ing constant access to the bouse on -your -
service, Boris makes opportunities daily
for threatening her. She wanted to beg
your protection, but feared you would roar
at her and favor Boris.”
“Natalia is a very good girl, and I am
fond of her, but she is foolish. She was a
pet of my poor wife, who raised her from
childhood and left her to my ?nre. Is it
likely I would give her to that ugly Tar
tar faced rascal? She should know me
better. But I am curious to hear him.
Tomorrow when he comes at the usual
hour for orders, let him find her in Dio
nysius’ ear. And she must draw him out.
You at the same time come here to me.
But have you nothing to say to me on your
own account?”
“N-no,” she stammered, blushing.
“But I saw Vladimir at the door, and per
haps he has something to say.”
She ran swiftly away, and the general
was still chuckling when Vladimir en
tered.
*******
Boris Razin glided stealthily along the
corridor, listening at closed doors, peeping
in at open ones, until he caught sight of
Natalia sitting before a window, sewing,
in a small octagonal room. Softly he
stepped inside and closed the door. She
looked up, startled.
“Don’t look so frightened,” he said,
grinning. “You need not fear a man who
loves you as I do if you will only be sensi
ble. I have been looking everywhere for
you. ”
“I did not wish to see you.”
“Very probably, but I chose to see you,
which is more important. I saw fit to re
mind you once more of what will happen
if you do not tomorrow give me the answer
I expect.”
“You will have no other answer from
me than that I have already given to you,
neither tomorrow nor any other time. ”
“Listen to me, Natalia Ilovaiski. You
will meet me in the church before the aI
“MERCY! HAVE MERCY!”
tar when the candles are lighted and the
priest blesse,'' the cakes. Then and there
in the holy presence you w ill promise to
be my wife. If you do not, you know
what I shall do. ”
“I do not. ’
“I shall send Feodor Danilov to Siberia. ”
“I do not believe you. You cannot. He
is guilty of nothing. The governor will
not condemn him without reason.”
“The governor! I can wind him about
my finger. Reason sufficient will be
found. ”
“I shall go to the general and tell him
all.”
“It would do you no good. I shall sim
ply whisper to him that Feodor is a nihil
ist and show some proof I have ready.
Then, pfwit, our little brother Feodor will
go to Siberia for life. And it will be you
who have sent him there by ref using me. ’ ’
The girl burst into tears, and he glided
away, turning back at the door to hiss to
her, “Remember at Easter matins you
save or ruin Feodor.” Presenting himself
In the governor’s study for orders, as wus
his daily duty, Boris found there his mas
ter and Maria, who frequently served as
the general s confidential amanuensis. She
was writing, and the general made him a
sign to wait a moment. In a few mo
ments she stopped and gave to the old man
what she had written. He read it over,
'smiled, put It in an envelope, which he se
cured by a great blob of wax stamped with
his own seal and then gave it to Boris,
saying pleasantly, “Keep this carefully
and bring it to me tomorrow after the
Easter matin service.”
*******
The last glorious chords of the triumphal
Easter matin music floated away over the
heads of the congregation crowding the
church. Worshipers exchanged the “kiss
of peace” and the salutation “Christ is
risen!” Candleslightedattho.se upon the
altar spread their flame to others until
everywhere were the twinkling lights. The
priest bestowed bis blessing upon the cakes
offered by the devout. The joyous turbu
lence prevailed which distinguishes the
observance of this tho greatest festival of
the Greek church.
Threading his way through the throng,
cursing in his heart those who detained
him at every step with their salutes, Boris
Razin sought Natalia. At length he
found her, not before the altar, but near
the door, going out.
“Christ is risen!” he proclaimed, plac
ing himself before her.
“Ho is risen!” she responded, submit
ting with a shudder to iiis “kiss of peace. ”
“Natalia, what is yoi/ answer?” he
I
THE TIMES: BRUNSWICK, GA., SUNDAY MORNING. APRIL 18, 1896.
_ f r* j 1 |
- - - ----- --- ■
demanded, low at her ear, while still bend
ing over her. “Will you be my wife?”
“Never,” she answered so emphatically
that those near by turned to look at her.
“We go the same way,” he said, with a
ferocious smile, and placed himself at her
side. “I have business with the governor. ”
They walked together, he threatening as
usual, she in silence, wondering why Feo
dor did not appear and fearing lie would.
When they reached the governor’s study,
he entered, and sho, a little to his appro
hensive annoyance, followed him in.
General Gedeonoff loomed up at hie
official desk. Maria sat near him.
“Christ is risen!” declaimed Boris.
“He is risen!” echoed the general, con
forming to the universal custom of the
day, but growling as an appendix. “And
Judas’ troubles are about to begin.”
“Here, your excellence, is the envelope
intrusted to my care,” Boris reported,
drawing it and a folded paper together
from bis pocket. “And here is a warrant
for your excellency’s signature, authoriz
ing the arrest of a nihilist conspirator. ”
“His name?"
“Feodor Danilov.”
“No, no, your excellency! It is a false
charge!” cried Natalia in terror, clasping
her hands imploringly.
Tho old governor waved her aside, and
looking piercingly at the accuser said in a
tone of curious and surprised interest:
“So you have had the courage to attempt
winding me about your finger? lam not
aware that any one has done that yet and
fancy I would not like it, particularly to
be wound around a finger so dirty as yours
always is.”
“I never said anything of the sort. 1
swear that I did not. She has been lying
about me.” And lie pointed at Natalia.
“She has not until just now said a
word. ”
“I heard you,” interpolated Maria.
“Your excellency is mistaken,” stam
mered Boris, beginning to feel frightened.
“No. She is not, miscreant!” thundered
tho general. “I myself heard you. Your
words were written down as you uttered
them. Open that envelope whicli you saw
sealed a minute after you loft Natalia and
have had ever since. Read."
Boris was so terrified that he did not
even notice several persons entering the
room behind him. His trembling fingers
tore open the envelope, and he hastily
scanned the sheet it inclosed. “It is witch
craft!” he shrieked. “Mercy! Have
mercy!” and dropped upon his knees.
“Oh, yes! The merciful deserve mercy, ”
boomed the general deliberately. “1 shall
not have you knouted, and that is conced
ing more than you deserve. But I think
you will go to Siberia. Search him!”
Two men sprang forward and seized
Boris. He howled, but ventured no resist
ance. From one of his pockets they drug
ged a tract.
General Gedeonoff looked it over and
rumbled: “ ‘Hail, Brutus!’ A fine title;
nihilistic literature if there ever was any;
caught with it in possession. Now, Boris,
I’m sure you’ll go to Siberia.”
The wretched schemer wus overwhelmed.
It would do him no good to explain that
he meant to slip ; bat damning little sheet
into Feodor’s pocket to insure his convic
tion. The question would still remain
where he got it, and he feared his pur
pose would not be approved. Then that
witchcraft recurred to his memory and
crushed him. He wept in despair, for lie
knew himself doomed.
But one pleaded for him. Natalia knelt
before the governor and prayed. “Oh,
your excellency I He will repent and sin
no morel Pardon him this time!”
“No,” answered the old man sternly.
“He who betrays justice and plots to ruin
another by perjury is even a more infa
mous wretch than a nihilist. This time I
shall be sure of sending to .Siberia one who
belongs there. Take him away. There!
Now he is gone, don’t talk about him any
more. Let me get the taste of him out of
my mind. Come in, Vladimir, and stand
there beside Maria. And you, Natalia,
put yourself by your lover, Feodor, on this
side, that 1 may have you all paired before
mo. And now, my children, as governor,
friend and father, I give to your union
official sanction, earnest congrutulutions
and jiaternal blessing.”
At the Boarding House.
“Yes, Mr. Jones, at this Easter season 1
always provide for the inmates of my
humble home a diet largely of eggs—not
from motives of economy, as you insinuate,
but because of their appropriateness to the
season.”
“You can’t convince mo, madam, that
last Easter’s eggs are appropriate this
Blaster’s dinner. That’s all I’m kicking
about.”
Obvious.
“Do you believe, Mr. Jones, that the
glad Easter festival wo are celebrating was
really suggested by the heathen customs?”
“Believe it? I know it. The heathen
are alive yet, too, most of ’em, making out
bills for Blaster bonnets.”
THE EASTER BELLS.
WHEN THEY FIRST BEGAN TO RING
THEIR INSPIRING MESSAGE.
The First Church Bell Ever Made—How
It Revolutionized Church Architecture
and Implanted a New Ceremonial In
the Rites of the Church.
There is nothing more expressive of
Easter joy than Blaster bells. Blven more
than the chaste and modest beauty of tlio
lily, or of vernal flowers massed around
altar and chancel, do their thrilling, exult
ant tones typify the gladsome spirit of
Christianity’s chief festival, proclaiming
the glorious tidings of Christ triumphant
over death, the inspiring message of eternal
life forevermore. A benison, a psalm of
thanksgiving, an anthem of victory, peals
forth from Easter bells in every clime, cir
cling the earth from polo to pole and soft ly
fluttering heavenward to the great white
throne.
When and where did the first bells ring
out at Eastertide? What manner of folk
were the first worshipers who listened
with rapt attention to their commanding
and clamorous call? Was it in Palestine
or Egypt or Greece or the farther western
countries? Many times have thoughtful
Christians asked themselves this same
question, and groat is the number who
would bo glad to know the answer. To
learn it we must take a look backward
over nearly 16 centuries, before the great
schism of 720, when the Christian church
was one and undivided.
About tlio year 431, when Naples was a
settlement of Roman villus in the luxu
riant plains of Campania, there lived in
Nola, a considerable city of that province,
one Paulinus, now a duly canonized saint
of the Roman church. He was not only
bishop of Nola, but also the abbot of a
flourishing community of monks, monastic
life even at that early date having ob
tained a firm foothold in the primitive
church. And he was a bishop of consider
able note, whose name and fame have been
handed down to us both by history and
tradition.
Besides that, ho was a church builder.
In Nola, the seat of his bishopric, he erect
ed a basilica, or church modeled after
the style of tho Roman courts of justice,
many of these structures having been
handed over by Constantino to tho early
Christians as places of public worship.
Paulinus dedicated bis basilica to St. Felix,
in celebration of whoso virtues lie annually
composed an ode, railing him his patron,
his father, his lord.
Now, it happened that in tlio monastery
ruled by Paulinus small hand bells were
rung to notify the flock to betake them
selves from the refectory or the dormitory,
as the case might bo, to their lectures and
prayers, this usage of the bell being de
rived from the ancient Romans, who were
summoned to their public baths by these
little tintinnnbulators, and they were used
in their public processions as well. Ob
serving their great convenience and noting
further tlio great carrying power of their
tones, Bishop Paulinus conceived the idea
of utilizing this effective instrument of
sound to notify the monks and the neigh
boring worshipers at tho shrine of St. Felix
of tho times for holding the church serv
ices.
It seemed to him a more appropriate as
well as a more orderly call to prayer than
many of the rude methods then in vogue
■c .fo- -Jii , .
tlP^rSr
i if*
> y(n'J j\ik/‘ v V''
* 1
THE BAPTISM OF THE BELL
among the various branches of the church.
These included, for instance, private noti
fication, tho strident vociferation of the
town crier, the striking of a hummer on a
piece of metal, the beating of gongs or
cymbals, or the blasts of the trumpet after
the ancient fashion of the Greeks, the
Israelites and the Egyptians.
Necessarily Paulinus had to have manu
factured for the business in band n lull of
touch greater dimensions than the little
tinkler which did duty in the monastery.
But this was easily accomplished. The
next problem that vexed the worthy prel
ate’s mind was where to place his new
contrivance, so that its voice could be
heard from afar.
There was, however, on the roof of the
basilica of St. Felix a sortof cupola known
ns a lantern. It was open on all sides, its
principal purpose being, as its name Im
plies, to give light to the interior of the
structure on which it rested. It was in
this lantern that tlie bishop of Nola yoked
the first church boll.
Most probably it was of the miter class
and looked for all the world like a good
sized metal bowl with a clappor Inside.
Nor was it a large affair. The fifteenth
century was well advanced before bells of
any considerable dimensions were fash
ioned.
At any rate the worthy bishop’s boll
was set up in its place, and right royally
did it serve its purpose. One can easily
Imagine the flutter of excitement it caused
among the good people of Nola In those
placid times and fancy the congregation
of St. Felix, In picturesque garb and san
daled feet, wending their way to their
church, guided by the clanging reverba
tions of that wondrous bell, which rang
out its Easter roundelay on the plains of
Campania nearly 1,600 years ago. In those
(lays it must have seemed as marvelous to
them ns tlio telephone did to ns.
—Truly thnt was a momentous Easter,
anil the excellent prelate's new departure
was destined to have fnrreaching conse
quences, of which his stneero and single
minded soul could never have had the re
motest conception. Without specially in
tending it ho had developed the best meth
od yet discovered for signaling by sound
for long distances, a discovery that could
be applied to all manner of use3 in the
practical affairs of life. From Nola the
use of church bells soon spread over Chris
tendom, and at tlio beginning of the sov
enth century Popo Sabinius, by somo er
roneously supposed to have boon the in
ventor thereof, did all ho could to encour
age their adoption.
It was probably not a groat while there
after that the custom of baptizing church
bells originated. This process, according
to a high authority, includes “naming,
anointing, sprinkling, robing, sponsorial
engagements and every initiative accom
paniment which marks the admission of
rational beings into tlio gospel. Not that
bells, say the advocates of this system, are
baptized for the remlsson of sins, but that
they receive power to ‘act as preservatives
against thunder and lightning, and hail
and wind, and storms of every kind, and
that they may drive away evil spirits.’ ”
Other Important innovations in qhurch
affairs were* also effected by Paulinus’ first
church bell. It changed the entire char
acter of church architecture. That the
bells might be heard for a long distance,
it was necessary that thoy be hung at a
high elevation. Hence bell towers were
constructed, and every high tower in the
Christian world owes Its erection to the
bishop of Nola anil his boll.
At first the towers were merely an en
largement of the lantern already described.
This was subsequently heightened and fre
quently finished with a conical roof. To
extend this roof to a tapering spire was an
easy transition, and thus the church steo
ple originated, its belfry being known
among architects ns the lantern to this
day.
So runs the story of Paullnus and his
godly work and the first Easter bell.
Though it rests largely on oral tradition,
there is much strong presumptive evidence
to support it. The name of his city, Nola,
for example, is the name given to a small
bell attached to the neok of a dog, the foot
of a bird or the housings of a horse. The
word campana is the Italian and Spanish
name for a bell, the Italian, ns we liavo
seen, designating a bell tower ns a cam
panile, both words being clearly derived
from the same locality.
Many episodes, commonly accepted as
historical facts, rest upon no bettor author
ity than that which proclaims IJisliop
Paulinus the discoverer of the church bell.
In these days of research and close investi
gation it is more than likely that evi
dence such as will place his fame upon an
unassailable foundation will be unearthed
In the near future. E. W. Potter.
An Easter Controversy.
W* N THIS history
of the Christian
church there has
) never been any
difference of opin
* lon ns *° why
_ ..j jsffl / Easter is observ
f&r <!, l> but there has
\JLA Jigtfj f been a good deal
oontroversy as
j hJr\y b> when it should
i'lMlf -i be kept. This was
'••if perhaps because
: :Easter is one of
*'the movable feasts
f and not fixed to
one particular day
bke Christmas,
"mv-i Kin Easter day moves
t\ uimY backward or for
-11 a ward according as
11 H JJ!'/ tho full moon next
\l y after the vernal
“ equinox falls
nearer or farther from the equinox.
In the prayer book of tho English church
the following is given us a rule to find
Easter: “Easter day is always tho first
Sunday after tho full moon which happons
upon or next after the 21st day of March,
and if tho full moon happen upon a Sun
day Easter day is the Sunday after. ”
About the year A. D. 168 a controversy
arose as to the date of Easter which divided
all Christendom. This difference arose
originally between tho churches of Asia
Minor and tho then so called churches of
the west, the former insisting on keeping
Easter the same day as the Jews kept
their Passover. Toward tho end of the
century tho discussion became so violent
that Victor, the bishop of Romo, issued
an apostolic canon decreeing that “if any
bishop, priest or deacon celebrated the
holy feast of Easter before tho vernal
equinox, as the Jews do, let him be de
posed.”
In the fourth century matters had gono
to such a length that tho Emperor Con
stantine thought it Ids duty to allay tho
controversy. So he got an ecclesiastical
canon passed that Easter should bo ob
served on one and tho same day, but the
controversy continued until A. I). 604,
when Oswy, king of Northumbria, deter
mined to take the matter in hand and called
a conference, at which he himself presided.
Column, bishop of Lindisfurne, represented
the iiritish church, while Agilbert, bishop
of Dorchester, headed the Romish party.
After much discussion the king iinully de
cided the question in favor of the present
existing method of keeping Easter, and
from that day to this tho date of Easter
has depended upon the moon’s changes.
All the movable feasts and fasts of the
year depend upon Easter. Tho nine Sun
days before and the eight after depend upon
it, and form, as it were, a sort of body- 1
guard to this queen of religious festivals.
UNIQUE CEREMONIES.
DISTRIBUTING THE “ROYAL MAUNDY”
TO THE POOR IN ENGLAND.
His Holiness tha I’ope Still Washes the
Feet of Twelve Poor Old Men — Solemn
Observance of Eastertide at the Vatican.
A Touching Ceremony.
Nowhere is Easter celebrated with more
pomp and ceremony than ut tho various
courts of the old world, even tho Protes
tant rulers retaining many of the quaint
observances thnt originated in mediaeval
times with tho fathers of the Roman Cath
olic church. Thus in England the old cus
tom of distributing to tho poor what Is
known as the “royal maundy” takes
place In Westminster abbey on each Thurs
day of holy week, on which day tho offi
cial celebration of Eastertide may be said
to begin all over Europe. Royal pageants
of hundreds of years ugo are ilimly sug
gested when the bishop of Winchester,
clad in his episcopal robes and acting in
his capacity of lord high almoner to tho
queen, attended by the dean of Westmin
ster, as well as by the chapter and tho
choir of the abbey, and escorted by a com
pany of yeomen of the guard in their
quaint costumes of the reign of King Hen
rv VIII. marches nn tlio iwv end on tern,
tlio choir of tho grand old fane. Seated
In rows on cither side are tho persons cho
sen ns recipients for tho royal bounty. As
soon as divine service Is over and the anti
•t a H M) 3
A ROYAL ALMSGIVING AT WESTMINSTER.
plton, commencing with the command
of Christ to his disciples, “Mandatum no
vum da vobis,” has been chanted by the
choir, the distribution of the ulms by tho
lord high almoner takes place. The alms
In question amount to about $2(5 for every
man and s2l for every woman, In new sil
ver and gold money specially coined by
the mint for tho occasion, and are con
tained in red and whito kid purses, to
which long tassels are attached, They are
borne on a huge gold salver by one of the
sorgeants of the yeomen of tho guard, who
Is flanked on either side by comrades armed
with halberds. Tho lord high almoner
himself is assisted by several gentlemen
ushers of the queen, arrayed In gorgeous
gold embroidered court uniforms and with
scarfs of linen tied across their shoulders,
emblematical of the towels used in tho
days when the liritish sovereigns used still
to wash on this particular day the feet of
12 poor men and 12 poor women.
This custom of washing the feet of the
poor on Holy Thursday is still adhered to
at the courts of Vienna, Madrid, Lisbon,
Munich and tho Vatican. It is a very sol
emn function, and while it is in progress
one of the prelates in attendance reads
that portion of the gospel which describes
Christ 'as washing the feet of ills apostles.
At Vienna and Munich, Madrid and Lis
bon, the sovereign is attended on these oc
casions by the members of tho reigning
family, by the great dignitaries of the
realm, and by the entire court in full uni
form. Princes and princesses remove tho
slices and stockings of tho old men and
women, bishops and cardinals hold the
gold ewer and basin respectively, while tho
sovereign kneels before each aged pauper
in turn, nnd after having poured rosewa
ter over their feet dries them with a gold
fringed napkin. Afterward the old people
are entertained at a banquet, at which
they uro waited upon by tho sovereign and
by the princes and princesses present, and
at its close tho guests are Bent to their
homes in court carriages, each bearing a
handsome present in money.
The pope, while washing the feet of 12
poor old men—which, by tho bye, he does'
In a very conscientious nnd proper manner
—wears a whito linen apron ovor his white
cassock. This apron Is sent every year to
the general of the Benedictine order, who
causes it to bo cut up and to be usod in
one of the churches of the order for cover
ing the chalice. His holiness insists on
himself serving tho 12 aged paupers at the
banquet which follows the ceremony, uud
each one of them finds under his plate a
hundred frano bank note.
But tho most solemn feature of the ob
servation of Eastertide at tho Vatican—in
my opinion, at any rate—is when on the
following night punctually at 12 a car
dinal arrayed in his scarlet relies presents
himself and strikes 12 blows on the door
of tho private chapel of the pontiff. The
latter thereupon.,arises from his knees be
fore the altar, and, taking therefrom a
golden crucifix, approaches tho window,
which is thrown open by the cardinal, and
makes with a sweeping and majestic ges
ture the sign of tho cross over the slumber
ing city at bis feet, exclaiming ‘EC red
didit Spiritum.”
This Thursu..y 1 ci ore Easter h. likewise
the day on which F. •; ••> • x
his nearest and ueai i ■ .u, . ih
no attendants of any kind whatse. , re
ceives the sacrament in tho little chapel
which has been established in tho bedroom
of old Emperor William. It is very plainly
furnished and lighted by a small silver oil
lamp, and alter the Imperial chaplain has
administered tho holy bread and wino the
Illustrious communicants spend half an
hour in solemn meditation before return
ing to their apartments.
On Good Friday a remarkable and unique
ceremony takes place in the royal chapel
at Madrid. During the course of divino
service, just at tho moment for tho adora
tion of the cross, the ehaplain approaches
tho kneeling sovereign with a gold salver,
on which are full and freo pardons for
three prisoners lying under the sentence of
doath, and pronounces these words: “Mad
am, does your majesty grant her pardon
to those criminals lying under sentence of
death! 1 ”
The queen thereupon touches the papers
lightly with lior hand and repeats the tra
ditional words, “Vo os perdono, yasi Dios
mo perdone” (May God pardon me, as I
pardon them). Ex-Diplomatist.
Love’s Resurrection.
Oh, chime of sweet St. Charity,
Peal soon that Easter morn
When Christ for all shall risen be
Ami in all hearts new born.
—James Russell Lowell*
3