Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1860-09-19
3fUstrllanrOus.
Forthe Chronicle
PALM SUNDAY.
Sketch from my note book of Travel in
the West Indias.
By MRS. FRANCES D. GAGE.

Madame Fannie Labo, my little French
lanllady, who is about as large as very
fragile, slender, straight, active little girl
of twelve ought to be, and who is seventy
years. and runs up and down stairs like
cat, sings for me. dances for me. tells
me long tales in broken French. of tie
troublous times of the rebellion, and who
crosses herself and says her prayers every
five minutes. came in yesterday morn, to
my bedside, and besought me. with 50 much
earnestness, to go with her to see the so
lemnities of Palm Sunday at the church
of St, Barbe, that could not refuse,-so
arose at once. and while l was dressing.
my little landlady skipped about liks
one possessed, and brought me a fresh
(pan) small roll of bread and nice cup of
coffee, which l needs must drink before We
salliel forth on our walk.
Now there arose a difficulty. A lady is
not allowed to enter a church in St. Do
ming0 city with her bonnet upon her head.
She may carry it in her hand, if she
please, but upon her head it would be sac
rilege. All women in this good old city
wear the head turbancd with the ubiquitous
Madras hankerchief, except here and there
Spanish SignOretto, who coils her profu-
sion Of black hair in rich braids around
her temples, and securing it with sparkling
gems. covers all, and her face too, with
black lace veil.
I had not learned the wear of the Mad
ras, had no lace veil My white Grape
shawl belongs to style of Saints supposed
to be more like virgins. than the mother of
eight children. 1t was finally decided as
l was foreigner, l might transgress the
ruleland appear in my white.
The whole week previous, had been a
succession of holidays. and l had grown
weary of their unmeaning mockeries. But
Madame, assured me this was the most
beautiful of all as it commemorated the
triumphala entrance Of cur Savior into
Jerusalem. the Sunday before his resurrec-
ton. riding on an Ass, and the people
strewing his path with branches of Palm.
l entered the grand old church, built
three centuries ago, withsomething of a
feeling of awe-it was crowded with kneel-
ing figures; having no seats. the people kneel
upon the marble pavements, aud remain
in this posture, or sitting fat, during the
whole of the ceremonies
/. In this church Of St Barbe, is a large pic
ture Of the city of Jerusalem, which coV-
ers the whole wall back of the Altar.
or pulpit should think it must have been
40 feet square. Christ and his disciples are
represented by wax figures in front of this
great painting Of the city. over which "the
tman of sorrows'' stretched out lis hands in
pity. and which Is allowed to be unveiled
once year, to the gaze Of the multitude,
SO much in explanation. 1 took my seat
on rough bench, near. the door. on the
south, the picture before me on the north
the church is built in the form of cross.
All the windows were darkened, but one
near the altar on the east, which let in a
! faint ray of morning sunlight upon the
magnificent painting. The frsnt of the
altar was crowded with priests. padres, and
young boys, bearing in their hands branch.
lies of Palm, upon which, a reflection of the
4 shine upon the picture fell in a soft
sweet hght-G 1S0TT gHT 70 IIlA
~ As gazed up the long dim aisle. for :
hundred feet, over the heads Of the kneeling
men, the picture seemed to grow into 2 liy
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