The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-23
CHRISTMAS IN GERMANY.


thousand years, and assuming that speech at that
time ago consisted OF one universal language. 1T
ss astonishing how many varieties in the method
Of expressing thought have arisen since then.
The influences Of climate, the various aspects
and surroundings OF nature, have effected so
many changes on the original unit Of intellect,
and, to a certain degree, on the physical torma-
ton of man. tha. It has become a matter OF
serious doubt as TO whether the human races
really do originate in one common stock.
Where time, therefore, works so remarkable
changes in such important features as the very
form and speech of man, 1t Is scarcely less
surprising, though no less remarkable, that
such should be the case in such minor points
as the observance of Christmas. The customs
observed at this period of the year are those
OF number of nations, ranging from the
sunny, palm-girt shores os the Mediterranean
10 the bleak, rocky, ice-bound coasts OF Nor
way and ultima Thule" Christmas, In our
minds, is always associated with the gilt
tering SHOWS and cicles OF winter; the
glossy, dark green leaves and bright scarlet
berries of the holly and the paler colors of the
mystic mistletoe; with the bright blaze and
deepred glow of the yue log roaring up the
capacious chimney; and last, but not least with
an unlimited supply of the good things that
cheer the heart of man. Christmas, without
these accessories, would seem strange and
foreign to our ideas. l well remember arriving
ut Alexandria on the 25th of December 1868, In
the good ship Ceylon, Captain Evans Tcom-
mander. The sea, the sky, were both bright
blue; the fiery sun burnt down upon us as hot
as in the hottest days of last July; and as we
sailed into the harbor we were greeted with
three hearty cheers from the Ripon, which was
lying there at anchor gaiy decorated with
garlands and festoons of graceful feathery
palms, a snow-white tent spread out on deck,
and all colors flying. The scene was festive
enough; but 1t was more like summer fete al
fresco than q bona fde Christmas Day, with its
waits and carols, in spite of the grog, plum.
pudding, and roa t-beef with which an attempt
was made TO keep up the character Of the day
1t was no more like Christmas than a pic.
mic to the Devils Dyke in August. Aud
TO make the Incongruty OF the scene more
glarDg still, there was the black, diDgy hull of
the old Ariadne, in which Captain Marryat
penned so many OF those tales and novels which
have made his name familiar throughout the
world, and which is now used as a storeship by
the p. and D. Steam Navigation Company.
Fancy the shades of "Peter Simple" and Jacob
Faithful wandering about amongst the divers
casks OF salt pork and biscuit, under the broiling
sun of Alexandria! And again, in the very
home and birthplace OF the Saviour, in the city
OF David Bethlehem itself-how different the
festivities of Christmas to our preconceived
notions! The bright Syrian sky, the palms. and
the varied costumes of the priests, plgrlming in
procession to the Church of the Nativity; the
waxen doll, the "Bambne Santo," representing
the Fisherman of Gaililee in his infancy, lain in
the richly adorned grotto, glittering with gold,
silver, and precious stones-form the compo-
nent parts of scene as far removed from our
ideas of Christmas as the countries themselves.
In all the Southern Italian churches, and
Dalmatian
at Christmas and Easter with revolving silhou-
ettes-little black figures within a transparency
representing at Christmas the birth Of Christ,
the alteration of the Magi, the fight into Egypt,
and various other incidents In the life of our
Lord. From morning to night the churches
are crowded with men, women, and children,
gaping at and bowling before these creations of
the priestly imagination-these ecclesiastical
marlonettes-amidst all the mystic accessories
of tapers, garlands, silks, and satins, and the
stupefying clouds of incense rolling through the
canopied dome. And similar to our own Punch
and Judy, these revolving nsparences are
shown about the streets, eXtortng copious
homage and veneration from the assembled
crowds, in the shape of divers genudexious,
uncoverinnS y, " ~. .se head. and IN coin of the
empire. Ii was before one Of these exhibitions
shown round by two mendicant frlars in the
town Of Spaato, that / witnessed scene one
Christmas Eve shall never forget. l had been
visiting the magnificent remains OF Diocletiaus
palace and strolling through the town with my
co7npdga0ad de UOydge, entered q cafe in order to
have a game of billiards. But on taking up the
cues the padrone came up to Us, saying:--
'SCusa, signori, oggi etesta e non per messo
di giocare. You cannot play o.aay; 1t Is
forbidden"
Being thus thrown back on our own re.
sources, we strolled into the cathedral, where
we were surprised by the sight of the mario
nettes just mentioned, and, on turning through
one of the massive portals of the old Roman
palace, wandered down to the quay, and seating
ourselves outside a cafe, broached bottle of
Vugava. There we sat, luXurlously slipping the
golden liquid, when two trlars brought one OF
their revolving silho1ettes, aud began display
ing their exhibition. The crowd attracted by 1t
increased quickly, and there we're at least some
two hundred assembled, when stout burly
fIiar drew near. His approach was quickly
noticed, and his appearance soon engaged our
own. Black, shaggy eyebrows overhung his
glitterlng eyes like penthouses. the expression
of his features was indescribaby mobile: there
was hard determination about his mouth, aud
in fact in his whole manner, that stamped him
at once for an original, if not remarkable man.
His name, Padre Luigi! Padre Luigi!" went
round from mouth to mouth but, totally
ignoring the commotion which his advent
caused, and apparently insensible to the obse-
quous change in the demeanor OF the two friars,
he stood calmly contemplating their exhibition.
Suddenly change came DER the spirit of the
man, and stepping forward before the two show
men, thundered out to them, "Silence ~ and
then, eevating the crucihX. continued in a voice
that made the place re-echo:-
"Eccolo Ii vero Polcenello !"-"Behold the
true Punch and Judy !"
Ridiculous as the words were, and profane
when brought into connection with SO sacred a
subject, there was not smile upon q single
face. The gentlemen were quiet and digni6ed,
the commoner herd awed and in q tremble at
The voice and gestures of the redoubted orator
''Ecco il vero Policenello!n he repeated.
"Now let me see If ye know what ye see; let me