Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1872-01-18

glimpse and before the second act OF
Dinorah had been completed we were in
the Quiet of our hotel bed-chambers re-
counting scenes in the day of pleasure
making Easter Sunday had been. Yes
terday the streets were excessively
crowded and at noon all of the stores had
closed. We went to the cathedral which
was entered through a covered marble
porch and coursing a garden almost
carpeted with fragrant flowers. In the
center of it an artistic fountain playing
water Jet high in the air. There are
shrines on the porch, shrines near the
| door of entrance and the cathedral is
lined with them. The stained glass win
dows are exquisitely beautiful and the
light and shade of the great temple deli
cate and effective. A long gowned
priest manifested great interest, show
ing us in dark and gloomy side chapel
the sepulchre of Barcelonas patron
| saint Santa Eulalia. The work upon
the tomb is not so artistic, but the vari-
ETY. and grouping of it's valuable parts
commanded our best examination. Jas
per, alabaster, marble and gold enter
profusely into its composition. The
chapel itself is a pattern of elegance, and
its gothic dome is one among the treas
ures of church architecture in Spain.
But what of the patron Saint. You
may have heard the story which these
priests inculcate to credulous followers.
Santa Eulalia suffered martyrdom in the
early portion of the 4th century. After
the lapse of 500 years, her body was
recognized by the sweet odor it emitted.
Bishop Trodoyno, who made the miracu-
lous discovery oficiated at a magnifi-
cent burial service of the body which
was attended to its resting place by the
royalty of Spain. Her soul assembled
into Heaven in the visible form of
dove but was seen only by the sancti-
fed eyes of the priesthood. One among
the ludicrous things have seen in Spain,
was the baptism of four day old
Spanish cherub. | have to laugh when
I think of the weakened faced little baby
yellow as piece of rhubarb, held by its
mother who seemed anxious to conclude
the ordeal The holy water applied
with sing song scrap of the latin rit-
ual. He tried hard to press the Crucitix
to the little creatures lips, but could
only succeed by repeated attempts and
then we had a lively squat continued
until the creature had been blessed by
finally holding it over a basin and
pouring the water from a silver ladle
over its hairless head. Twas Amounted
with holy oil and made to cross itself
a number of times and made to bow its
head and to kiss the crucifx again. l
presume that confirmation and few
pennies for pennanCe will be all that is
needful to make the little one safe even
from purgatOry.
We saw pieces of the cross upon
which our Savior died, and numherless
relics. A few miles from Barcelona there
is a monestary at Montserrat and in it
an image of the Virgin Mary, carved by
| st. Luke, whom it seems was not only
! physician but a sculptor as we'll
| Strange to say, St Peter brought it here.
During the Moorish inCursions the image
was hidden in a nook of the mountain
| There it lay one hundred and sixty years,
when some shepherds led by Heavenly
| fire and angel music found it. The
Bishop of the diocese took it in his arms
to convey it to Manresa, but while
traversing the mountain with his pre-
cious charge, asuperhuman force checked
his progress. He concluded that the
image desired to rest on that spot. Be
heve as much Of the story as you heretics
may, there is no doubt a temple was
built for the shrine and a nunnery was
founded. Stretch your creduity. That
| image performed miracles, and was
happy to bless those who gave it good
gifts, such as money, laces, diamonds,
dresses, etc. Human eyes were dazzled
in looking upon its face. Among other
of its wonders, a man after fifteen years
in purgatory was rescued by it, but he
was so burnt, all that was left but re-
sembled a cinder One among the first
Popes of Rome visited MOntserrat, and
q number of great sovereigns have given
good gifts to the image. 1t now revels
in two crowns of great value, one of
which says Harper's Guide Book con-
tains 1,124 diamonds, $4,000 pearls, SO
emeraIds, and number of sapphires
What blcst image, and who but here
tic can doubt the story. The Holy
Fathers of Spain confidently teach it.
Can they be mistaken? Are they not
blest of the Pope, Gods earthly vice
regent last year declared infallable?
We took cab, drove past nany elegant
residences, through grand boulevards
and promenades to the Campos, which
is large garden with theatre and statua-
~, fountains, flowers and rambles. The
market place of Barcelona with its
countless booths attracted our attention,
and to watch the people promenading
the ramble. They seem like another
race as compared with those of Anda-
iusia, where it seemed to me that the
lowly classes who made mendicancy a
profession, distorted and manned their
bodies to attract sympathy. Never
strike Spaniard at the risk of your life.
If you are riding in a railway car or
coach, which with puerile twang they
style "coachy," it matters not howmany
ladies you may have. That inevitable
cigarette is lighted, and generally one is
offered you. 1t is impoite to refuse, as