Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-10-31
The Colossal Crucifix of Oberammergau

The Colossal Cruc1bX OF OOerammerSau
Correspondence of the Journal of Commerce.
The King of Bavaria has presented
to the commune Of Oberammerga 8
colossal cIucihx of stone. The work is
cDmpOsed OF three parts-the central
piece, the crucitix, being supported by
the figure OF the Virgin Mary on one
side and st. John on the other.
OoeTammergS is the scene OF the pass.
i0u.plsY that is performed during one
season IA every ten years, and presume
that it is ia recognition OF the renown
that this performance has given to his
kingdom that The king bestOws his
bounty on the village. The world hears
very little OF King Lewis, and what ia
told OF him, if HOt 80 bad as the stories
That pA8ckeEay Ussd 10 tell Of the
GeOG Sa', is not catCUlsC I'd to give Us
high opinion OF his int tgenca and
talents; bat If lie dCes many royal acts
as suitable and potent rs tuis one, he
has a. leSs tact and discern melt in
degree not often surpassed. There could
be 10 mcIe appropriate recognition Of
the peculiar efViCe rendered 10 B9vsrib
by the Pcs icr p az than this .Iuc fix
and 10 ether eff. ;h&5 the kiug cUutd
have made could be 90 universally ap-
them With such intense loyalty 60 his
person. The possession Of q fine o.J-itiz
gratiiies srd d.sti cuisines g village in
this part OF the wO ia just a. a FiIe jewel
does . wOmal any where The vI!sgs
of Obeianmcrsau. % hing -n improve
the occasion, has improved : special
play Tor tee SESSION o this Z eat event;
and We, being mGvei by the same
motive, made up At our summer resort
a carriage ,l0sd Of Yankees to go and see
it. We spent Saturday night at
Parieus i?cheD, aud star ed al six o'cljc6
SunCST morning on our drive To OCer-
ammtIE1u. 4 be- u iful summer day
was be.tTe Us as We turned nOItnWard
into the br0sd, open valley, leaving 'he
villages OF PaCten kiTchen over theTlgbt
shoulder and GATmisch over the left,
with a smooth road under the morning
mists ahead and shadoFy mountain
slopes on either haud Some viftu0us
thoughts about the chsrm Of early TislI g
seemed pressed upon US by our
rural surroundings, and were mistaken
for echoes Of the voice Of nature until
traced to their real ,urCss in the
memory of first sChOOl-bOOks and the
voices Of venersted preceptors. Many
people in holiday attire were walking
our wsy, mostly country folks pushing
on III family groups, many OF the women
wearing gauGy neckerchief5 and large
fur hats of sealskin. These fur hats,
with no visor, are fine things Tor a
sleigh ride, but have look of burlesque
in summer, and when the sun is well up
the women throw large white keTchlet
over them, or they would be unbearable.
These peasant groups were on a pic
pilgrimage, and 2s they went ohanfed
The chorus Of u refrain, sustained by the
leader u each party. After an hour or
80 o. pleasant driving Gown the smooth
valley, We turned shaT. 20 the left and
up long, steep hill-sa long and steep
t6Gt, although the rCa bad been put
into extra good condition, we all got out
and two extra horses were put to the
empty carriage to draw it up. At the
top OF this hill is the Client abbey OF
Ettsl, and here we founI the great stone
cross that King Lewis has given to
OUerammergsu. The cross, or rather
Crucifix, was packed on cart, but could
be seen through the slatWOrk covering.
This proved TO be Inc object OF Pilgrim
age, for as we proceeded on our way we
met family groups coming from the OPP
pOsite direction. Two other wagons
Win IuG L"U sue uSuIG5 were El!ll ~
the foot of the hill. Every house in
Oberammergsu was profusely deCked
with the Bavarian white and blue, and
with portraits Of the young king, in
preparation for grand ceremonial pro-
cession on the morrow, when the great
cross was to be transported to its final
pOsitiOn-a small hill that overlooks all
the high valley though which the little
river Amber noWs, and the villages of
ODER and Inter AmmeTgau. We aTriv-
ed at hslf-past eight, and the play be-
gan at nine, but the tickets were all
sold, and we had to be content with the
assurance that the performance would
be repeated in the afternoon, and
amused ourselves meanwhile by explor-
ing the locality, visiting the booths for
the sale OF photographs and kAick-
knacks, and in observing the people,
who, sWeitering in fur hats and heavy
skirts and carrying huge cotton umbrel-
las, or with broad black hats OF felt,
and silver chains and buttons, had
every appearance of satisfied uncomf0rt-
sbleDess. The temporary the9!er is an
old farm with barnlike addition,-two
bsrIs joined tOge.her-with Email
provision for ventilation, especially
when the two blind windows are closed !