Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1876-05-01
LETTER FROM FRANCE,
PARIS, April 9, 1S7

fARls, April y, 1910.
Ed. Monitor The dark, disagresable
winter has passed, and beautiful spring
is here at last. Everything is looking
as lovely as possible in the parks. which
are filled with carriages, horsemen, pc
destrians and no end of nurses with their
charges, who rOmp and play in them
from ten in the morning till five in the
afternoon-the nurses engaged in sewing
in the meantime. They live almost en-
tirely out doors, during the warm wealth
er, and that, l suppose, accounts for
their dark and healthy looks. The nurs-
es count their beads in church early
Sunday morning, and can do as much
sewing in the afternoon as on any day.
Speaking of churches-I attended the
Greek church this morning. The SER
vice was so peculiar. When you first
enter you stand directly under an i'm
mense gilt dome, which, upon scanning,
you find goes from the floor up to the
spire. All around the inside are pic
lures of Christ and the saints. The
bright sunlight which streamed in
through the top, made the many burn
ing candles look dim and magnificent.
Right before US was room which looked
as if it was all gold. with three steps
leading up to it, from which a man
with voice like the giant in Don Ju-
am came, and after mumbling some
thing, disappeared. All at once there
was burst of music so grand as to be
almost divine, and which was startling
at first, but it soon died away SO softly
and sadly. that one could wish to listen
to 1t forever. Then appeared a man
dressed in red silk dress, profusely or
namented with gold braid, many crosses
and other devices, which completely COW
cred the back of the dress, turned his
back to his hearers, with his face tow
ards the gold room, in which, during
his speaking, were men in similar dress
es, burning incense and throwing holy
water. The preaching is IN the chant
ing style. with great deal q, q66,K. K.-Onh OF |
around. in which th~-~--a I;ke a gold
Bible, (but l knew it was never opened)
another, large dish of gold, and a
third, with a crown which he balanced
over his head and then disappeared. As
the people enter they make several cross
es, kneel at the door, and many of them
PROSTATE themselves before the altar,
and 90 out of sight "behind the scenes"
They never sit, but during the service
they bow themselves SO that their fore
heads touch the floor. then stand up
moment and then down again. 1t is the
wealthiest church in Paris, and the peo-
pie of rank and fashion of that sect are
wOrshippers here. There is great DIS
play of dress-many coming in opera
dress, with the exception of hats and
bonnets. instead of flowers for the head.
The Catholic churches are immense,
furnished with chairs for seats, elegant
panel and other paintings, with the
saints in bronze and marble statuary.
The affairs are really beautiful, and the
priests, assistants and about twenty or
thirty altar-boys for lighting and ex-
tinguishing candles, holding the skirts
Of the priests robes, who is dressed IN
silk and satin dresses-and the little
boys all wear bright, trailing dresses
and sashes, sometimes lace over-dresses)
make it seem more like theatre than a
church. The singing is always fine
Sometimes there will be a bass vol, {
violin and other instruments for the &C
compartment in one end of the church
and then suddenly from the other end
voices with an organ accompaniment
People are constantly coming and going
You can 90 in on one sidewalk by tn
altar and out, and no one says anythinl
about it. especially, if you are Englisl
or American. When they pass aroun
the collection plate, during the service
two men dressed in silk -breeche:
blue coats with gold buttons, large
three-cornered hats with long plumes
them, march around before them. an
lean very carelessly on a long spea
which they occasionally ''thud'' as the
20 along. waiting for the change.
, looks as though you were going to
killed if you didn't pay quick. but it
only for effect. like everything else col
Z nected with this religion.
. At these churches every Tuesda
q Thursday and Saturday, between d
q hours Of twelve and one o'clock. you C;
see weddings by stepping in-some
q them very elegant One day there we
g three couples, all getting married
once. If they are wealthy, they a
It married at the grand altar if not.
5 the side altars. There could be sew
d weddings. all going on at once. and y
= wouldn't mind 1t very much /; but VII
a dead man has the center Of the hou
ID and the brides the sides, it seems as
the dead man might put of being bur
at for an hour Of course. it isn't TO be I
m pected that marriage could be put I
The center viii be hung with Grape,
ne sides decorated with flowers The brit