Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-06-26


his lips The beautiful head fell back on his
arms, the beautiful shoulders that had once
snone above the scarlet bodice in the dance
measure were clothed with a scarlet that
scorched the white lilies on her breast, even as
Paris had blighted the pure white lily of her
life.
The Prose side Of Ober-Ammerga. !
1.-THE Hourl
Albert Nolf, the we'll known writer OF the
PARIS Figaro. was sent by that enterprising
journal to report the performance Of the mys.
tery-play at Ober-Ammergau. While doing so,
he treat his subject In very amusing vein. In
beginning his letters he takes his readers into
his confidence and tells them that, although the
mysteries are founded upon the Bible, the per-
Torrance is In theater, and actors, not saints,
are before the audience. 1t is merely question
OF art and literature; and just as Bouguereau
cannot claim immunity from criticism fer his
"Flagellation OF Christ" SO the Journalists can
not consider such performances sacred because
the subject Is taken from Holy Writ.
Starting from this point, Mr.. Wolff describes
how, after long Geographic correspondence
with Calaphas, he made arrangements to lodge
with that dlgnitary., 1t seems that, In his early
days, Cataphas had played the part OF Saint
John, and still earlier suspended by chord, he
used to perform the part OF the angel which ap-
peaTed 10 Jesus upon the Mount OF Olives Cal
aphaS had just repainted his house and upon
the afriy al OF his visitor was engagedi in an In
tereSt1ng conversation with Judas, who being
carpenter, carried saw under his arm. Soon
the worthy pair were Joined by Herod, carrying
pa1nt-pOt In his hand and a ladder ON his
shoulder, and by Jesus himself, who is described
as Christ OF the North and not OF the East-a
Christ such as Albrecht Durer loved to paint
Saint john, young, fair haired tailor, and PI.
late. an innkeeper, joined the party, and seri-
GUS discussion ensued, In which Jesus assum-
Ing studied attitudes. diScOurSed upon the allot-
ment OF seats TO visitors at the coming perfor-
nance. The French critic found. that the rustic
speech of Judas and Herod was much more to
his taste than the more pretentiOus sentences
OF Jesus.
Hero 10 tho NOV in uhtob Nr uro,ff nv ,,..,o
adroit tattery, gained an entrance into the thea
ter before the representation:
AT the moment when was about to leave In
despair, door opened and peasant came out
He was one OF those peasants with artistic
heads; his skin was brown and sunburnt; his
beard stiff and red; his long hair fell upon his
shoulders; under his blue apron he tried In vain
to conceal something from me; the form Of the
object showed me that IL was helmet.
~ ou play in this drama?" asked.
''YesS
''And what part do you take?"
1T is who scOurge Christ said he.
THAT does not prevent you looking like a
good fellow, replied, land as such hope that
you will allow me to see the theater for mo-
ment."
An apostle would have refused. But the naei--
ce1targ was kind enough TO let me In when
told him that was housed with Caiaphas.
was chaperoning Wolff with a very good grace
when heavy cart horse was ridden on to the
stage by the captain OF the Roman Soldiery,
who had taken the opportunity TO Ienear5e his
part in the play. Thereupon the "mercenary"
was obliged to leave TO attend t. his duties. but
before doing so he handed the contributor OF the
Figaro over TO Joseph OF Armathea, who wa,
Willing away his leisure hours by watching the
rehearsal.
In spite Of all the interest which the play
said to create the close OF the first act was We
coined with a joyous ebullitlon OF delight
caused partly by WEAKNESS and partly by hun
ger. Long before Caiaphas, who as Burgoma,-
ter or the village had TO announce the recess
MADE his welcome statement the English visit
ors were munch1ng cakes and the local part Of
the audience was feeding on enormous sausl-
ges and goats milk cheeses, which they had
brought with them. The actors, who had
been playing for three and half hours,
were dying OF hunger; the school child
rem who took part either in the pro-
cession OF the tableaux were crying for soup,
bread and butter. and the voices OF the chorus
pangs OF hunger Scarcely was the announce
meLt OF an ''nOur for refreshments made when
the whole audience and actors rushed for the
different exists. The refreshment places in the
nelghborhood were taken by assault Enor-
nous masses OF SausageS disappeared like melt
ing snow. The glasses Of beer which were
swallowed were as innumerable as the sands
upon the Seashore. Jesus and his disciples,
Herod, Plate, Annas, Caiaphas, the people OF
Jerusalem, the Roman soldiers, the victims and
the butchers, all rushed in confusion for their
dinners In the inns they ate everywhere, at
the table d'Edte, In the passages and In The
Kitchen, each selling whatever came to his
hand. The youth OF Jerusalem did not take
time to lay aside Its costumes but rushed fran
tcally through the streets, SO that it was no un-
usual sight TO see an angel OF one of the tabedatt
ctcGnts rolling in the dust, where some gru(f
Englishman, against whom the cherub had
Caromed, had pushed him.
Judas IScariOt seems to have. been the low
comedian Of the performance. The members OF
the council, with whom he contracts to betray
Jesus, We're very sttngy, and 1t was only after
great zeal Oh bargaining that an arrangement
was come TO. Judas showed his empty purse
and insisted that be could not come down q
penny. At last the sum was agreed upon and
Judas, fearing that the council would play of
false money on him. brought down the house by
biting each coin as he received 1t. Afterwards,
when smitten by remOrse for his treachery he
determines to hang himself, 1T was done in such
comic way that every one burst out laughing
The realism OF this scene seems to have been
remarkable and would have delighted lola.
The tree was real one growing through the
stage, and the branch to which he first fastens
the rope was previously sawn through SO that
1t broke with his weight But even with this
effect the scene was anything but solemn.
BarraDaS was also an amusing actor. When
he was released and Jesus condemned to death,
he ran OF with such quick and comical gait
that the merriment became general. 1t may be
added that Barrabas's wife,who lets lodgings in
tne village, mas not seen the play since 1850,
because her nerves could not stand the shock OF
seeing her husband in his part.
When Saint Peter denied his master a rooster
behind the scenes set up most vigorous COCK
village joined, so that the subsequent answers
OF Peter and the Growing OF the legitimate cock
were drowned In the noise of the birds and the
shrieks OF laughter OF the audience
On the whole, Mr.. Woln seems to have wit
Lessed as amusing performance as II he had
Deen at the Palais Royal He acknowledges
also TO have found himself In unusaIly good
company. He had Cataphas for his host, an ex-
virgin Mary for hostess, Martha to wait upon
him and Herod-la creme des bOas enf1ntsFto
run to the post office with the manuscript of
the Fig6fo'S contributions
THE LONGEST DAYS.-June twenty-f1rst and
twenty.secOnd are the longest days of the wear.
In other words, we have reached the Summer
s sou AZ about $40 O'Clock Monday even,
Ing the sun entered the sign OF the Crab and tn
astronomical summer began. The sun then az
tains the utmost limit OF its journey into tn
northern sky, and from this time 1t viii run !,
little lower every day until In September r. ono .
more crosses the equator. and throws its iirh
over the southern pole, which Is now buried In
endless night. The north pole on the Contrary
with all the space within the Arctic circle. now
enjoys continuous daylight, the sun apneartnv
n hkCf1r fflO