Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1881-09-29
WOODBURY., N. j.. THURSDAY SEPTEMBER %, 1881.

is Count Alexander Starnberg; he is in
the Austrian Horse Guards. / got hold
of him after you left, and gave him a
couple Of those Reinas that we bought
IN New York. Heis delightful fell
low They are coming to the Passion
Play tomorrow. Have you got seats I
Where? We must go to the eight mark
seats-they are the best"
Later in the evening we sailed forth
In quest of places, and, to Testers
chargin, could only obtain seats in the
open air, and among the peasants.
" You always manage things badly"
he angrily Observed" very badly. II
you had left it to me, I'd have had
front seats. I won't sit among those
greasy sausage eating Bavarians. I'll
give ten--twenty dollars for seat in
the best place. Come and see if Cooks
or Gaze's men can help u.s.
Lester found Mr. Cooks agent. d yery
polite and anxious personage-a men,
Der, by the way, Of the English bar.
This gentleman eventually succeeded in
inducing brace of Oxford men of his
acquaintance to sell out to us.
By Jingo," exclaimed one of them.
as he chinked the golden premium.
" our expenses in Oberammergau are
paid"
The village was thronged with Pas.
sion pilgrims, the English element
mastering in great strength. Every
long-haired man was treated with
marked respect, as he represented
some character in the play, while all
hats were doffed whenever Joseph
Meyer, the Christus, passed on his way.
The great tragedy was the one universal
theme, and tiny children lurked in quiet
corners rehearsing their parts for the
coming tablealix.
AS Lester and I strolled through the
place the crack of coachman's whip
was heard, and the road cleared for a
carriage to pass.
I" Yes, sir there she is r. exclaimed
my companion, convulsively tightening
his clasp on my arm. The young count
was driving, a servant in Alpine dress
seated beside him. The two girls wers
in the carriage, and, with his back to
the horses, sat an elderly gentleman of
very distinguished appearance, whom
we at once adjudged to be the head of
the house of Starnberg.
Marshal Lester was on my right, and,
as he pulled me close to him, I could
feel his heart futtering like newly
caught bird.
A quarter to eight found us within
the theater, which, when considered in
it's relation to architectural beauty, pre-
sented nothing of importance save its
simplicity. Occupying an area of 10000
square feet, it was capable of convent
entity seating between five and six thou
sand people. There were five distinct
places OF action for the players: first,
the proscenium for the chorus, process
sions and the like, second, the central
stage for the tableaux vivants and the
usual character scenes; third, the palace
Of PLATE; fourth, the palace of Annas;
fifth, the streets of Jerusalem. But,
oh, the background Did any theater
sver possess the like? That glorious
wall of softest green towering to the
sky On the left the valley of the Am
mergau, with its fower-dappIed meads
and its silvern stream stretching away
IN the distance; behind, the cross
Kofel, two thousand feet sheer
shove the Nesting village.
Thanks to the Oxonians. we had capi-
tal cane bottomed seats in the middle
Df the reserve, and beneath a roof. Les
ter remained standing, watching the en-
trance and consulting his watch at least
three times in each sixty seconds.
" There they are !" he cried, growing
as pale as death, then flushing up into
the roots of his curly hair.
By strange cast of the die their
seats were exactly in front Of us. The
party consisted Of fiye-the Count and
Countess of Starnberg, the son and the
two girls.
The young count bowed and shook
hands; the girls gazed at us in an in
4uiripg sort of way, and-the chorus
A dead silence fell upon the vast audi
ence, which lasted until the end Of the
seventh act the Garden at Gethsemane
when the burgomaster announced
recess of one hour and q half.
What dc you think Of its' asked
the younger Starnberg.
1T is awfully realistic" replied Les
ter.
Then the party rose and swept out.
Isn't she adorable p demanded nv
companion as We discussed the inevita
bic veal outlet. " What beautifully
shaped head and graceful neck How
deliciously her hair was donel Such
little pink ears Did you observe her
hands-how dainty and white and blue
veined and the rosy fingers and al
mond shaped nails ? Did you hear her
speak What music! Oh, Noel, she is
a revelation p
" You'd better ask the young chap to
dinner, Lester, and perhaps he'd return
the compliment by inviting us to the
parental schloss,v I suggested.
{" A. dinner herel Sausage and veal
outlet / wish had him within ten
miles Of Eelmonico's, or the Bruins
wick, then Let us hurry back, Noel"
The seats Of our noble friends were
vacant when we returned, nor did they
reoccupy them. Poor Lester was in
despair, and he kept steadfastly watch
ing the entrance instead of the awful
tragedy being enacted before him, and
which he had travelled SO many thou
sand miles for the purpose OF witness
ing. As for myself, never was so
wound up in all my life, and at the
Crucifxion scene such state of ten
sion was in that, when my companion
accidentally touched me, I actually