Omaha daily bee., 1883-03-15

Antonio of Murillo, painted In 1856.
The picture has the peculiar charm of
Murillo's warm ~colorlng, and repre-
sents the infant Savior attended by
cherubs, visiting the kneeling monk
saint, Anthony Of Psdua. The kneel.
Ing figure of the saint was cut ont of
the canvas during the government
disturbances of 1874, and found
It's way to New York, and was
bought by Schaus for $50, and by his
honesty and upright dealing was re-
turned to Seville, and placed In its or.
iginal position 30 skillfully that the
Jury is not apparent. Near the main
entrance, beneath the beautiful pave
ment of black and white marble,
which alone cost $3.50, 600 q hundred
years ago, Is buried Fernando, son of
Christopher Columbus. The stone
owe his tomb is%sengraved with rep.
reservations of the curious and quaint
little ships of the great navigator who
discovered" America for us.
One evening In December we wit.
messed q most curious and interesting
ceremony IN the cathedral, being the
so called "dsncs of los ~sieses," form
erly they were six In number), which
commenced at 8 o'clock. The high
altar Is of vast proportions, and of
elaborate and artistic workmanship.
In front of 1t are a dozen steps, and
at the foot of these q platform, 20
feet wide, and as long as the steps and
the altar. This platform is n step
above the pavement of the cathedral.
After the service had proceeded some
time, with delightful music with two
organs, 10 boys in the costume of
pages of the time of Philip III,
with plumsd hats on their heads,
white stockings, and with ~castanets In
their hands, took their places on the
platform, in front of the high altar,
and to the music of bass viols and
violins they went through q somewhat
measured and stately dance, dividing,
crossing and turning, with many
graceful motions. Then they broke
out into q pleasing and harmonious
chant, which echoed through the vast
and dimly lighted cathedral like q
choir Of angels, and Q moment after,
they brought their castanets into play
l n lively accompaniment. The effect
of the youthful voices In the great
space (the nave is $50 feet higb) be-
fore the vast altar, brilliant with silver
and gold, and glimmering In the light
of many candles, the grave and grace
full motion of the dancers, the kneel-
ing multitude of men and women around
the altar all made o scene Of weird and
and impressive interest. Nor did 1t
seem at all frivolous or tri6ing, though
1t certainly was q novelty to the
stranger. The ceremony Is of great
antiquity, and Seville is the only place
In the world where 1t is performed.
1t is reported that some straight-laced
people tried to have tho ceremony
abolished a couple of hundred years
ago, and appealed to the pope, who
sent an emissary here to witness the
affair and report. The emissary v-S
80 much pleased with the cere.ony'
and wishing to please the mo ooneen's,
that he reported 1t advls0sie 10 ABOLISH
the performance wb0n the ooS
of the sieses were wofn ou''
This satisfied all parties lol 'he
time being, wbie the adVocates OF
the oeremony nave taken suoh care OF
the oo,sdmes, replacing the worn parts
from time to time with new material,
that they seem likely under such
management to last forever. People
Of other and moro puritanioL oreeds