The Portland daily press., 1888-07-27

s s.oi. l.s affairs are falrly shining will
sIaPeIs, cruciiixes and the crucifed, will
hhngihs, saints and Angels all in one grea
naio OF splend0r. The frescoings are al
upon the same great theme, the passions O
tne savior, his Annunciation. birth. life
cruel death and glorious Resurrection
AFTER admlrlng the church for while W.
commenced our explorations. We wen
uoWn some stairs, which we had hardly seen
through an almost dark corridor, at the fur
tner end OF which we found the first under
ground chapel, where incense is Away.
burning before the altar, and the sides arr
covered with sacred pictures of the suffering:
OF Christ. The walls of the corridors
through which we had passed were covered
with yotiye offerings to the Virgin Maria
stein Maria i'm stem. This is one of the
two churches in Switzerland celebrated fol
pilgrimages for the sick and suffer
ing, for healing and consolation, and tn,
memorials are thank offerings for cures eff
tected through the intercession by prayer
before the altar of Mariastein farther dowr
IN the chapel below. There were here
hands, legs and arms like those healed, eyes
the image of those restored, crutches which
had been left behind when the manned and
the halt went leaping and jumping ON theil
way. There was picture of woman who
had taken up her bed and walked, and OF
children who like Jairus' Daughter, had
been raised almost from death itself-all ac-
c0mplished by pilgrimageS to Mariastein
Alter this we went down and down into the
neart OF the rock, and found the chapel
lighted by the windows which we had seen
when on the roadside cut through the solid
cliff. This is the gem of Mariastein and a
very sacred place. 1t is much restored and
excepting its walls and ceiling of solid rock
almost too new. There is modern little
pulpit, like all the queer pulpits here, and a
gallery with line organ, ana way in the
corners separated by an iron net work a
body OF Christ made of wood. 1t must be
very old as it seems just ready to fall to
pieces from decay but the face is full of NOR.
tai agony still. Before this body and at the
altar prayers for recovery are made. There
is very fine image Of the Virgin in marble
on one side of the altar with the infant
Jesus in her right arm and angels around
and above and on the other side an image OF
the Virgin all clothed in royal apparel with
crescent at her feet and a crown on her
head with little infant Jesus also in royal
apparel in her arms. This is Mariastein,
who in the fullness Of her royal strength
accomplishes the wonderful healing. There
is near by curious box with a place for
contributions and above it notice that who
ever puts aims therein will receive PRAYERS
and blessings. Whether our Offering was
rightly given perhaps future years will re-
veal.
But all the time in which we had been COM
ing, and coaxing Mariastein, the glorious day
OF independence had been proceeding dark
and lowery. When We came out of the
church 1t looked dull and there was a search.
ing March wind instead of sultry July
pfeezesbut we had the day before no rain Oh
shine. AS we could not take the Post to gel
home before O'Clock, we started off through
mile or two Of country for Landstrone, the
ruined old castle perched high up on Jura
crag. 1t had been like an ephemeral chateaa
en- espdgne like the phantom ship" all the
morning, first tempting us on by its nearness
rApAnlnU "A n "a q nd M I~.&
sight as at present. And again in an unex-
pected moment appearing almost among the
clouds, but always charming thing to view
We had seen it at the very start seen it when
we took the Post. We had been behind it, be,
lore 1t and around it, and now where was it
we inquired and took narrow path leading
towards 1T. Always going up, always as.
cendlng as we had been doing for hours All
the brow OF the first hill we caught sight of
II IN all OF its majestic beauty, like "Drach.
enfels browning DER the Rhine" only thi.
smiled rather than frowned 1t now looked
near. but we walked long time first up and
then down and finally up an almost perpen.
dicular path which ended in an UNDERGROUND
arch beneath the walls of the castle. These
castles used to be built like ramparts and
could defend themselves from approaching
an which which must approach single file in
built on jutting boulders and half followed
out OF the rock itself They seem perfectly
immense and still do not contain the room OF
9th Avenue brownstone front mansion
Landstrone has two beautiful lofty rount
towers situated at right angles, and is very
which are not rock, are fifteen or twenty fee
thick, and the wonder TO Ine is not, that suct
ruins exist after so many centuries. but thai
they can be destroyed or ever crnmble away.
There are several large courts inside
the castle itself and the whole il
RnQlnCad n <<l, ~.
Outside OF the wall are the ruins of severa
watch towers which must have been alarm
posts to signal approaching foes. An old
woman came out from farm house at tht
loot OF the castle and gave us the KEY. SO AFT
ter entering and passing under the portcule,
we went way around to the very back of tn,
castle and found the door which finally yield
ed to the great key and we entered, a former
ly very beautiful court, long and wide Will
rooms beyond and section of spacious room
at the side which believe had been the liyins
rooms. The old stone steps have, for tn,
most part, fallen down and been re
placed by wooden steps for the benefi
OF sightseers These steps lead up through
AL the corridors in the different stories /,
the lofty tower above, which affords such ;
me view OF the surrounding country an,
from which also the approach of an enein,
from aiar could be seen. This castle wa
bullt IN the 18th or 18th century, and was n,
doubt Inhabited at first by some lawles
baron, who had to have his perch high up il
the mountains, as protection against mar.
auders wishing to ayenge themselves for hi
numerous depredations. We found a room
upstairs with conveniences for our picni
dinner, and, after eating it we Commence,
to explore. One flight of stairs further nj
we found parapet over which we could SCI
among the ruins, the dining room and aboy,
IL what had been evidently an elegant draw
ing room, very fine in shape with arches ant
aapertures, well encased in masonary, which
mad served as windows but how filed ii /,
impossible to tell, since in those DAYS Their,
was nothing like glass in castle or cot /
mad many cosy hooks and corners and ever
IN Its tumble down condition was very sug
gestive. 1t suggested mirth, cheer and gaiet,
IL suggested visions OF beautiful women ant
knlghtly men whirling in the dance O
listening to music from some oil,
Xavier, the tones of which were brough
out by the touch of fairy fingers, centurie
since Wondering in dust One could almos
Imagine that they heard the voices and saw
sne races ana forms moving about in theil
quaint and rich attire. Back of this parape
was dungeon with only single square, Gu
through the solid rock for just glimmer Of
ilght. 1t was solitary place and looked
ike Sir Walter Raleigh's dungeon in thl
tower OF London. After this we ascende(
70 the TOP OF the great tower over numerous
nights OF steps, and peered into many ole
chambers, filled with many weird spectres Of
the past. The top of the circular tower i,
now oyergrown with grass and willow trees
are growing quite large, so curiously out 81
the solid wall. 1t was quite novelty to sec
tonnage and yerdure so high above the earth
AS soon as we were inside the castle it had
commenced to rain again, and Just as we
had got to the top of this high tower and
were looking at the beautiful prospect far
and wide, the glorious Fourth burst forth in.
i 70 q great ram storm. 50. hardly lingering
long enough in our position to see the Juraa
mountains, the Vosges way in the distance
before us, the Black Forest at our right. ana
on tne other side woods and yine-clad hills
and fertile valleys covered with wayerino
grain, we descended. The castle is in Alsace
the boundary line, between Switzerland and
Germany. We had passed where two paths
met Just before we assembled to the castle,
when we went back near this place we saw
a cross, before which we stopped and read
that the repetition of five save Marias" and
nye Water runsers," would obtain for any
sinner the indulgence end remission of sins
1or forty consecutive days. We had no time
for the Ave Marias" or "Vater runsers. " bul
we speculated on the good or bad fortune Of
those who could so long gain immunity from
the consequences of unbridled selfshness
and sin. 1t seemed to us, since such a cross
can be found in such a civilized age and
country, that the world needs another refor.
nation and another Luther to stop the gift
or sale of Indulgences." "A.