Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-03-01
RARE MEXICAN SIGHTS.
An Americans Impressions OF
Palm Sunday i'm Puebla de Los
Angeles.

| AnBeleS.
The good Fray Julian Ga-ccs, the
first conseerated Bishop OF the Catho-
lie church in Mexico, conceived the
most priseworthy plan of founding,
somewhere between the coast and the
City of Mexico haven of refuge and
resting-place for weary travellers.
writes +. Hopkinson Smith, in Attain
tic. Upon one eventful night, when
his mind was filled with this noble re-
solve, he beheld lovely plain, bounded
by the great slope of the volcanoes,
watered by two rivers, and dotted by
many everything springs, making all
things fresh and green. As he gazed,
his eyes beheld two angels with line
and rod, measuring bounds and dis
tances upon the ground. After seeing
the vision the Bishop awoke, and that
very hour set out to search for the
site the angels had shown him; upon
finding which he joyously exclaimed;
This is the site the Lord has chosen
through his holy angels, and here shall
the city be-" and even now the most
charming and delightful of all the
cities of the Southern slope is this
Puebla de los Angeles. Nothing has
occurred since to shake the confidence
in the wisdom of the good Bishop, nor
impair the value of his undertaking,
and to-day the idler, the antiquary and
the artist rise up and call him blessed.
But the pious Bishop did not stop
here. AS early as 1886 he laid the
cornerstone of the present cathedral,
] nj tod
later. This noble edifice, in its inte-
rior adornments, lofty nave, broad
aisles divided by massive stone col
umns, inlaid floor of colored marble,
affairs, chapels, and choirs. as well as
{ in its grand exterior, raised upon a
terrace and surmounted by majestic
towers, is by far the most stately and
beautiful of all the great buildings of
Mexico.
Before | reached the huge swinging
doors, carved and heavily ironed, |
knew it was Palm Sunday; for the
/ streets were filed with people, each one
carrying a long thin leaf of sago palm,
and the balconies with children twisting
the sacred leaves over the iron ratings,
to mark a blessing for the house until
/ the next festival.
! | had crossed the plaza, where | had
/ been lettering under the trees, making
memoranda in my sketch book of the
groups of Indians longing on the
benches in the shade, and sketching
/ the outlines of punches of little donkeys
doing in the sun; and mounting the
raised terrace upon which the noble
pile is built. found myself in the cool
iuccnse-laden interior. The aisles were
a moving mass of people waving palms
over their heads, the vista looking like
great fields OF ferns in the wind. The
service was still in progress, and the
distant bursts of the organ resounded
at intervals through the arches.
| wedged my way between the
thrOngs of worshipers some kneeling,
some shuilling along, keeping step with
the crowd-past the inlaid stalls, ex-
quisite carvings, and gilded figures OF
saints, until | reached the door of the
sacristy. | always searched out the
sacristy. 1t contains the movable prop
erty Of the church, and rs | have pas
sion for moving it--whcn the cacris-
tan is of the same mind always find
1t the most attractive corner of any
sacred interior
were covered with paintings set in gild-
ed frames; the chests Of drawers were
crammed with costly vestments. Two
exquisite tables covered with slabs OF
onyx stood on one side, while upon a
raised shelf above them were ranged
eight superb japanese Imari iar5-for
water, | presumed. When | entered, a
line OF students near the door were be-
ing robed in white starched garments
by the sacristan; groups OF priests in
twos and threes, some in vestments,
others in street robes, were chatting
together on an old settle; and an aged
bishop, white-haired was listening in
tently to young priest dressed in
dark purple robe, both outlined against
an open window. The whole effect re-
minded me of one of Nibert's pictures.
| was SO absorbed that | remained
motionless in the middle of the ROOM
gazing awkwardly about The next
moment the light was shut out, and |
was half smothered in the folds of a
muslin skirt. | had been mistaken for
student choristcr, and the sacristan
would have slipped it over my head but
I for my smothered protest. Had |
known the service, | think / should
have risked the consequences.
The sacristy opened into the chapter
room. The wandercr who thinks he
must go to Italy to find grand interiors
should stand at the threshold of this
room and look in; or still better, rest
his weary bones for half an hour with
IN the perfectly proportional, vaulted
and domed apartment, hung with Elem
ish tapestry and covered with paint
ings, and examine it at his leisure. He
can select any one of the superb old
Spanish chairs presented by Charles v,
thirty-two of which line the walls; then,
being rested. he can step into the mid
die OF the room, and feast his eyes upon
a single slab of Mexican onyx covering
table large enough for n grand coun-
ell of bishops. | confess | stood for an
instant amazed. wondering whether
was really in Mexico. across lis thou
sand miles of dust. or had wandered
into some old palace or church in Nero-
ma or Padua.
A Talk On Canes.