Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-02-06
RARE MEXICAN SIGHTS.
An Americans Impressions - Palm Sun
dag In Puebla dc Les Angeles.

An Amefican's Impresaaons - Palm eun~
dag In Pueblo de Les Angeles.
The good Fray Julian Garces, the first
consecrated Bishop of the Catholic church
In Mexico. conceived the most praiseworthy
plan Of founding, somewhere between the
coast and the City Of Mexico haven Of ref
uge and safe resting place for weary trav-
elers, writes F. Hopkinson Smith, IN At
lantic. Upon one eventful night, when his
mind was filled with this noble resolve, 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
distances upon the ground. After seeing
the vision the Bishop awoke, and that very
hour set out to search for the site the an
gels had shown him; upon finding which he
ioyously 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 oc-
Cured 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 1885 he laid the cornerstone of
the present cathedral, completed one hun
dred and fifty years later. This noble ed
iice, in its interior adornments, lofty nave,
broad aisleS divided by massive stone col
umns, inlaid floor of colored marble, affairs,
chapels, aud choirs, as well as in its grand
exterior, raised upon a terrace and sur
mounted 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, l knew 1t was
Palm Sunday; for the streets were filled
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 men,
oranda in my sketch-book of the groups Of
Indians lounging 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, 1 found myself in the
cool, incense-laden interior. The aisles
were 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 shutting
| along, keeping step with the crowd-past
| the inlaid stalls, exquisite carvings, and
| glded figures of saints, until reached the
door of the sacristy. l always searched out
the sacristy. 1t contains the movable prop
| erty of the church, and as have passion
| for moving It-when the sacristan is Of the
| same mindz=l always find it the most at
tractive corner of any sacred interior
The room was superb. The walls were
| covered with paintings set in gilded frames
| the chests of drawers were crammed with
costly vestments Two exQuis;te tables
covered with slabs OF onyx stood on one
side, while upon raised shelf above them
were ranged eight superb Japanese Imari
| jars-for water, | presumed. When / en-.
tered, a line of students near the door were
being robed III white starched garments BY
the sacrlstan; groups of priests, in twos and
threes, some in vestments, others in stree,
robes, were chatting together on an old
settle; and an aged bishop, white-haired
was listening intently to a young priest
| dressed In dark purple robe, both out
| lined against an open window, The whole
effect reminded me Of one Of Vibert's pict-
ures. was SO absorbed that I remained
motlonless in the middle of the room. gar
ing awkwardly about. The next moment
the light was shut out, and was hall
smothered in the folds OF muslin skirt.
had beea mistaken for student chorister,
and the sacristan would have, slipped il
over my head but for my smothered pro
test Had known the service, 1 think ]
should have risked the consequences.
The sacristy oRened into the chapter-room
The wanderef who thinks he must 90 to
Italy to find grand interiors should stand at
the threshold of this room and look an: or.
still better, rest his weary bones for half an
hour within the perfectly proportioned.
vaulted and domed apartment, hung with
Flemish tapestry and covered with paintings,
and examine it at his leisure. He can
select any one of the superb old Spanish
chairs presented by Charles ", thirts-twc
OF which line the walls; then, being rested.
he can step into the middle of the room. and
feast his eyes upon single slab of Mexican
onyx covering table large enough for a
grand council of bishops. Iconfess 1 stood
for an instant amazed, wondering whether
was really in Mexicq, across its thousand
miles OF dust, or had wandered into some
| old palace or church in Verona or Padua.