Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1889-03-23
AN AUSTRIAN CEREMONY.
The Emperor aud Empress Washing tn
Eept of IMenIY-Enur banners

' ''hh AfI ~ NlNN Nv
Feet Of Twenty Paupers.
The twelve old men and twelve old
women who have .heir feet washed by
the Empress and Emperor of Austria
on Maundy-Thursday are selected
from the ranks of the Vienna poor.
On the particular morning they as.
semble at the palace gates and are es-
corted by a Chamberlain to the Hall
of Thrones. Certain clothes were,
however, sent to their places Of abode,
so the men wore black TUNES with
broad white collars, knickerbockers,
and shoes, and the women black
dresses, with close-titting starched
caps.
These poor people take their seats
at two long tables set on opposite
sides of the room, and punctually at
ten the Emperor and Empress arrive,
attended by the Archdukcs and Arch
duchcsscs, a throng Of court officials
and the clergy Of the metropolitan
chapter, headed by the Archbishop of
Vienna. A priest ascends to a lcctcrn
and intoncs a prayer, after which the
serving of "A sumptuous meal to the
nImsiolk is at once proceeded with.
four-and-twenty stalwart life guards
mon, in gold-laced scarlet coats and
plumcd helmets march in, carrying
trays, on which stand Il tureen OF soup
and two plentiful dishes of fish.
The trays are cleared at the mems
table by the Emperor and eleven Arch
dukes, and at the women's table by the
Empress and as many Archduchcsses.
This ceremony is repeated three times
more, for a tray with three entrees
follows the first; then comes Il tray
with three sorts of roasts and yege-
tables and, lastly, Il tray with sweets
and fruits. The almsfolk, however,
do not touch these daintics. The En-
peror and Empress ask them if they
desire to cat and by Il negative sign
being made the tables are cleared in
the same order as the serving, that is,
the life-guardsmen come in and go out
four times with their trays. After
this they enter once more to remove
the jug of wine, silver goblet, plate,
knife, fork, spoon and napkin which
form each cover"
All these articles, along with the
dishes OF food, are carried to an ante
room and there packed in large white
boxes emblazoned with the Imperial
arms; and an hour latter these boxes
are delivered at the houses of the diff
fcrent almsmen and almswOmen, and
become theirproperty. The wine jugs
are of a peculiar pattern, colored green
with the Imperial escutcheon highly
gilt and the date of the ear on ii white
scroll. They are much priced by col
lcctors as only tw%enty-four are made
yearly and these can only be purchased
from the actual recipients.
Once the meat has been carried out,
the tables are removed. and the foot
washing begins. A number of pages
kncel and take off each almsman's
right leg stocking and shoe. The
same office is performed for the
women by the maids of honor. Another
prayer it intoncd, and the Emperor
and Empress, drawing OFF their gloves
kneel and proceed respectively to pour
the foot of each man and woman
Il little water out of a golden ever.
Ibis ever is handed by Il chamberlain.
another chamberlain holds a golden
basin and Il third a lawn towel. This
towel serves for the drying of the feet,
this also being done by the Emperor
and Empress. When the function is
over, pages and maids of honor ad-
vance again to replace the shoes and
stockings, and the last act N the cere-
mony consists in the bestowal Of
twenty-four purses, containing each
fifty ilorins in gold coin. fresh minted.
These purses are hung around the
neck of the recipients. The whole
lasts about half an hour and is
conducted with the most impressive
and gravity Vienna Letter.