Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-08-12
JOURNEYINGS ABROAD.
The Trip to and From Oberammer-
gau.
The wonderful Passion Play Wit
messed and Briefly Described
Quaint scenes Along the way 90 the
Village.


too they are. Nothing could be finer than
its broad handsome streets and magnif-
cent modern buildings. Galleries of art
where the state has collected treasures in
painting and sculpture-articles of big
otry and virtue" from all parts of the
world. representing every period of its
history. The late King Ludwig III whose
unhappy malady and death by drowning
was so recently noted for his love of
art, music, ETC., had collected treas
ures from all the world. One good re-
sulting from the despotic power of mon
archs is their ability, if so disposed. to
gather collections of art and open them
TO their subjects for study and delight,
and this is what most of the monarchs of
Europe have done to great extent.
Leaving Munich by rail at $50 a. m.
one passes through lovely country
diversified with meadow and mountain.
lake and forest. skirting the shores of
Sternberg lake where Ludwig met his
death, and the pretty little castle is seen
on the opposite shore, the place of his
residence at the time, reaching Oberaen
at 2 p. m. The train was of immense
length and crowded with pilgrims to the
Passion play. A carriage drive up the
mountain two hours along perfect road.
way built by the Bavarian govern ment
since 1880 discloses the most charming
views of mountain and valley abounding
with graceful waterfalls in every direc-
ton. A shorter path for foot travellers
enables the footmen often to catch up"
with the carriages. and the whole way up
was enlivened with pictures of pilgrims
on foot-men. women and children
peasants in their gorgeous holiday cos>
tunes of green, red. yellow and blue,
with great chains of silver disks and in
Vulnerable rows of great buttons. short
leggings of bright colored knit wool
reaching from knee to above the shoe top
Others leaving bare the leg between the
shoe and knee; green peaked hats with
buckles and cock feathers; priests in any
number with cossocks and wide brimmed
hats; Monks in brown habits with bare
mead, sandals and rosaries hanging from
their coarse cord girdles, all eagerly press
ing TO the wonderful play. Long before
reaching Oberammergau, the great berg
which stands at the head of the valley.
comes in sight and on its very summit
glistens the great cross placed there in
1887 by the villagers. In fact all along
the road, as everywhere in Belgium, Ger
many and Switzerland. one sees little
shrines on mountain and in field. along
the pathways, in streets of cities and over
the shops-dedicated to the Blessed Vir
gin and other saints-the Rood" is seen
everywhere, often with lights burning be-
fore it. gsrnished with flowers and other
ornaments, and adults and children de-
voutly cross themselves in passing. lift
the hat and bend the knee to the "sign of
our salvation" 1t is very touching to see
the mothers with little infants in their
arms stop at one of these wayside shrlnes
and after making their own genuflection,
gently take the bsby's little hand and sign
the cross on its breast and forehead
Some one may call it superstition; | pre-
fer to call it faith
Soon after beginning the descent into
the Valley Of Oberammergau, you pass
close beside the famous Monastery OF
Ettal, still grand in buildings and extent.
Most of the foot pilgrims stop here for
devotion. both going and returning. At
Oberammergau we found accommoda-
tions awaiting US at the Hotel de l'Poste,
perhaps the best in the place, and a
cheering welcome for our party of seven,
all engaged for us before leaving New
York for this special day-July 90. How
can one describe the crowd which
greeted US. The little hamlet of / 500
was full-every house occupied, and no
doubt barns and outhouses also.
The theatre seats 1000 or more and
was crowded. We were told that on the
previous Sunday there were 1000 who
could not obtain seats in the theatre, and
the pl ay was again given on Monday to
accom- modate them. The shops were
filled with people buying carved work
and pictures, and booths everywhere
were selling bread. cheese, beer, sausa-
ges, fruit, pictures. carved work, lib
rettos OF the play, ETC.. till late into the
night and again at 5 o'clock in the
morning. Precisely at z p. m. on Tues
day night a company of players
marched from the upper end of the
village to the theatre. with music, ac-
companied by a vast crowd of people.
and on Wednesday morning at 5
O'Clock the peculiar notes of the Swiss
bugle were sounded, and all the PLAYERS,
as well as the great mass of the people,
attended mass at the pretty little restored
church of the village. 1t rained in tor
rents at 8 o'clock. but my friend who
q TENDED mass at that time said that mass
was being said continually at five affairs
till 2 o'clock, and the church was crowd
ed. the people coming and going. Among
the celebrants of the mass Archbishop
Corrigan, of New York. was noticed.
irH bn
only the number of seats. seats all being
numbered, so there was no discomfort
Our tickets had all been secured before
leaving New York, for this particular
day, so we had no difficulty whatever,
and on our arrival at the theatre at 7:45
we were shown our seats by the usher in
the same orderly way in which the thing
is done at Harper's theatre. The stage
is substantially built OF brick or stone,
plastered, the front of the stage being
open to the sky. The front seats, per-
haps one third of the entire seating
capacity, were also open to the sky; the
gradually rising, being under
cover; a frame building of the chesp
but admirably arranged for
comfort and order. The rain continued
till II o'clock. and the chorus of some
twenty men and women, the orchestra
and those in front seats of the theatre,
we're exposed 20 the weather, but they
took no notice whatever, and the play |
went on as usual. In fact it has rained |
am told. every Sunday of the play this |
year, and how the chorus can remain IN |
the rain all day and sing almost contins
uously, without illness. is something
which can't understand.
The play begins at o'clock. precisely,
the time being indicated by the firing OF |
placed on an elevation near the |
village. Every seat was occupied, the
doors were closed and not allowed TO be
opened to admit anyone till the after