Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-09-13

with big. fat diamond, which has been
worn by other bishops long gone to glory,
and pressed by the lips of successive gen.
erations. 1t is said to be worth $50, 600,
and being the property of the church, will
be removed before the body is inferred.
There are two other jewels on the back OF
the same glove, each set in rosette OF red
ribbon, the signifcation of which | do not
know; and everybody ascends two black
palled steps, kneels beside the fowery bier,
and kisses the dead hand three times, once
on each Jewell Meanwhile scarcely sound
is heard but that of sobs and signs, and
the purple robe is stained with tears.
As it is not every day that bishop
dies, the citizens of La Paz improve the
occasion by making it a general holiday
and an opportunity for the military and
civic display they most enjoy. Several
thousand invitations have been issued to
the services, elaborate cards, or large
sheets folded in quaint fashion, with
heavy black borders and other funeral en-
blems, announcing that performances will
begin at 10 o'clock A. NJ. and close at 8
in the afternoon. 1t is only two squares
from the palace to the cathedral, but the
whole army is out TO escort the illustlious
corpse and procession so vast that it re-
quires nearly two hours to accomplish the
short journey. There are hundreds of
priests, monks and friars, in white, gray
and black robes with scarlet hoods, all
chanting and upholding candles or cruci-
fixes. There are children from the public
schools, boys from the Jesuit College, and
red skirted acolytes, singing with piping
voices; nuns of every order; Daughters of
Mary, sisters OF charity, female seminaries,
female Beneticenciaries; congregations of
the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Rosario, San
MeIced, and many Others, and the murmur
of their united prayers sounds ike the
distant voice of the sea. There is the
President and his cabinet, the Diplomatic
Corps, Municipal Council, National lnsti-
tute. lawyers and judges, bomberos lire
mem; the Hayden choir, Catholic choir,
Philharmonic. and other musical organiza-
tions; the "Workmen of the Gross" Broth
ers of San Jose, Mutual Benefcent
Brotherhood, and no end of other socie-
ties. Even the gambling and dancing
clubs are represented in separate bodies,
and thousands of citizens have Joined in
the parade, intending TO walk from the
palace to the cathedral and afterwards TO
the cemetery, a distance Of about three
miles.
The military brings up the rear, and
the most striking feature of this part of
the pageant is the eavalry,.a thousand
men in scarlet and gold from top to toe,
on splendid white horses, riding five
abreast. A score of brass bands, march
ing at equal distances, are playing, all at
once. and numberiess banners and en-
blematic devices are flying along the line
In the midst, enveloped in clouds of in
cense, the body of the bishop Is borne on
an uncovered catafaique, whose black pail
is strewn with fresh roses. 1t is carried
by priests. but the black ribbons extend
ing from it are held by the President of
the. Republic, the President, Minis
tiers of Justice and the foreign Ministers.
The impressiveness of the scene is some
what marred by the spectacle of the
empty hearse dressed all over in purple
and black gauze, put on In blllowy puffs
TO represent clouds, spangled with silver
stars and hung with wreaths of roses),
careering gaily to and fro, to show itself
off
Arrived at the church. the catafalque is
deposited on a dias, raised at such an
angle that the corpse, still dressed in its
splendid robes and jewels, with mitre and
golden staff, is almost standing. The
great funereal dias, hung with sable cur
tain spangled with stars, beautifully IL
Illuminated cross at the head and weeping
figures standing at the sides, occupies
portion of the center of the
The entire edifice is draped
with blacke crepe and ribbons, lighted by
of candles, and perfumed with
flowers and incense-but above all these
another odor may be plainly distinguished,
which, together with the swollen hands
which have almost burst their gloves, and
the face that still wears its sphinx-like
smile but has grown many shades darker,
proves that the embalmers did not do
their work we'll enough for so long an ex-
hibition.
The great sanctuary is packed to its ut
most capacity, the most distinguished
guests having been supplied with seats.
The service is exactly three hours long,
Dean Malina's requiem mass being mag
nifcently rendered by full-stringed or
chestra and hundred voices Then fol-
lows the oration, delivered by brother
canon, after which another reverend father
discourses at great length in the name of
the regular and secular clergy. Meantime
the faces of those sitting nearest the cata-
falque are-seen to grow pale and paler, and
the standing multitude, even the soldiers
who are used to il, shift about YEARLY from
one leg to the other, while the crowds out
side, hearing nothing within, and impa-
tient for the show to continue, are talking
and laughing in groups. Atlength (about
5 o'clock according to programmed, the
procession is reformed, to escort the hero
Of the day to the Pantheon. The same
chanting of priests, and burning Of incense,
and singing of choirs is resumed, inter-
rupted several times on the way, when the
catafalque is set down in the road, and the
procession halts while another Grafton is
delivered. The devotion of many falters
as the miles and hours lengthen, and by
the time the city limits are reached most
of the private citizens have deserted.
The cemetery of La Paz is one of the
finest in South America, most of the dead
being deposited in niches just large
enough to slip in a coffin (or oftener a
corpse without a coffin, placed tier above
tier, in the high walls that surround the
inclosure. Tomorrow the newly-sealed
door of one of these VIII be labeled in let
tiers Of gold, elmo Senior Doctor Don Juan
de Dios Bosque Ovispo de La Paz." The
Understanding title, if translated into Eng
lish, which doubtless would have nightly
shocked his highness, would be plain
John Wood; or if literally rendered, AL
lustrious Sir, Mr.. Doctor John-of-God
Wood"
Fastening to our hotel ahead of the
crowd we watch the stragglers from the
procession coming back in small bodies;
and the clock In the congressional tower
strikes the hour of six before all have re-
III. col1,a-o cOpaa last and aro