The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-05

which she has taken with her into her daily
life The village itself presented holiday APP
pearance. Its principal streets looked like
those almost of a well-frequented summer
resort, but in its byways it has preserved
the character OF tile simple village that is
clean and tidy everywhere. Like the chalets
of the Tyrol, the houses of 0berammergau
are decorated with images of saints. The
colors are fresh and new, the walls are
nicely whitened. 1t is obvious at glance
that the village has donned its best toilet in
honor of the visitors. Many OF the villagers
have turned their houses into hotels, restau-
rants. pensions--and l have even seen
''boarding- hcuSe' sign. There are cafes,
coniectioneries and other exotic herbs. re-
minding one OF the city and cosmopolitan
life but upon closer inspection all these To-
calities, develop into rejuvenated country
inns, despite the SwallOw-tailed walters.
gorgeous bills OF fare and, horrible dictu,
'drop-a-nickel-n-the chocolate auto
nations.
Near the Passion Theater a little city of
booths has sprung up, where photographs of
the passion Play" and the village and its
environments are sold, besides all kinds of
mementos, principally wood carvings and
viands of all descriptions. from the crisp,
brown chicken roasted on the spit to the sau-
sage, which friZZleS in the fat in the big
black pan. What a multi-colored, tumultu-
Gus, busy picture this is on the days on which
the play takes place, but only on those DAYS.
stiffness; the booths are closed and emptied
of their contents, the hotels are dead, the
porters and walters spend their time in play
ing cards, the hundred various vehicles seem
to have been swept from the face of the earth.
On Friday the first instalment OF visitors
arrives On Saturday they come in droves,
the taverns and inns begin to swarm, every
available space is occupied. The village
which numbers about 1900 inhabitants is
prepared to furnish with beds at least 5000
strangers, while as many more can be slowed
away on mattresses. straw-beds and in hay
lofts. The contingent which arrives on
Sunday morning is mostly composed of the
peasants of the neighboring country, inter-
spersed with fair sprinkIing of tourists
from Munich, which, as we know, is the
capital of the land close by.
The play is scarcely over when the hinge
structure pours forth its flood of human
beings, who make break for their re-
spective vehicles. which form perfect bull
wark from the theater to the church. These
scenes are repeated on Monday and Tuesday
morning, but on Wednesday and Thursday
the place Is wrapped in profound peaceful
ness.
Now let ME say word about the whine
and cry OF certain correspondents on the
modernization of the village, the straying
away from the customs and habits of the
fathers. That is all bosh Because the
place has advanced step or two since $780,
because few smoked begrimed ceilings
have been freshly whitened, and several
sheds have been rebuilt into habitable
rooms, because there are one or two foreign
signboards, gotten up for the benefit of
strangers and the spoilt city man, these sem
timental gentlemen set up howl about the
lost ideals They came here with the ex-
pectation of finding everything as it was ten
or twenty years ago. The villagers are as
quaint simple and earnest as ever. like all
the rest of the Alpine folks round about,
despite the foolish cult with which senti-
mental English women surround the Chris
tHs-Mever."
To cite touching little example in proof of
my statement, two poor old widows inhablt
little house which belongs to the comEu-
10 live there rent free; the other pays Sc
marks SID year. The beds which they
rent cut to strangers are by no means ele-