The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-03

ministers of the inquisition; but they are
very harmless chaps-friends, relatives or
dependents of the Observation-Disclosures can't
help oRling tbs girls they pass, shifting the
tumblers Of aqua frssca whenever the pro-
csssion halts. They carry enormous lighted
candles and wear shoes of patent leather
with silver buckles. The paso is the great
feature in each of these PROFESSIONS. Imag-
inc some scene from the new testament
story represented in carved, life-size fig
ures, these figures placed on an
float. with deep sides and curtains to hide
the mon who carry it. Such is the primary
idea of a paso. Many of the pasos are
magnlhoently decorated, and some of the
figures are by famous artists. Twenty-Five
sions, and zach parish has one or
week about fifty are shown. A guard
of soldiers walks beside the paso, the
church officers, in robes of state follow,
and then comes a deputation from the CITY
ing dress. bare-headed and mostly bald
headed. That is the end of the FIRST pro-
cession. The first confradla has passed on
it's way to the c%athsdral, where the arch
bishop Is seated under a royal canopy,
waiting to Welcome his brothers in faith.
Monday and Tuesday are comparatively
quiet days, but it is interesting to watch
the continuous importing Of tourists, filling
and transforming some parts Of the city.
All hotels and boarding houses are over
crowded. in spite Of the ~wsll-known fact
that double rates are charged at this season.
On Wednesday there are again important
PROFESSIONS, and at 10 O'Clock the Miserera
is very grandly endered in Il chapel of the
cathedral. AT noon on Thursday breakfast
is served to twelve poor men ("pobres") in
the arohbishop's palace. The twelve old
beggars are first dressed in new clothing,
and then placed before q Widespread table.
The doors are thrown open and the public
invited to enter and look on. The public
does enter and looks on obviously and criti-
cises a handsomely printed menu that is
passed around for inspection, while the old
beggars 90 to sleep over the table, waiting
for their host, the archbishop. Finally tho
archbishop appears, a fat, jolly looking
little man, who wears speotacies and wad-
dies in his walk. He let's the public go
down on its knees to kiss his seal-rinp, and
then takes his place at the table with his
poor guests. After breakfast he washes
their feet.
The finest pasos ::aresseen on Friday, be-
tween three and four O'clock in the morning
and again III the afternoon. The city keeps
awake throughout Thursday night for that
very early procession. The nazarenos move
forward in unbroken silence, y multitude
of candles light up the jewels and rich en-
broideries covering the images of the pasos.
then in tho distance some one begins TO
sing, and when he ceases another among
the spectators takes up the song. then all
other in turn. So the long is carried on
and repeated from one street to another,
from one balcony to another. Queer songs
these are that people sing hsre-monot-
onous, melancholy, Oriental, sung in a
high-pitched and quayering voice.
In the afternoon some of the Nazarenos
figure rs penitents, walking with bare feet.
There are companies of Roman soldiers
and various new features Of a SNOWY kind.
senting characters in the legend of the
church, and II lot of pretty children dressed
an angels. Ono also aeea women walking
behind tho pasos of their f~avorite virgin
and praying constantly for the recovery of
sick friends. Th procession closes with
the governor general of the province, the
civil officers Of the town and q large
military escort.
At three .. M, under bright skies, a
throng of people make their way toward the
famous Plaza do Toros, noar the tower of
gold. II ia u mixed crowd yet, of course,
Andalusiana far outnumber the strangers.
Thu mon are commonly thin, and tho
women mostly fat. "Only let mo be- fat
say the Sevillsnas, "and I will make You n
y esent of beauty" Tha bull fight begins
promptly at four, tho only entertainments
IN thia country, by the way, that does
begin promptly. Old and Young
witness the revolving spectacle.
The pretty young girls of twelve
II thirteen take special delight in it. The
crowd begins to break when the last bull in