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

receptacle in their practical jokes), and
then depart unquestioned.
And from such o point as this what an
extraordinary number of fine houses OF
sees!
Yet the people who live in these fine
houses do not live l~u1uriously. for luxur-
lous living ID far more dependent upon good
service than upon beautiful dwellings,, and
the service here is brutal-or ridiculous, if
one prefers to looks at the ridiculous side
We have but to leave the parapet and
look down into the Patio in order to find
an amusing illustration. There we SEQ
9 maid-of-all-work On her knees scrubbinR
the floors. She is singing an unmusical
Moorish lament: she has a red %carnation
stuck in her hair; she is decidedly good
looking. Well, this woman began to wash
the dining room floor to-day while we all
were seated at luncheon. Don't fancy that
we could get rid OF her or her occupation
by observing sarcastically that We would
postpone our meal until she had finished
and the odor of soapsuds had had time to
be dissipated.
But while the living inmates of our house
ars not we'll served. certain inanimats fig
ures Of small artistic merit are served both
constantly and devotedly. ! refer to the
s%tatuettes of miracle working personages.
All the Spanish members Of our household
are their humble ssrvants-eyen Miss Do
@SAS03 - A@0 VA6SVk0N q AAVVA0 AAA oNV1hB
several languages after q fashion,. Let me,
tell you that in Miss Dolorss' room stands
a figure of tbs Virgin Mary, on a
small altar erected for this purpose.
The covering of the altar 10 Of hand
some velvet. but is badly stained. The
which are also stained. About its neck
hang long strings of beads, Of oolored glass
and gold and silver pearls. In front Of it
are chains, rings, bracelets and even pieces
of money. II you should ask Dolores Why
the altar cloth and garments are so stained
she would tell you it was because the image
had been sprinkled with holy water,
("holly water, she would call it. for whom
she tries to speak English, her words are
o%uriously twisted.)
From a tourists point of view holy week
includes W Sundays, for the peculiar
ceremonies which attract crowds Of for
eigners at this season begin with solemn
rites in the Cathedral at six O'Clock in the
morning of Palm Sunday and end with a
bull fight in the Plaza de Toros on the
afternoon of Easter Sunday.
An illogical week, with it's eight days!
But this excess of days ia the least OF its
cxoesses; and one must leave logic far be-
hind to keep pace with the unmeasured life
in Seville during the sacred carnival
From six O'Clock until Two. on the first of
these eight. days, 1t is \ question Of palm
leaves and olive branches. They are
brought from all parts and thrown together
in a great heap in the cathedral.
At two in the afternoon come the con-
fradias. must use that term instead OF a
more familiar one because a peculiar term
is required to mark these most peculiar
things. II / should translate confradia as
religious brotherhood" or "assooiation,''
you might FANCY shat u procession of
priests pass ut two. Not so. The fact ia
quite otherwise. At two the inhabitants Of
Seville begin to come together in the
Sierpes, the Constitution, about the oathe-
dral, and in other principal ~stretts and
squares. These become gradually more and
more crowded, while all balconies and win
dows overlooking them nro also occupied.
AS the afternoon wears on even the neigh
boring roofs are taken possession of; the
tiers of bo1eH erected in tie Plaza de la
Constitucion and thousands of chairs
ranged III long rowa accommodate the
classes, while the masses perch on window
stills or stand i'll compact ranks.
Before dark there IL a sound of music np-
preaching, and a CROSS is seen lifted hi9h
above this heads of people In the Sierpes.
Gradually the GROSS approaches and the
music Is heard moro distinctly. Now hats
oil. gentlemen. before the cross! Half tho
population AZ Seville will have colds in the
head BY the end of holy week. Following
tho CROSS march tho Nazarenos, a large CON.
psny of mon dressed in flowing robes of
black velvet. with tall pointed onps of tho
same material. adding a foot or " to their
apparent height, and completely masking
their faces. In this plnce whore NO many
autos do 70 were contaminated ons can't
hslp shrinking Of the masked Naxarenos ~