Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-23
Ian women and their features are clean cut

dan women and their features are clean cut
and refined. l have seen fair samples Of the
pretty girls of most Of the countries Of the
world and the Bethlehem girls are the
equals of any. They are as Intelligent as
they are pretty. and / found that those
whom l traded with usually got the best of
the bargain. There is little poverty in
Bethlehem, and the girls whom met were
Well dressed, for the orient and they SEEM
ed well-to-do
As you near Bethlehem you find the hills
grow more ragged. Their sides are covered
with stones, and You see that they were
terraced into gardens in the days Of the
past About mile from Bethlehem
stopped for while before the tomb of
Racnel. 1t Is little square building. about
inc size OF smoke house. covered with a
Whlte DOME and 1t Is situated in the midst
of a Mohammedan cemetery. It is wor-
SHIPPED by Musselmen. Jews and Christians.
ana It's walls are covered with the names of
p 5ave1ers wsr little further on you find
ana come In sight of Bethlehem.
Where Christ Was Born,
I asked for the stable In which Christ
lay in the Manager. / felt sure of finding
1t, for in Palestine every SPOT is marked
and. though 1t is now nearly 1900 years
since the events of Christ's life took place.
the guides Of Judea can show you every
spot which His fingers touched and mark
out every foot of land upon which His feet
stood l was told that it was at the west
ern sioe OF the town, and 1 found great
cnurcn punt over 1t. Just opposite this
church there was a saloon, and my FUR
PANIED driver spent his time in this while
1 visited the church. 1t is a great stone
structure, ragged and old, with centuries
OF naru usage. 1t was built, 1t is said
LOU years ago by the Emperor Constan-
tine Its roof was once covered with lead
but the Turks stripped this Off and made
II INTO bullets when they captured it, and
fIn vr-fth H.
church has again passed into the hands of
CHRISTIANS, and the services were going on
as entered. I stopped for a moment and
watched the Greek priests. who, in long
DiaEk gowns We're chanting their service,
while boys in bright-colored dresses swung
incense lamps to and fro. There were.
perhaps 200 men and women standing al
worship within the great hall, and the
ceremonies were very impressive. Leaving
this nall, l was taken down into the crypt
OF the church ard thence to the stable
where IT Is said Christ was born went
oown winding staircase carrying a candle
and at last found myself in a great cave
about twelve feet wide and forty feet long
the ceiling of which was about ten feet
nigh This cave-like room was fioored with
marble. Thirty-two lamps burn day and
night within 1t, and ii has an altar at one
end, under which is a silver star set into
the marble pavement, where you find an
inscription in Latin stating that on this
spot the Virgin Mary gave birth to Christ.
was not surprised to find the stable a
cave. ] saw many such in Palestine, and
great part of the animals of the country
today are stabbed in caves. This stable
however has been changed by the decora-
lions of the church. and 1t is impossible to
realize the real scene of Christs birth while
In 1t. ] looked at the manger. 1t is made
OF marble. and it is said to be the identical
manager in which he rested. This Is, OF
course. doubtful. as is also the we'll at the
other side of the crypt, where the holy
nf 10 sol 70 hoxr,
time for the use of the holy family"
looked down into this we'll. 1t Is said that
the star that guided the Magi fell into IT
and that 1t still shines down there in the
water, but that II is only visible to the eye
of the purest virgin.
There are number of other chapels
about the stable, each of which has its ira
ditions, but the incense, the marble and