The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-01-03

splendid altar ana all the magnificent
paraphernalia of the faith of Rome.
There was Padre CANAL, the acting
archbishop of the district, hand
some, courtly, scholarly man, who
might serve as a model for one of the
cavaliers who drove Boabdl from the
Alhambra.
Looking at him. as lie addressed that
remarkable but interested congrega-
ton, it was difficult to realize that he
had been q distinguished noble in years
long past, who had suddenly abjured
his wealth, title, power and ambitious
future, and had joined the Jesuits as
q humble brother, and that for thirty
years he had devoted his life, Gay and
night, to the conversion of the Chinese
to the true faith. As he stood at the
altar he seemed not more than five and
twenty; the happy life had wiped away
thirty years of arduous toll and self
sacrifice and brought back the stately
beauty of his youth.
Not far away was the choir led by
sad-faced French Sisters of Charity,
who had seen naught but Chinese
faces the major part of their lives. But
the wonderful music which that choir
produced came not from these delica te
devotees of the army of the church, but
from large number Of bright and
pretty Chinese girls, who sang as only
sing the birds Of the forest or the boys
at st. Paul's cathedral.
Some of these girls had been bought
while mere babes from houses of shame.
others were foundlings who had been
left with the kind Sisters by starving
or dying mothers, others had been pu--
chased from unnatural parents, and
still Others were the children of civil
lied OF Christianized Chinese who saw
the superiority of European education
70 that afforded by their own country
They had been well trained in music,
and they brought out the conceptions
OF Gounod and Verdi, Mozart ard Bee
thoven, with an artistic finish and d
disciplined power worthy of La Scala,
in Milan.
1t was charming and interesting to
listen to the service. 1t rolled along in
sonorous Latin; it broke into Chinese,
and at one point it ran into English.
One hymn was given in French and an
aria in Italian. 1t was fitting COM
mentary upon the invasion of the effete
east by the religious phalanxes of the
enthusiastic and tireless west AS for
the congregation, it suggested or re-
sembled bed of flowers in full bloom,
50 clean and trim, so artistic and so
brilliant was every one in appearance.
The hair of the women had been oiled
and brushed until it looked like bur
nished black onyx. In their gorgeous
" dressed tresses were silver pins and
gold pins, pins from whose tips dangled
sprays of gems or brilliant butterflies
in enamel and precious metal, pins of
ivory carved in a manner worthy Of
Cellini; hairpins of green jade, hair
pins OF crystal and hairpins of curious
ly carved strange woods and strange
shells.
Their raiment was almost as start
ling in its brilliancy. There were
scarlet silk dresses embroidered in
gold; azure satin robes brocaded in sill
yer; pearly grass cloth, half covered
with dragons in floss silk and bullion
thread There were pink trousers,
salmon trousers, ultramarine, orange,
lilac, emerald, magenta and violet
trousers There were variegated vests
and over-vests that seemed solid en-
broidery or woven pieces in odd but