The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-09

men and women, joins in the labor Of
love.
While the gatherers are bringing in
the flowers the young and the old
sort them out in separate heaps, ac-
cording to color. Then, when this is
accomplished. the petals of each bloom
are separated and heaped up into fra
grant piles.
Long before dawn the artistic work.
!. ers Of each street are out on the day
of the feast. Previously the general
design has been decided upon. and the
same design runs the full length of
the street. Melds of wood and card
board are first placed in position. the
back ground, usually an effective dark<
green, composed of chopped heather.
then being laid.
Willing hands next bring forward
the huge baskets of petals, each bas-z
ket holding those of but one color, and
then the chosen artists set to work to
fill out the design. When all the col
oring has been filed in, the nlolds are
Withdrawn, leaving the streets car
peted in a beautiful way. AS most of
the streets are quite steep, the effect
is doubly pleasing when one stands
at the foot of a long, narrow avenue
and chances upward at the endless
stretch of fragrant blossoms.
AS fast as one section Of a design
is completed little girls walk carefully
about. sprinkling the flowers with
water, so that they will keep fresh and
fragrant until the procession comes
along
The great families of the city, nota-
bly, the Monteverdes, have the streets
on which their residences face car
peted in ornate designs, and it is a
matter of social rivalry as to which
can produce the most beautiful eff
fects.
While the flowers are being laid out
the people from the country and the
residents of streets not honored by
the religious procession walk about adj
miring the displays and helping with
the work whenever they find a street
behindhand. The best of good nature
prevails everywhere, and in the many
years that the custom has prevailed
there is no case ON record where any
vandal has ever run aInuck among the
flower beds.
In the neighborhood of the church
where the procession starts the streets
are ornamented with categorical and
religious devices. Standing out WV
idly can be seen a monStrouS cross, u
crown of thorns, a golden chalice and
numerous other symbols of the Pas.
sion.
The Ginning of bells announces the
start of the procession, and soon the
entire pageant comes into view-White-
robed boys, priests in splendid vest
ments and long lines of chanting.
crimson-robed Brothers of the Lord.
Down. over the beautiful carpets OF
flowers the procession moves, and each
football tears UP some portion of a
dainty design. On the sidewalks stand
the men who worked so industriously
on hands and knees to create the beau
tiful effects, but it never occurred to
them to bemoan the speedy annihilation
of the fruits of their labors. The wom
en- who helped gather the flowers are
also in the crowd, and the red hand
kerchiefs wound about their heads
give additional briliiancy to the be-
wildering feast Of color.
When the procession has passed
through a street the onloobers on foot
and in vehicles rush after it, and in a
few minutes the lovely carpets OF
bright and understanding flowers ar,
crushed and torn into ragged strips,
unsightly, but still fragrant.