Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1897-04-11


 phon, commencing with the command of Christ to his disciples, Mandatum no- yum da Yobis,,' has been chanted by the choir, the distribution of the aims by tho lord high nlmoner takes place. The aims in question amount to about S26 for every man and $21 foreYery woman, in new sil yer and gold money specially coined by the mint for tho occasion, and arc con tained in rcd and white kid purses, to which long tassels are attached They are borne on Il huge gold salvcr by ono of the sergeants of the yeomcn of the guard, who is flanllcd on either side by comrades armed with halberds The lord high almoner himself Is assisted by several gentlemen ushers of the queen, arnayed in gorgeous gold embroidered court uniforms and with scarfs of linen tied across their shoulders, emblematical of tho towels used in the days when the British sovoreigns used still to wash on this particular day the feet of 12 poor men and 13 poor women.
 This custom of washing the feet of the poor on Holy Thursday is still adhered to ut the courts of Vienna, Madrid, Lisbon, Munich and the Vatican. It is . very sol enn function, and while it is in progress ono of the prelates in attendance reads that portion of the gospel which describes Christ as washing the feet of his apostles. At Vienna and Munich, Madrid and Lis bon, tho sovereign is attended on these oc- casions by the members of the neigning family, by the great dignitaries of the realm, and by the entire court i'll full uni- form. Princes and princesses remove the shoes and stockings of the old mon and women, bishops and cardinals hold the gold ewcr and basin respectively, while the sovereign kneels before caeh aged pauper in turn, and after having poured rosewa ter over their feet dries them with q gold fringed napkin. Afterward the old1people arc entertained at . banquet, ut which they arc waited upon by the sovereign and by the princes and princesses present, and at it's close the guests are sent to their homes in court carriages, each bearing < handsome present in money.
 The pope, while washing the feet of 12 poor old men-which, by the bye, he does i'll very conscientious and proper manner -wears white linen apron over hiswhite cassock. This apron is sent every year to the general of the Bcnedictine order, who causes it to be cut up and to be used in ono of the churches of tho order for cover- ing the chalicc. His holiness insists on himself serving the 12 aged paupers at the banquet which follows tho ceremony, and each ono of them finds under his plate hundred franc bank note.
 But the most solemn feature of the obs scryation of Eastertide at the Vateari--in my opinion, at any r,te--is when on the following night punetually at 13 q car-s dinal arrayed in his scarlet robes presents himself and strikes 12 blows on the door Of the private chapel of the pontiff The latter thereupon arises from his knees be- i fore the altar, and, taking therefrom u golden erucidX, approaches tho window. | which is thrown epen by the cardinal, and makes with sweeping and majestic ges- l ture the sign of the cross over the siunber- 1 ing city at his feet, cxclaiming 1t red didit Spiritum. '
 This Thursday before Easter s likewise l the day on which Emperor William, with his nearest and dearest relatives, but with no attendants of any kind whatsoever, re 1 ceives the sacrament in the little chapel which has been established i'll the bedroom of old Emperor William. l. is 9ery plainly furnished and lighted by , sluaI silver oil lamp, and after the imperial chaplain has administered the holy bread and wine tha illusLrions conrmunicants srend half an hour in solemn modtaJ,ca befor6 raturn ing to their apartme1t9.
 On Good Friday 9 remarkable and nniqna ceremony takes piace in tho royal chapel at Madrid During he course of diving, service, just at the moment for the aaory tion of tho cross, the chaplain appreacl7, the knceling sovereign with q gold salsss on which arc full and free pardons fpis three prisoners lying under the sentence bf death, and pronounces these words Mali am, does your majesty gran5 her pardon to these criminals lying under sentence pF deathsf
 1 Tho queen thereupon torches thd papers lightly with her hand ana repeats tk,' tIsl jitional words, 10 os rerdone, y;ssi Dlos me perlonc (Aiay God pardon mo, as pardon theln}. IsX-D DIPLoMAIlsr.s
 LoVe,s Resurreetion.
 Oh, chime of sweet St. Charity.
 i Peal soon that Easter morn