The Forrest City times., 1898-09-16


of the pueblo had agreed. for il was
noised abroad in the town that many
strangers, and people from neighbor-
ing villages, were to attend the play
there must be nothing lacking or loose.
Every one was there-Diego. very
contented and happy in his royal-pur-
pie robe and new sandals. his hair
eked out with false strands lent by the
Jefe's wife. He had been attired and
brushed by Paz, and they were both
very happy, for Diego had asked Paz
10 marry him-the goats had sold well
the last few months, and he had fur
nished up the little adobe house. Paz
had said "yes," and old Bartoleo had
also said yes" Wherefore Diego
trailed about in his royal robe, smil-
ing and boisterously happy, never
thinking of the crown of thorns and the
tying to the cross that the morrow
would bring forth. For, when a Mex
ican is in love, he is very happy, 'for a
little while-while it is new;" the NOR
row or its trials are nothing to him.
Diego did not care whether he was cru
Gifted or not, so long as Paz loved him.
Juan was also present in his purple
leggings, fringed with golden braid.
tunic of bright red, shield of gourd,
and helmet made of an inverted to-
mato-can, with garnishing of cock
feathers; brave costume, of tr4th,
and many of the sillier girls locked
upon it and Juan's handsome, melall-
choly face with audible admiration. Ear
Juan was very melancholy, beyond
doubt, with his sorrowful black ewes
gazing into space, and yet always TAX
ing in the sight of Diego, with his pur-
pie robe and attending pretty novia-
he was credited by many as sorrowing,
as good Catholic should, at the part
he would have to play tomorrow in
the tying and mailing of Diego to the
cross. Poor Juan, he wasn't so bad,
after all; who would have thought that
he could so keenly feel it; his heart
was better than people had thought"
Only one person present knew the
cause of Juan's melancholy, however;
that was Paz, and she would not tell;
perhaps Diego would not like it, and
there might be a fight; she would keep
it secret until after the Passion Play"
The crucifxion morning dawned,
bright and warm, and early the peo-
pie of Ixtacalco were astir and swarm
ing about the streets in their costumes.
Every tram-car that galloped into the
village was loaded five deep with poems
and Mexicans from the neighboring
towns, and even from the City of Mex
leo; there were men and women, and
boys and children, and even the blank
eted Indians, who had walked for days,
perhaps, to be there at the Passion.
sun was fully up and shining; by nine,
the church-yard, huge as it was, the
church, the streets, plaza-in fact,
every square inch of space, was filled
by eager, intent people, all waiting.
breathlessly, for the coming out of
the procession and the tying of Christ
TO the cross. There was no noise, no
chatting or laughing; even the babies
were voiceless, and stared curiously at
the church door-soon ii would be time
for the "Cristo" to appear.
At last, there was the signal-the
shrill, sweet whistling of an Indian
reed pipe, accompanied by the sound
ing of a homemade cymbal, and the
procession filed slowly out of the
church door, the crowd reverently max
ing way, with uncovered heads. the
men crossing themselves, the women
kneeling, and the children bowling in
terror, as it passed.
Christ, with tattered robe and crown
of thorns, stood motionless on a sort
of rude cart, drawn by four Pharisees;
His eyes were fixed ON Heaven and His
hands clasped: the crown of thorns
was mercilessly pricking His brow,
and the blood was streaming down;
the wrought-up, hysterical women
shrieked and screamed as they saw it
1T was ghastiy! But Diego never
fiinched-Pedro (poor, dead Pedro)
had gone through this last Holy'Week,
and he could do what Pedro had done!
In truth, the heat of the sun and faint
ness caused by fasting and the loss of
blood was beginning to affect him;
he was light-headed, and actually felt
that he was the Christ.
Behind came the apostles and the
publicans, and there were even the cen
turions and Roman soldiers on horse
back. Juan himself was mounted on
q miserable beast and carried his shield
and the rope with which to tie the
Christ. That was the cross over to
the left of the church; and after one
round among the people-once around
the rave-yard-Christ would be
dragged to the cross and tied there.
Meanwhile, the padre, from his box
like perch high up near the eucalyptus
tree, would preach the sermon, lis
tened TO always by a shrieking, moan
ing, praying multitude; of truth,
these poor, ignorant creatures felt in
their hearts that they had crucified
Christ; that bleeding, thorn-crowned
figure yonder, with fixed, unseeing
eyes and clasped hands, brought them
to see, as not all the padres sermons
could do, that they had killed the
Saviour of the world. Even the padre,
a cultivated, ascetic Italian (banished
bara %or his ebureh,e uood1 admit ID