The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-12-24

100 &,nof sy.naRfn enison OF the -yesr
With true Oriental avArlce they make.
sfhesmosf 81 II. ystS thsy are ! hospitabas
and aplsasant people poorest pilgrim
and shelter during ~ stay. But when tn,
ffieA nan comes ne must pay double 10,
eyerythine that shs sbuys..:SAnd s inportunet
Is buy an endless variety OF things.
Peddlers and hssEars aurround him a.
syery etsp. Genuine relics are offered
III fabuleusly low prices. 70 low. in fact
that mot even sten-ysar-old chg
riysn history q their genu~ineness. Man!
81 ths straveYers return TO Jerusalem a
|nleht In preference TO accepting the linn
iteds hospitality OF Bethlehem. These Art
fhe richer Of this pilgrinss the poorer onei
stay IN ths city until the end OF the pill
grimaEe. &
Tho great confer Of intatseti s the Ghur
az he NATIVITY, the only building oEiripas
|tsnre n the ci.y and ons of the oldtsi
STRUCTURES In existence. AZ the csnturist
have rolled on &. has been necessary to re-
pair 1t many times. but much OF Its origl
mai form and character still remain. Herr
All tho pilgrims 60 daily In Christna,
week. the services being continuous.
Those who come for q stay OF several day.
either. find shelter and food In thu
homes OF tho regular Inhabitants or brinl
these neceasarles with them. Most OF thu
piIgrims bring tents and the few thing!
that are necessary for the brief stay. Hun
dredA OF these little white tents are pitched
people swarm In and out of them, aahberins
away in a multitude Of different tongues
boxes OF provisions are strewn about ~
tremendous confusion. little cook stoves
send up feeble ciirls of smoke. and
Bethlehem proper becomes lost in the ava,
lanche Of strangers.
There ore many shrines in the great
building containing relics OF Christ's time
on earth. The most venerated 9s0f thes
Il the ono which, II 10 said. encloses tn
actual birthplace Of .hes Saviour. A marble
slab on thu floor. marked with q great star
of silver In the center, coyers this sacred
spot. To kiss this stone some OF the pill
Krims Journey thousands OF miles. and all
day long in the Christmas season great
crowds surround 1t. waiting for thstr turns
TO knecl down and salute 1t.
The priests, and there are many OF them
.hsnt the service In the aide aisles at differ
snt affairs: and the monks guide the pill
erlms about the edifce. pointing out the
itch relics and the sacred places.
The priests cay that many times It hail
been necessary to renew the marble cover
Ing, as the constant kissing of age, OF wor
slippers has actually worn the stone away
The same is true of the marble covering o,
the crypt In the Church OF the Holy Sepuk
shire in Jerusalem. Many Of the Pilgrim
bring gifts Of great value to the grottG
chapel. and the church to-day u one Of ths
in the world. Another shrine
deeply venerated III that OF tho Chapel Of
Mkxi, where the three wise men-Baltha.
TAR, Caspsn and Melchor-came worshipina
from the East.
Some Of the moro 9dsvout OF the pilgrim4
In leaving Bethlehem. take the long route
across the Egyptian desert to Cairo. thu
precise road followed by Mary and Joseph
when they led Into Egypt to escape Hsrodi
Stern looking and silent Arabs on camels
Or horses. carrying the long fsrocious lookl
ing u Of Damascus: native syrians whose
syes have been blinded in battling with
the sands Of the desert; long-coated ank
h~eavy-bsarded Russians; square4houlderst
and soldisrly looking Germans, E%nglishme.
In silk hats and frock coat, bury sight
seeing Americans. fmssy and k~esticulAttna
Frsnchmsn. spanhrds, Italians, Greeks. all
are jumblsd together, each bent upon doing
and seeing everything In his or her OWE
way regardless Of the advice Of the busting
townspeople.