New-York tribune., 1898-11-27

choristers came IN front he Bishop toiicwed
after and to the sound Of the bellinar the two
lines OF proccssioni5ts close: their ranks ana
began TO moyn ont Of tie darkcned Cathedral
into the crowded piazza. l went swiftly down
the side aisle and found a good vantage ground
on some heaps Of building rubbish under the
wall opposite. | saw the pageant come Ike q
living thing, all glory and color, into the sun
shine, and move like a gorgeous serpent through
the sombre crowd toward the left. The candles,
which had been such feature inside the
church. were seen no more 10 gleam. but ap-
peared like ivory wands III the hands Of the
proCessionists.
Slowly and soemnly they went: here hevy
OF pretty children IN wells crowned with flow
ers there group Of lad from some church
school brigade; here red capped guild, and there
blue-caped one; here group of brown Fran
cscans, there black and white DOminicanS and
one OF the prettest little curly headed children
had ever seen came along with bare arms and
sandalled feet and tiny sheepskin over his
little body. He wearing golden aureoe, and
carrying flag on which was written "Ecce
Agnus Del might have stepped from a Bott.-
celli painting. Not far from this tiny Bap-
tist, bearing a lily in her hands, came far
child with wings Of gold and with golden
aureole she just such an angel as the Angelic
Doctor would have drawn
And on still on, the vast procession D0ured.
At last silver trumpets ard white cockadeS told
me that the municipal band was in evidence.
knew they preceded the reliquary, and to the
solemn sound Of The March of the Priests
the silver Shrine came slowly through the door
way, between the sCulptured panels PisanO had
carved. Behind came the golden mitres OF
bishops Of other days borne in solemn state by
lads with napkins in their hands; ard then close
ly following, and last feature IN the procession,
walked, supported by the clergy, for he seemed
blind and looked H. the present Bishop Of "Urbs
VetuS,' the Orvato Of our time. Very proudly
his mitre flashed as he moved, and very
gOrSeously did tho mauVe OF mulberry purple
OF the siiken under-rObes OF the attendant
priests sweep along beside him.
SO the great pageant passed, and as tho poor
stained napkin came near, the people fell upon
their knees and many lips moved in earnes.
prayer There was NJ voice out of tune. The
people believed IN the Monk Of Bolsena and his
miracle, 10 man; and there was I'm the air
nothing but devotion ana thanks, for that so the
Christ had yeritably and indeed youchsafed to
manifest Bis body and his blood to doubling
heart.
After two hours weary walk and constant
halt OF the procsssiOnists to the sound Of the
bell music was heard The gay-plumed gem
darmes took their places on The Duomo steps,
and we waited the return Of the procession.
Meanwhile, women had ndustriOusy marked
out the path the procession should take by
strewing wcll-dened portion Of the pavement
with grass, upon which they sprinkled rose
leaves and leaves Of poppies. Either side, for
edgng 70 the pathway OF flowers, trey laid
swect-scentcd thyme. This enough to keep
the crowd from pressing into the rose-strewn
way. The Italians are too gentle and kindly to
forget what was owed 10 the work Of those de-
vout women, and the path at the most Inter-
estng portion Of the pagelntS journey was
kept religiously clear. | found myself wonder-
ing whether any English crowd | had ever
known would IN the eNctfcn1cnt OF such a show,
have allowed the little handfuls OF sweet thyme
and marjoram east loosely down for piety's sake
80 to keep the way and take the place Of
mounted police could not help noting the
kindly way in which each bearer of a candle
allowed some poorer brother Of the town to
gather into his hands the great stalactites OK
wax, that so he might afterward make a few
soldi out OF the candies waste II seemed IL
they felt that everybody ought to have bless-
Ing on Corpus Christi Day
Then, over the 1owery path aud UP the steps