The Holt County sentinel., 1900-12-21

tho rud tu "hr h Mansald turm, ~
grth,r nuiNu, - a,'nc pNtunl. a. aWHFt
The - at and m'lln i""l'" t"na "t The
mautA hat, however diaarimintms ns
rNtpriuT, its inturiur IN all tho miud ,t
maR III iIa Widest ilig iia can IanrN We
gathered fr"m the riarza al The und ut
the Hiri,s, lh'"ugh u kind d chu"rN
~ ingin.s uuiwanl I've r,,Nlrd aud gran
clad uunka with hnnlrd faces rumind
ing "nr nf iho masked faces at tho tor
IuIcrs al the inpuialiun st"ud With up
iiftet nl"ars al The sir partial hl which
Ne had entered, Colossal slaIu's uf
tnnstaniirr and tharlrmagnr tank
each side of the main entrance. The ia
lrrinr, Is la truth miraclr Wrought ia
marble, precious stones and m"aalr; ia
shape a MalIcsc Crn,s with length al
tiln feet AMI side Willh uf i.h fc-t, ,
with the great frcscued dnme "f Michari
Angelo 40 feet high ia Ills centre. BE
meath the vast dome, enormous piers,
with long arches bet tNccn them omen ia
To the side aisleS and support the mass
i've roof hanging. grninrd and d roratrd
above. you, like great bird of Paradise
poised for it, flight. The piers, the
ceilings, the side arches, every available
space is covered with "a richness nf dec
Grafton that dcf:s description. Every
niche, every panel of marble or mason
~, every curve Of column ur plaster, is
cover,d d with sta uary, mciallionS. has
relirfs, cenotaphs ar inlaid work of the
most exquisite character: these, com
hin. Il with the mosaics: the great pic
lures hanging everywhere, the wonder
ful stained windows, the wealth o gilt
tering cornices and golden mounting,
the simmer ny bronze ornaments, and
the magnificent contraste / hues OF the
different colorel marbles and precious
lateral chapels, with the great symbol of
the CatEohc church, the holy cross
everywhere, and the face of the Christ,
the man of MANY Sor!oss, looking tn
from every archrd ale and coisnr of
vantage, form vista of beauty. len
dor and state "agniiiccncr which de
lights, thrills and awes the hchol3er
Every detail. whether of mosaic, fresco,
painting or statua~y is work of art and
years: ard Of every carved Christ above
you, the grant lines uf BOXERS seem To
apply, rs you gaze upon them and your
mind rcvcrts to the toiii;g hands and
feryid brain that gave earh one its
birth and being
Silently sat the artist alone,
Carving u Chris, from an Igory bone.
Little by little with toll and pain
lie worked hi- W.! through the yield
That hid and yet held the thing ne
sought,
TIL the whole stood upa living thought"
Ii anything can inspire the mind with
poetry and the heart with fcrvor. il -
the interior of st. Peters. might tell
great stone upon which Charlrmagns
was crowned in the floor of the building
near the main entrances: of the great
paintings Of the old masters: uf the cen.
trail ALTAR and its cannp, nj hrnn2' sup
ported al lis corners h, four columns uf
bronze ~ feet high u temple in itself.
anal veri,ahlr dream nf tranty and
grandeur; of the tout,rS nf the PoprS
studies m marble anu design. such ~
have taxed artists and sculp urs Ia e n.
relrc: of the crypt of ST. Peter beneath
the great ilnnr of the a tat; of the VAS,
dome Of Michael Angelo uvrrsha,owing
all else 10y its sheer macniiicrnrr: |
might, repeat IL. attempt Ia Il scribe
ali these great features of -. Peters,
hut the attempt woul battle my pow
rrs of Irscr.pti N, however tempted I
might he Ia ESSAY II, hut fear what !
have already 81 lily presented IL NnI
has long ere this wcaric,l your powers uf
attention, and so reluctantly, own. |
take YOU with .nc through the nave and
down the long aislrS. where the shadows
vi the sun srt are alrrad, gathering.
and lingering a moment at the thrrSh-
old. tlrr dor closes behind mo, and the
hooded faces &c the grim, gray gariprd
m, view forever and ST Peters has hr
come hut a dream and memory.
Oregon. Mo-. Dec. l.. 1900