The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-05

and instructive than any others that
were ever penned, compares St, Marks
to vast cave hewn out into the form
of cross and divided into a shadowy
aisles by many pillars; "the roof sheafed
with gold and the polished walls cover
eu with alabaster which give back at
cleaning to the flames of the silver
lamps ceaselessly burning in the recess
ses Of the chapels." lie describes the
'glories that stream from the heads Of
the sculptured saints" Under foot ard
over head he says-and he means the
MOSAIC work upon the floor and the
ceiling-is continual succession of
crowded imaginary. one picture pass
ing into another in a dream; forms beau
tiful and terrible mixed together, dragons
and serpents, and ravening beasts of
prey, and graceful birds that in the midst
of them drink from running fountains
and feed from vases or crystal: the pas
sions and the pleasures Of human life
symbolized together-and the mystery Of
redemption. for the mazes OF interviewer
lines and changful pictures lead always
at last to the cross. lifted and carved
in every place and upon every stone"
One wishes that the priests and the
people Won Il stay away and not a.
turb the silence and solemnity. 50 that
he could sit and look and think and Won
der and admire without interruption. but
soon the senses are alert with a new
impression. for the soft. sweet tones
of an organ come floating from SOM
uncertain source through the serni-twi-
light that always dwells at St Marks.
You hold your breath. half fearing that
it may not continue and half expecting
TO hear the voice of an angel rise in
song. 4 group Of priests and scutfiing
altar boys appear in the foreground car
rying lighted candles ia their hands. ard
move about in a mysterious way in the
farther end, and women with black shawls
over their heads pass swiftly across
the tessellatcd floor. kneH upon rude
wooden supports. bow their heads and
move their Inns in silent PRAYER. The
hvHnotis influence of this scene u2ol
sensitive persons must be intense. and one
can understand how so many rhapsodias
have been written concerning it. and ho,f
Il has appeared 70 souls of worshippels
satarated with the atmosphere tEat Per
vades az St Marks
In a little chapel in n corner Of the
cathedral where q multitude Of lights
are always burning and crowds Of sinful
mortals are always bowed IL prayer IS
a rliracle-workins portrait Of the mother
Of Jesus. said % have been painted by
ST Luke the evangelist. X was brought
from Constantinople by the Dodge Dan
dolo when BE captured that city Tie was
the greatest Of the lodges and IS burici
IN s., Marks lis palace on the grand
canal near the Rialto bridge. built In ths
eleventh century, s,il stands rs Secure Is
the pyramids. bEt j. dcsecrated 10y a COM
mon cafe unon the Hoor and the up-
rer rooms are leased IS tenements n
the oommoaest kind Of people
This portrait OF the Holy Virgin enc
Of three which the Cathoiic church re-
oenizes as Ecnuine WORKS &c the artist
apostle. I told son shout another that
hangs in the Church of Assumption SO
Moscow in the CremHn. where the ears
OF Russia are crowned and there Is
anther down in Greece The body of s. f.
Luke. as told you the other day. ~
supposed 10 he buried in the Church 90
s.. CIustana at Psd2u. adjoining the
rnartyriom during the reign ef Nero.
People who haze an appetite FOR horrors
can be grat,GetheEe hy seeing p-ee
where more than 80 Christians save Up
their lives In testimony Of their 1a'th !
s.. Matthew IS supposed to be buried