Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1904-09-17

new stations, and i'll the left corner
near the altar, stands Il beautiful marble
statue of the Christ.
After gazing a few moments i'll sur
prise and admiration at the new dccora
tions | went ont.
The next morning there happened to
be service il the church. | determined
to he there once again, and 1t was here
that | saw how much ii beautiful editice
contributes to IL beautiful service.
There seemed to be some new charm III
the kyrlc EleiSon as it tlOated sweetly
and majestically upward. The morn
ing sun streamcd radiantly through the
colored windows, showing out i'll bold
relief all the new decorations. There
was something i'll the general effect of
the scene and service that called forth
redou1lcd veneration from the silent
wOrShirpCrS.
After service left the church deter
mined to visit it again, if possible, and
enter INTO the minute details of the sur
rounding improvements.
A few weeks passed before my oppor-
tunity came. One morning having met
Father Clarke ON the street it was re-
quested that | should visit with him the
church and there have pointed ont the
improvements.
At , o'clock that afternoon | arrived
at his residence, and after "A cordial greet
ing he began to show me the complete
renovation that had taken place i'll the
church surroundings. Church, school,
convent, residence, even the graveyard
far up en- the hillside, had undergone
some re-touching. The labor and energy
required to make these improvements
m #
First, | noted that the porch of the
residence had been extended around to
the side door. On top of this was laid
another porch which enables one to view
the distant landscape. The whole was
touched up with hght-colored paints
harmoniZing and blending with the hue
of the surrounding flowers and grasses.
| learned that this improvement was
suggested by His Eminence the Cardinal
Inside the door in the hallway, | noted
little change. But how bright and
cheerful did the interior of the rooms
look
1t was here that | met Father Nolan
the young and popular assistant of
Father Clarke. L was told that every
thing i'll the rooms had been touched up
anew with bright colors instead of the
former dark ones.
After passing through the residence
we went over to the church III order to
view the improvements there. Even
the stone steps at the entrance had been
torn up, re laid and re-tightened.
But the first improvement of great
importance that | observed was the
flooring of Venetian Mosaic. This floor
ing extended from the door up through
the aiSles to the high altar i'll the dis
tance. 1t is composed of mixed cOlors
giving the general effect of cream. AS
one walks upon it the sound of the foot
fall is deadened to fitness for the sacred
place.
The next thing called to my attention
was the splendid frescoinS 1t is of
cream and gold, beginning at the floor
with the darker color and assuming "A
lighter hue as it goes higher and higher
This work is done i'll oil and can be
washed as often as may be wished.
Back of the altar, as stated, stands the
splendid painting of St. Michael, while
ON the sides and upon the ceiling are
the paintings of the Twelve Apostles
The order of arrangement of these paint
ings corresponds to the order of their
names i'll the Bible.
[ learned that the entire cost of the
frescoing and painting was 81 so $ $50
for the ireScOlng alone, 500 for the
painting of St. Michael and $500 for the
paintings of the Apostles. This work
was done 10y the artist Baraldi, of Phil
adelphia.
Besides, there are four decorated Win
dows on each side of the church, beau
| tiful and artistic, each symmetrical with
| the other, adding to the church tone