The San Francisco call., 1908-12-19
How Carice Missed The Midnight Christmas Service:

so fond OF being out Of doors and of
taking their meals out of doors that
they sit outside the cafes and restau-
rants IN the coldest weather as placidly
as though it were a balmy summer day.
drinking their coffee, and occasionally
warming their hands over glowing
bed of Goals in an obiong box along
side the table. great fur collars mean
time being turned up above their ears.
And talking about furs, I never saw
so many furs before. nor such beauti-
full ones; both men and women wear
sealskin and sable coats extending to
their feet and that cost small fortunes
in themselves.
But / must tell you how it was that
did not attend the midnight service at
the Madeleine. You know several OF
the churches hold a midnight mass on
Christmas eve. and that at the Made
leine is said TO be particularly solemn
and impressive. so that I was exceed
ingIy anxious 10 attend that particular
service. as was also young lady from
Minneapolis. We made inquiries at the
hotel and at various bureaus of infor-
nation to ascertain il any special ar
rangements were necessary TO secure
admission, and were told that all that
was necessary was 20 go to the church
early enough. which would be about
IL o'clock
I'm order TO be in plenty Of time.
myself and the Minneapolis girl and
several other Americans found our
selves at the gate of the Madeleine at
a quarter of II p n- As you VIII soc
from the picture there is a high iron
fence all around the church. and so that
I might be the first one in I took my
stand at the gate and leaned upon It.
and the rest OF the party were grouped
about me.
people Immediately began to arrive
in great numbers; mostly French and
apparently Parisians. but as we could
tell from their voices a good many
Americans and English. all waiting.
as were we. for the gates to open SO
that they might attend the midnight
service. In a very short time the
square in front OF the Madeleine was
raczed with the good natured crowd.
which soon. however. became nervous.
and everybody was wondering why the
gates did not open Slowly the minutes
slipped away. and the crowd. as one
man. watched the hands OF a nearby
clock. Finally il was 70 o'ciock--then
1880 and then-the front doors OF the
church opened. q binding light
streamed out over the broad steps
and dazzled the eyes OF the- mys-
titled, mcrmuring crowd outside the
gates. Then in the full glare OF
the light, the congregation of the
church. which had been worshiping
inside while the would be spectators
waited outside, came trooping out of
the doors and down the steps.
Some gendarmes appeared and Or
dered the crowd TO dispense. saying
there would be no further services that
night. The French people turned away
quietly and went to their respectivs
homes; the English accepted the sit
uation gracefully and good naturedly.
apparently philosophically deciding to
make the best of the blunder. but the
Americans, who would probably not
be in a Latin country on another
Christmas day for a long time. raised
peevish voices in Intellectual protest
The expressions Of disgust which fell
upon our ears and in which we. too,
Joined. were couched in every possible
variety of American slang and the most
cultured United States vernacular that
the country can Droduce. and uttered
in every possible variety OF accent.
from the nasal drawl of New England
to the shrilly pitched voice of Dakota
and the rich intonation Of California
''The explanation? OH We learned
the next day. that fearing that IL q
mixed audience were admitted some
difficulties might arise on account OF
existing troubles or church and state.
the congregation Of the Madeleine had
decided to worship alone on that par
ticular Christmas eve, and had there
fore entered the church by the side
door. unObserved by the waiting crowd
in front OF course it was a disap-
pointment. but we attended the Christ
mas service at the Madeleine the next.
or rather the same morning. and ! still
remember the glorious music. swelling
and rolling upward and outward in
its majesty. and power the heavy per-
fume of the gorgeous banks OF 1owers.
the clouds of incense, and the vast
congregation devoutiy kneeling- went
later in the day to a service at the
American church in the American
quarter-and it was very different: Il
might have been a bit Of New England
transpfanted."