The National tribune., 1910-05-12

seems to be accepted as such-that
pearls depend upon the contact with
human flesh for their beauty and life.
Removed from this, put away in any
thing and never worn, they lose their
luster, turn dark, shrink in size, and
finally crumble to pieces. 1t would ap-
pear that these beautiful and costly
stones feed upon the white skin OF
women in some mysterious way, and
that they simply starve to death when
they are deprived of this nourishment.
The wonderful necklace of pearls
which Madam Thiers presented to the
Louvre, and which, by the terms of the
gift, was never to be taken from its
case, is, it is said, beginning to lose
its beauty. The pearls are rapidly
darkening and withering-in short
dying. When Madam Theirs presented
the necklace il was easily worth $3.50
GOO; now there is no jeweler who would
give $4,000 for it in its present state.
So well is this popularity of pearls
understood by the great jewelers. of the
world that they keep in their employ
corps of women on whom the pearl
seems to thrive particularly well, to
restore the beauty of the pearl neck
laces of their clients. Another pc
culiar and Interesting fact in this con-
there seems to be something in the
skin of certain women which affects
gems diSaStrouSly. On some women the
bluest of blue turquoises will turn a
dark green, and an opal lose all the
varied lights which give it its charm.
There are consequently certain wom-
en- who cannot restore the life of their
pearls by wearing them, and must re-
sort to their jeweler, who pays women
to feed up the starved stones from her
soft white neck and bosom. To sink
pearls in the sea for a while is also
said to bring back their beauty and
iuster.
This is the year for the famous Pas
zion Play at Oberammergau. and all
ready thousands of people from all over
The world have either started for the
little Bavarian village, or very soon
will do SO, for the first performance
will be given on May 16. Every time
the play is given, the crowds increase
IN size, and it is said that, in order to
witness the presentation of 1910, peo-
pie have been obliged to engage their
accommodations years in advance. It
IS estimated that three-fourths of all
those who will gather for this years
performance will be Americans. The
origin of the Passion Play is almost too
well known to repeat. 1t seems in
the year 1888. plague visited the
little village of Oberammergau, enter
Ing the humble homes of nearly every
villager and carrying away its victims.
Gloom and black despair hung over the
place, and the people felt that it was
useless to struggle against their fate.
To the only surviving member of one
home, the bereft husband and father,
came one night a vision of the Savior,
which brought to the poor BaVarian
np2Sanf rGalizinp M
greater had been the suferings of the
Christ, and how uncomplainingly borne.
He rushed to the village church. and
ringing the bell, assembled the peo-
pie. Telling them of his vision, he
exhorted them to bear their Affections
In Christ-like manner, and they then
and there resolved to give a represen-
tation of the Passion Play every 10
years that its lessons might be ever
fresh in their minds and lives. The
plague was at once abated, which these
simple people took as a sign that their
VOW was particularly acceptable to the
Divine One. Ever since then, in the
Summer of every 10th year, the Pas
sion Play has been given, at first in
the village churchyard, but now in a
large iron building, capable of seating
about 5000 people. The greatest care
is taken in selecting those who are to
take the principal parts, absolute purity
Is
ed the part of Christus, or the Virgin
Mary, is an honor which never loses
its sacred prestige. Such people are
placed on a pedestal by the villagers.
Three years before the play is given
the preparations for ii begin, and this
period is regarded by them as one of
conservation. The play consists of 18
acts. each preceded by a tableau from
the Old Testament bearing upon it.
1t takes from o'clock in the morn
ing until at night to give one per-
formance, with an intermission at noon
for rest and refreshments. During the
1ntermission between the acts a chorus
sings nearly 30 hymns. all very low
and sweet, chiefly in the minor key,
which are suggestive OF the Divine
Tragedy. and add greatly to the SOL
emnity of the occasion. The proceeds
OF the play, which is to be given this
year several times a week thru the en-
tire Summer are divided into four
parts, one of which is given to the
poor. another is used to defray the ex-
penses of the play, another in main
tanning several village institutions, and
the fourth il paid to the actors them
selves. A very small amount is also
distributed to the remaining villagers,
that all may share in the financial
benefits. To show how slightly the
principal actors are recompensed for
their time and trouble. the Christus of
1870 only received 500, and that Of
1880. s157, while the Judas, most ex-
hausting part, received during the same
year only S25. AS each time the
play is produced, however, the actors
receive a little more, ii is pretty safe
TO predict that this year will see a
very decided Increase in their compen-
cation. It is claimed by those who have
visited the charming picturesque little
village, seen something of the lives of
its simple people. most of them wood
carvers or makers of pottery, and wit
messed the Passion Play, that the actors
carry the same spirituality, the same
devout religou feeling to their parts as
did those first actors of far back in the
early years which followed the vista
ton Of the plague.
A taste of the sort of thing which
might frequently happen over here if
this land were ever flooded with Incm-
bers of the nobility of the other coun-
tries was given us the otser day in New
York, when a Princess turned n
Duchess tpolitely, of course) out of
her private elevator. The Princess was
paying for a suite of IL rooms and
the keep of a large retinue of servants
at the Plaza. and -the management had
willingly accorded such an extremely
good customer the sole use of one of
the elevators The Duchess, who is a
countrywoman OF ours, not wearing her
coronet or anything to distinguish her
rank. and not aware of the Princess s
sole right to the elevator, stepped into
Il TO be taken TO her rather modest
suite on the third floor. The Princess,