El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-09-30

| soldiers climb up to the crosses IF the
thieves and Astrike their limbs with
stuffed clubs. The bodies crunIple. AS
the soldiers approach the central cross
messenger arrives from ;ie PLATE
announcing that the bones of the Naz-
arene are not to be broken Nhereup-
on soldier seizes a spear aud moves
toward the suspended figure. Fhe av-
erage spectator continues to look. be-
cause he feels that there will De only
the sem alliance of a stroke. What is his
horror when he sees the spear thrust
into the side of the centra. figure.
There is a sudden frightful squirt Of
blood and gasp of suffering from the
thousands of spectators. The scene is
terrifyingly realistic. The Illusion is
carried out by having concealed under
the tights a small bag of red fluid
just over the heart. When this is pune
trued there is the gush of blood
which makes>on feel that a human
life is actually being taken
The Crown of ThOrns
Another impressive scene is the one
IN which the NaZarene is prosecuted by
the soldiers. Seated on a small stool
and clad in robe of royal red, the
Man is scoffed at, spit upon and clap
ped by His tormentors.- Then there is
brought forth the crown of thorns. It
is placed upon His head and four SOL
diers seize two long bars They cross
these over His head and one at each
end, they press the thorns DOWN upon
His brow. A shudder of pain passes
oyer the face of the tormented one as
He turns his head to the right, and
then the figure wits slightly under
the stress of physical suffering
Christus a Potter.
Anton Lang, who played the part of
the Christus this year and also in 1900
is a quiet, unassuming Individual who
seems TO De embarrassed by The cTr.-
osity which the visitors manifest to-
ward him. IAN incident which occurred
one August afternoon, will serve to
show his objection to The -imclls ht"
party of two or three was in his
shop buying postcards and pottery
which he makes at his own wheel AS
he stood behind his counter showing
his wares d 5roup Of fO',. ~ five spec-
tatOrs gathered at the window and be-
gan to stare at the man who on the
following day, was to impersonate the
Savior. He seemed to be more or less
troubled for a few moments and then
quietly asked one of bis customers if
he would object to drawing down tho
shades as Il do not like for people to
stare"
Lang in his home is kindly, cordial
host and greetS the visitor with a
warm handshake. He speaks excellent
English with scarcely an accent Dur
ing the last five months the central
figure of the town has been greatly OPP
pressed, however, by the numerous Wis
itors who have called with the sole
purpose of shaking hands so they could
tell the folks at home"
Some criticism was voiced this year
against the acting of the beautiful
young Ottilie Twink, daughter of Jo-
ham Twink, who plays Judas. Frau
1ein Twink was the Virgin Mary and it
was urged in many quarters that an
older woman and one who had a wider
experience in life would have realized
the acting value of ths part mpra fully.
But the average spectator failed to
take into consideration one of the ten
cts of the Oberammergau Passion Play
committee, that no married woman
shall ever take the part Of either OF
the Marys.
No wigs are permitted to be worn
by the Passion players and no makeup
is allowed. Those who hope to take
part in the performance allow their
hair to go unshorn for three years
prior to the first presentation. Next
week the village barber of Oberammer-
gau will have his hands full and every
mother will take up her scissors with
relief and trim away the locks of hair
which have been such a care to her and
to her children who have taken part in
the tableauX and in the mob scenes of
the Passion Play of 1910.
Tomorrow-Baptis World Alliance