Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-09-14
SAW MAGNlFlCENCE OF
SACRED PASSION PLAY
Thrilled for Eight Hours by Pre-
sentation at Oberammagau
MILAN, ITALY, Aug. 8. 1910.

hours and | find myself once moro
in Germany. Munich, the city, pop
ulation Of $50 900 and the capital
of the Kingdom of Bavaria and a
fine old city it is. A rather siDgu-
lar coincident. While on the train
making the journey to this city, in
one Of the compartments, there we're
four persons, an Italian, German,
a Bohemian and myself, neither, af-
ter frequent attempts, could make.
each other understand anything. so
there we were four of US, for seven
hours practically so far as CONVEX
sation was concerned, deaf and
dumb. The larger part of the pop
ulation of Munich are Catholics 1t
was founded probably at the close
of the 11th century, and was sur
rounded with a wall and raised to
the status of town by Henry, the
Lion, in 1l64, visited by severe con-
fagration in 1927. it was rebuilt and
extended by the Emperor Ludwig,
the Bavarian. At the present day
Munich ranks among the leading
cities OF Europe and is one which
no American tourist should omit to
visit. AS an industrial town Munich
is celebrated principally for it's
enormous breweries which indeed
form one OF the attractions of the
place.
| left Munich Saturday, Aug. 9th,
at Ito p. M, by rail; four hours on
a packed train of thirty-two cars,
and | arrived at Oberammergau, the
famous village where the celebrat-
ed Passion Play takes place every
tenth year. Sunday, Aug. Z, 1910,
will ever be one of the brightest
spots in my recollections of days
gone by. No words at my com
mand can in any way give you
faint idea of the grand magnificence
OF this wonderful production. From
8 a. m. until 1890 p. M, continuing
from p. m. TO 6, an audience of
nearly five thousand people (mostly
Americans were spell bound, al
most as quiet as if no one was in
the great auditorium, not a sound
other than sob now and then. here
and there from front to rear and
side TO side. The man or woman
that can witness that play and not
shed a tear is not worthy to be call
ed human; a matter of physical and
mental impossibility. Ofall the places
| have ever been, OF all the sights /
have ever seen nothing can / place
above this. l would not have miss
ed seeing what l did Aug. 18th, for
many times more than what it cost;
in fact no price could be put in
reason. l will ever remember as
long as live with untold pleasure
the day Ispent at Oberammergau.
Here l am once again in Milan.
Italy, long ride fifteen ho1rs from
Munich to this city, yet the trip was
quite pleasant, many agreeable pas
sengers on the train; really l en-
joyed the ride much more than some
| have made of fewer miles. Milan
is city OF 10000 population and
is the commercial capital of Italy;
also the resort of great numbers of
Germans, Swiss and English.
Though al exceedingly ancient
place, the numerous conflicts in
which it has been engaged have de-
stroyed nearly all buildings of an
earlier date than the 18th century,
and swept away almost all indica-
tions Of it's connections with the
Romans, by whom it was conquered
in the year 222 B. G. The Cathedral,
commenced in 1886 from designs by
an unknown architect, is magnifi-
cent Gothic structure. superbly
situated on the Piazza del Duomo,
huge in proportions and built en-
tirely of marble, decorated with
innumerable turrets, a spire
crowned dome and no fewer than
1000 marble statues, the edifice
produces an impression never to be
forgotten. Indeed the Milanese
may well be forgiven for regarding
it as the 9Th wonder of the world.
l wrote you four years ago more