The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1910-12-23

some 10000 verses, and had rehearsed the actors
in their parts. so that all was in readiness. On
the morning of the twenty-fourth the play would
begin, in the market place of the city, and by
the grace of God it would be finished by even
ing of the day following. Let all attend! Inc
crier then made proclamation for the mayor that
all shops save those of the victualers should be
closed on those two days. Citizens need nave III
fear at leaving their houses unguarded for spe-
cial troops of the archers would patrol the CITY,
and furthermore the gates Of the town would be
closed against either ingress or egress, Let all
attend!
Now let us turn our attention to the market
Mace It is large square in the center or Rouen'
into which the principal thoroughfares OF the
city debouch. On all of its four sides IS cohiu'
sion Along one entire dimension is being erecl'
cd q row of private boxes for the mayor anu
other digntaries of the town, and for such OF the
clergy as are not impersonat1ng parts IN the hSe'
tery. The two abutting sides are gwen over u
tho y,ctralers, whose booths will feed the hungry
throngs during the entre'actes of the play. ana
tha fourth side, that facing the private boxes, IS
allotted for the stage. In all, this structure com
nocsns some 10000 square feet; but this small
sDoco for the time represents two countries, Pal
estine and Italy-to say nothing of two realms
,,o+ r. be located with so much geographical GER
taintv-paradse and he'll.
On its extreme left is Nazareth, and the mouse
~ 1osenh and Mary. In fact, the house IS, all
there is to the town, except sign poard III
sorihoa with the name of the place. Next IS
pathlebem. typiied by an inn and STAPLE, anu
inst beycnd Bethlehem lies MANSION Ut cur
tained.off square. At the appropriate moment
the screen here will be Withdrawn, disclosing W
tho ewes of the onlookers the band OF shepnerds'
watching their focks by night, and lhclaehlaily
making the welkin ring with the souna Vi sons
n,a sbrlng Of the pipes The field of the shep-
bords lies betwixt Bethlehem and Jerusalem, that
10 tn saw. betwixt the inn and stable ana the
house Of Herod, which stands for the holy CITY:
The next few feet leap oceans, for at the slae VI
1Iarod's house stands the temple or Apono III
Rome the chamber Of the Roman emperor aHu
the capto besides the haunt OF the Slpyl tha'
strange figure of medieval church lore "ho pa
gan though she was, ranked Win Ine rlopio"
nrophets. and was celebrated in the greatest OF
cbnrch songs, the "Dies Irae," along with David:
"Dies irae, dies lila,
Solyet saeclun in favillas
Teste David cum Sibylla
Attaining the house of the Sibyl is limbo so
close are they that during the course OF the play
their inmates can reach across the intervening
snace and exchange the courtesy or SIP OF WIG
from the flask. Limbo Is merely square tower,
with front strongly grated. 1t serves 10 hqlu
the materalized souls of such OF the worthy de'
narted as dwelt on earth during the Old dispense.
ton Here will reside, during the two days OF
Tho representation, the prophets, the patrlarchs
and select few of the pagans. Their lot is not
an unhappy one-they live only In unsatished
hone, They may we'll be content with their tate
when they look upon their neighbors to the right'
at the end of the row Of spectaces. For here Is
bell.mouth. Of all the grotesque and Impressive
snectac,es of the mystery play, hemouth took
precedence The most skillful carpenters and
mechanicians were employed in its fabrication
and the art of the most expensive painter was
none too good for its adornment When complet-
ed hell.mouth stood IL or Is feet high, and as