The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1910-12-21
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some 10000 verses and had rehearsed the actors
in their parts. that all in readiness. on
the morning OF the twentyfourth the play would
begin. In the market place of the city. and by
the grace OF God 1t would be finished by even
ing OF the day following. Let all attend The
crier then made proclamation for the mayor that
all shops those OF the victualers should be
closed those two days. Citizens need have no
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
place II is n large square In the center OF 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 erect
ed row Of private boxes for the mayor and
other dlgnitaries OF the town. and for such OF the
Clergy not impersonating parts In the nys-
terry The two AUDITING sides are given over TO
the vIctualers. whose booths VIII feed the hungry
,b,onps during the entre'actes OF the play. And
the fourth side, that facing the private boxes Is
allotted for the stage In ALL this structure com
passes some 10000 square feet; but this small
snace for the time represents two countries, raj
estine and Italy-to say nothing of two realms
not to be located with much geographical GER
tainty-paradse and hell.
On its extreme left is Nazareth. and the house
of Joseph and Mary. In fact. the house is all
there is to the town. except a sign board In
scribed with the name of the place. Next Is
Bethlehem. typiied by an inn and stable, and
inst beyond Bethlehem lies a mansion. or cur
tanned of square. At the appropriate moment
the screen here will be withdrawn. disclosing TO
the eyes OF the onlookers the band OF shepherds.
watching their Hocks by night, and incidentally
making the welkin ring with the sound of song
and shrilling OF the pipes The field of the shep-
herds lies betwixt Bethlehem and Jerusalem. that
is to say betwixt the inn and, stable and the
house of Herod which stands for the holy city.
The next few feet leap oceans. for at the side OF
Herod's house stands the temple Of Apollo In
Rome the chamber Of the Roman emperor and
the capitol besides the haunt of the Sibyl. that
strange figure of medieval church lore. who. pa
gan though she was. ranked with the Hebrew
prophets. and celebrated in the greatest OF
church songs the Dies Irae." along with David:
"Dies irae. dies lila.
Solvet saeclum In favilla-
Teste David Sibylla-'
Adjoining the house OF the Sibyl Is limbo. So
close are they that during the course OF the play
their inmates reach across the Intervening
space and exchange the courtesy OF sip of wine
from the flask. Limbo is merely a square tower
with a front strongly grated. II serves to hold
the materialzed souls OF such of the worthy de-
parted as dwelt on earth during the old dispense
ton. Here will reside. during the two days OF
the representation. the prophets. the patriarchs
and select few OF the pagans. Their lot is not
unhappy one-they live only In unsattsfed
hope They may well be content with their fate
when they look upon their neighbors to the right
at the end of the of spectacles. For here is
heIl.mouth. OF all the grotesque and impressive
spectacles OF the mystery play. helmouth took
precedence. The most skillfu 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