Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-12-24

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 it would be finished by even
ing of the day following. Let all attend! The
crier then MAIDS proclamation for the mayor that
all shops those of the victualers should be
closed on 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 fngress egress. Let all
attend
5 Now let us turn our attention to the market
place 1t a large square in the center of Rouen.
into which the principal thoroughfares of the
city debouch. On all of it's four sides is confu-
sion Along one entire dimension is being erect
ed a of private boxes for the mayor and
other dignitares of the town, and for such of the
clergy as are not impersonating parts in the mys
terry. The two abuttfng sides are given over to
the vlctualers, whose booths will feed the hungry
throngs during the entreactes of the play And
the fourth side, that facing the private boxes, is
allotted for the stage. In ALL this structure
passes some 10000 square feet; but this small
space for the time represents two countries, Pal
estine and Italy-to say nothing of two realms
not to be located with so much geographical GER
tainty-paradise and hell
On its extreme left is Nazareth, and the house
of Joseph and Mary. fact, the house is all
there is to the town, except a sign board in
scribed with the of the place Next is
Bethlehem typified by an inn and stable, and
just beyond Bethlehem lies mansion" or cur
tained-of square. At the appropriate moment
the screen here will be withdrawn, disclosing to
the 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 betwxt 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
Herods 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
Dies irae, dies lila,
Solvet saeclunl in favilla
Teste David Sibylla-'
Adjoining the house of the Sibyl is limbo. So
close they that during the of the play
their inmates reach across the intervening
space and exchange the courtesy of a sip of wine
from the flask Limbo is merely a square tower,
with front strongly grated 1t serves to hold
the materialized souls of such of the worthy de
parted dwelt earth during the old dispensa-
ton Here will reside. during the two days of
the representation, the prophets the patriarchs
and a select few of the pagans. Their lot is not
unhappy one-they live only in unsatisfied
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
helrnouth OF all the grotesque and impressive
spectacles of the mystery play. hellmouth took
precedence The most skillful carpenters and
mechanicians employed in its fabrication,
and the art of the expensive painter was
none good for its adornment- When compIet-
ed. hellmouth stood II or 10 feet high, and as