Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1910-12-24
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the crashing of stones in the thunder barrel and
the shrieking of pipes was calculated to inst lnto
the most obdurate heart a wholesome fear or what
the hereafter might have in store for the unre-
pentent
The final spectacle of the stage the carpenters
erecting paradise. High placed above
everything else, it dominated all the scene. Its
occupants, God the Father, God the Son and the
blessed angels, hoisted up into it by mechan-
ical lifts and when the angels wished to descend,
as for instance the night of the nativity, over
the fields near Bethlehem, they did suspended
ropes. 1t hard being God angel. for
there little chance to get down and stretch
ones legs. With these heavenly characters abode
four others-Peace, Mercy, Justice and Truth In
imitation of Aristotles four cardinal virtues.
Such were in the main, the mansions and
the characters for which the carpenters had to
provide and the eight days succeeding the mon
sire" grand parade were especially busy ones
for these artisans.
Early the morning of December "a the long
awaited representation began The vast market
place thronged. Every box was filled with the
gentry; the ropedin space in front, out to within
yards of the stage 'front.' had been covered
thickly with straw, and here the ground sat thou
sands, while the open stretch Immediately in front
of and rather below the level of the stage was
filled with crowds parading back and forth. Alto
gether it was a glorious and eager gathering
The learned doctor whose midnight toll had
prepared the doggerel, and whose weeks of labor
had rehearsed the players in their parts, appeared
first in short prologue. After exhorting his
listeners to silence he described for them briefly
the substance of what about to presented
the stage, and admonished them to take to
heart the lessons of the mystery. AS he retired
to convenient angle of the wall of Herod's house.
whence he might advantageously be in position for
prompting the actors, deep lamentation broke
out within hell. 1t Adam grieving the sad
and fallen state of
Thus the play goes days. passing
now to limbo, whence the prophets issue foreteIl
to mankind the coming salvation. to Nazareth, tic
Bethlehem and throughout the whole cycle of the
nativity. When Christ is born in Bethlehem. he'll
redoubles its efforts, and Lucfer rolls about the
stage in mighty orgy of blind fury. The images
of the idols in the temple at Rome fall crashing
from their pedestals. and, high above all. the an
gels in paradise, lowering their ropes above
the fields of Palestine chant majestically the
praises of the Creator and proclaim the PAX in
ferris"
Curious is the final scene. 1t is placed in Rome
in the chamber of Augustus. The emperor, dressed
like French duke, is seated a fancy chair
loaned by the mayor of Rouen- Evidently he is i'll
at He is reading scroll of the Sbylline
writings, wherein he finds distinct prophecy to
the effect that Messiah is to be born in Palestine
in Bethlehem of Judea More and disturbed
he becomes, and as he PAGES the floor of his cham
Der he recites his woes in doggerel French &C
companied by wealth of gesticulations. The sun
is already down beyond the gables to the west oil
the market place his monologue to
end With sudden inspiration, he falls to his
knees and -worships a figure of the virgin that mi
raculously appears the wall Satan and his
crew give final salvo, and the crowd rises stifHJ
to its feet and wends its way back to the homes
and tayerns of the city, much moved by the spec
stacie 1t has been witness of for two whole days