The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-09-11
SOCIETY HAPPENINGS OF THE EAR
LY AUTUMN - ENGAGEMENT OBJ
MISS PLUNKET AND MIR. NORvELL
WINSTON CULLoM Is ANNOUNCED.
DEPARTURES AND RETURNS OF
vACATIoNIsTS

An interesting description of a visit to
Oherammergau was received in Birming-
ham recently by a friend of Miss May
belle Bradford, who wrote her charming
account of the Passion Play Immediately
after witnessing it.
1--WE found ourselves Tuesday" writes
Miss Bradford, right in the picturesque
village of Oberammergau. 1t is a beau
tiful place, surrounded on each side by
the Bavarian Alps. and with the lovely
Amer river close by, The clean white
walls of the houses, with their green win
dow shutters, are irregularly grouped
round the church, which, with its
mosque-like dome. forms the living center
of the place. The scene at sunset this
afternoon, with the red-tiled and gray
slated roofs, which rise among the trees
and seem to restle round the protecting
spire of the church. was lovely High
above we see the white cross on a very
lofty crag, which guards the entrance
to the village. The COWS here are amaz-
ing. Every night and morning long
procession of them are driven through
the streets to and from the milking shed.
The continuous tinkling of their bells
fills the valley with delightful music.
The various wayside shrines are touch
ing mementoes of peasant life. Ettal,
Just three miles away, used to be ia
nous place of pilgrimage before the mon
astery was destroyed and even now Its
lovely Madonna is an object of reverence
to every one. Everything is so strange
and simple. Most of the players are
woodcarvers and their ability is wonder
full. We are the guests of Hons Mayr,
who takes the part of Herod. Every one
IS asleep but me, and all is still except
the ticking of my watch on the desk
Looking out the window in the moonlight
the stars shine above the cross-crowned
crag which stands like a sentinel, keep
ing watch over the village at its foot
''Herod, our host, sleeps soundly and
Johannes. wearied by his double service
as waiter here and his role in the play,
is oblivious to all. The crowded thou
sands who saw the play today have near
ly all gone, and it is strangely quiet
again. The Passion Play takes one back
across the ages to the period of those
who saw Jesus as man among men. We
get near enough to Christ to hear the
blows that fell on his face. Only after real
izng the depth of his humiliation can we
understand the miracle of the transforma-
ton he has wrought. The first tableau in
the story is emblematic of the fall.
When the curtain goes up Adam and Eve
are in white sheepskin and are flying from
the garden, where the tree with the Tor
hidden fruit is standing. From its
branches hangs the serpent. An angel
with a sword, painted like flame, for
bids their return Another lovely scene
is the gathering of mama in the wilder
ness. also the return of the spies from the
Promised Land with a huge cluster of
grapes so colossal as to cause two strong
men to stagger beneath its weight. The
whole of the stage is a mosaic of heads
and hands. -Four hundred people, includ-
ing $50 children, are grouped in these two
living pictures, and so motionless are
they that you almost imagine that they
are a group of coored marble The clos
ing tableau shows the ascension can
hardly tell you of it. Christ, rooed In
white, holding a palm brand in his hand
stands in the midst of his deciples. Close
to him are his mother, Mary Madalene
and John and Peter AS he blesses them
he slowly and almost unpreciptibly begins
to ascend into the air, the apostles and
women following him with intent looks
Of adnation. When he reaches the cen
tor of the great company of angels the
curtain falls, and the Passion Play is
over. except for the hallelujah chorus,
who resume their semi-circle on the stage
and sing with as much vigor and fresh
ness as If they had not been on the
stage 20 times. There are 46 in this chorus
and the stage extends the full length of
the house which seats 400 people. It's all
so very wonderful. We left when the
cannon sounded at s. Had an interms-
sion from 70 to 2, and concluded at 6.
can never tell you of my deep apprecia-
ton of these peoples acting. They truly
live the parts. Our stay in Munich was
lovely. General Clark, Augusta and
Tone Snedecor, Joined us here"