The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-08-05

l GU a plCC6 VI Ccbl10I1C OldLu9l plN
possibly you have been prepared for
something of the real sort, but you
are not prepared for this; even a
skeleton would be less grewsome or
less shocking.
The church of the catacombs is al
so very interesting because of its con-
nection with the early church. There
is but little actually to be seen as
you creep about the damp and chilly
passages, and see here and there an
inscription by the little flare which
your candle makes. 1t is more the
fancies which your brain conjures for
you than the real spirit which makes
you glad to be up in the open once
more. But for unadulterated shakes
and quakes, you want to. go to the
Cappuccine Convent. You have a
pleasant introduction by seeing the
original Guido Rene, st. Michael and
the dragon. The Guido Rene coloring
is the great charm of the work. al
though the face of st. Michael is
very beautiful one.
AS an illustration of the queer ideas
of humanity and the strange byways
into which they will lead them, the
Cappuecine born ornamentation is
good. After the very good monks
had been buried proper length of
time, they we're disinterred and their
skeletons taken apart and, instead of
being allowed to go to dust, their fin
gers went into delicate ceiling pat
banked against the wall like a wood
pile and their heads gave expression to
the whole weird conception. Occa-
sionally, a monk would be found
(mummifed) and then whether
they were making virtue
of necessity or were pleased with the
saving of work, up he went entire, just
as he was made. Every room has a
different motif, and judging from an
artistic standpoint, it is possible that
the monks were never so much of an
ornament in the world, however much
more useful, they may once have
been.
The churches of Rome abound in
relics, absolutely reliable, of course.
You never know just how much to be-
lieve because Rome was an old city
when these events took place, Thus
at st. Prosseda we walked the same
floors st. Peter walked when he was
guest in that same house. We saw
the column at which Christ was
scourged and in the room where st.
Peter slept we saw other relicsNof the
CrucifXion.
At. st. Johns Laterrn we saw the
resting place of the rest of st. Peters
and st. Johns bones, which are not
in st. Peters itself and behind a
panel, we were told, was a piece of
live wood taken from the table Of the
Last Supper While in the court yard
among less interesting relics is the
well of Samaria, which is deep.
While directly across is the staircase
at Pilates palace, up and down which
our Lord went to His trial. This
staircase is only mounted on the
knees and no one ever comes down it.
At st. Croce are pieces of the true
cross, the finger of st Thomas (prob-
ably a doubling oneJ nails and thorns
from the Calvary sa 3rifce, and the
piece Of parchment on which a part of
the inscription over the Cross was
written. So we might go on indefin-
itely and be no nearer exhausting the
subject, for the Church of Rome is
built on the blood of the martyrs and !
no church in the city can be built |
without the bones of at least two |
saints rest within it,
In the words of our conductor, I |
will say come along for we. are next |
in Florence, ano your next sight see
ing will be in Florence and Venice.
SARA X. PARKER.