Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1910-12-23
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the crashing of stones in the thunder barrel and
the shreking of pipes, calculated to nstll nto
the most obdurate heart a wholesome rear OF WHAT
the hereafter might have in store for the unre-
pentent.
The final spectacle of the stage the carpenters
were erecting was paradise. High placed apove
everything else it dominated all the scene. lts
occupants God the Father, God the Son and the
blessed angels were 11oisted up into 1t by mechan
zeal lifts and when the angels wished to descend,
as for instance OH the night of the nativity, over
the fields near Bethlehem, they did so suspended
on ropes. It was hard being God or an angel, for
there was little chance to get down and stretcn
ones legs. With these heavenly characters ABODE
four others-Peace, Mercy, Justice and Truth, IN
imitation Of Arstotles 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" OF grand parade were especially busy ones
for these artisans.
EARLY on 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
some yards Of the stage front, had been covered
thfckIy 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 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 a short prologue. After exhorting his
listeners to silence, he described for them briefly
the substance of what about to be presented
on the stage and admonished them to take to
heart the lessons of the mystery. AS he retired
to convenient angle of the wall of Herods house
whence he might advantageously be in position fol
prompting the actors, a deep lamentatfon broke
out within he'll. It Adam grieving over the sad
and fallen state of man.
Thus the play goes for two days, passing
to limbo, whence the prophets issue to foretel
to mankind the coming salvation, to Nazareth, te
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 a mighty orgy of blind fury. The image.
of the idols in the temple at Rome fall crashing
from their pedestals, and, high above ALL the an
gels in paradise, or lowering their ropes allow
the fields OF Palestine, chant majestically tn
praises of the Creator and proclaim the pax II
terris."
Curious is the final scene. It is placed in Rome
in the chamber of Augustus. The emperor, dresse
like French duke is seated fancy chat
loaned by the mayor of Rouen Evidently he is 1
at ease. He Is reading a scroll of the Sibyllin
writings, wherein he finds distinct prophecy
the effect that Messiah is to be born in Palestine
in Bethlehem of Judea. More and more disturbe
he becomes, and as he PAGES the floor of his chan
Der he recites his woes in doggerel French, a.
companied by a wealth of gesticulations. The su
is already down beyond the gables to the west {
the market place his monoogue comes to a
end. With a sudden inspiration, he falls to h
knees and worships figure of the virgin that m
raculousy appears on the wall. Satan and h
crew give final salvo, and the crowd rises stiff
to it's feet and wends its way back to the HON,
and taverns Of the city, much moved by the spe
tacle 1t has been witness of for two whole day