davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05
One o. These Is Oq0ned in WasAing|
Notre Dame-Relquaries Contain
HistoyLs 7racedBack to the CrueitI xiou

EXCAVATIONS were started. First the tenn
A. pie to Venus had to be torn down. The
ruins wer removed to distance. Then the.
earth. underneath was carried away, in order
that nothing would be left which had come In
contact with the heather temple
Finally all of the communicating material was
gone Queen Helena and Marcarius stood
watching the work. And suddenly, so the story
goes, the Holy Grail. which is the cup used at
the Last Supper shone before the queen and
the bishop.
They ordered the men to keep digging The
workmen struck pile Of rubbish and kept on
going. In a few minutes they uncovered three
crosses.
The queen and the bishop looked at each
other and gave prayers of thankfulness.
The fact that there were three crosses, in
stead of one strengthened their faith for they
knew that thief had been crucified on either
side of the cross on which Christ died
There were some nails there, too-the ones
which had pierced the slices and palms OF the
Savior. Nearby was sign, bearing the in
spription, King of the Jews" They knew that
PLATE had ordered such sign made and placed
on Christs head in a spirit of mockery. The
crown of thorns was also gheres
But then a new problem confronted the
leaders of the excavating party beneath the
temple
They could not tell which cross was the one
on which Christ had died. The other two were
of no earthly use to them. ~
Again the mother of the Roman emperor
made the suggestion that solved the problem
She said that if a sick person could be brought
in contact with the true cross his ailrnent might
be healed.
messenger was sent down into the city to
find some one who was blind or deaf or lame.
He returned with a patient. Then the first
cross touched to the man, but his aiiment
didn't leave him. The second cross didn't bring
any better luck. But when he came in contact
with the third so Helena and Marcarius testi-
fed he was healed.
The true cross was found May 3, 1926 AID.
Helena cut the cross into three parts, one OF
which she gave to Marcarius; one of which she
took back to Constsntinople and one of which
she presented to Rome. Part of this last piece
is now supposed to be inclosed in one of the
four pillars that support the dome of St Peters.
The part that sent to Constantnople was
afterward given to Louis TX of France, who
lived from 1926 to 1870. 1t is now in the Ca
thedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05

new in America to four.
fragment of the cross on which Christ
died reposes in a nave chapel OF the Sacred
Heart Church at the University of Notre Dame,
South Bend. Ind. There is another memento
in the chapel of the Foreign Mission Seminary
of the Holy Gross, in the Catholic University
group at Brookland, D. c.. and one in the
Cathedral Of the Holy Cross in Boston.
The Notre Dame relic came to America hrSt.
1t was secured from Rome along about 1875
through the efforts of Father Edward Sorin,
founder of the university The fragment OF
the cross is encased in a cruciflx about nine
inches tall. although the splinters themselves
are very small. Every year on Good Friday
it is displayed altar, after which 1t Is
placed inside of the altar for another year.
The Washington memento, which was
brought to the seminary in 1928. likewise comes
out for public veneration just once year. On
the afternoon of Good Friday, promptly at
o'clock as the three hours devotion service is
closing a priest lifts up the golden reliquary
which contains the portion Of the cross, and
blesses the congregation with 1t. The particles
Of the cross are glimpSed through glass cover.
They consist of two thin splinters, biackened
with age laid one over the other in the form
Of a tiny cross. Below the cross is a miniature
tag of parchment inscribed with the Identified
ton of the relic This document Is signed by
the Right Rev. Natalis Moriondo, Bishop Of
Caserta, city of Southern Italy.
The Boston relic is used in the exercise Of
the Confraternity of the Holy Cross IN It's
church.
The Cleveland relic, which is on continual
display has a design which is worked in black
upon background of silver. Christ is shown
seated upon a rainbow. Grouped about him
are the symbols Of the four evangelists which
alternate with the four cardinal virtues, which
are identified by inscriptions. In the gable OF
the monstrance, inclosed beneath thick rock
crystal are two god-fastened particles from
the true cross.
ID EIICS of the true cross are claimed by at
least 70 different places. First you will
see a reliquary, as the receptacle which holds
the relic is called. 1t will probably be made
Of gold or of wood covered with gold. This
will be inlaid with precious stones and em-
bossed with filigree and enamel work.
Perhaps there will be figures carved upon it.
Quantity wrought saints whose figures were
supposed to be majestic; martyrs whose souls
had considerably more grace than their ply
siques. But in spite Of the rather awkward
attempts at physiognomy, the medieval artists
OF the church showed technical dexterity
and sumptuous decorative ability that stil
unsurpassed.
The story of the finding of the true cross
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05

and the distribution Of the pieces that are 50
carefully preserved today goes back TO the third
century.
Constantine the Great, the Roman Emperor,
was very greatful for the success Of his con-
quests AS proof of his thankfulness he de-
cided to erect church, over in Jerusalem. near
the place called Calvary. where Christ had been
crucifed
Constantine had a very religious mother,
Queen Helena She quite approved of her
sens idea. But she had one of her own, too.
She decided that since only three centuries had
passed since Christ had died, His cross must
still be in existence.
Queen Helena talked the matter over with
Constantine. He decided that it would be an
excellent thing for his mother to go to Jeru-
salem and start search for the true cross.
He supplied her with money and letters OF
introduction to Marcarius the bishop of Jeru-
salem.
Marcarius listened very attentively while
Helena explained her mission. He hadn't the
slightest idea where the cross was. But If
there was anything that he could do to help,
he told the Queen he would be at her service.
Excavations were started Workmen got
busy and dug here, there and everywhere. The
cross didn't appear.
Every one who had inherited any information
from a great-grandfather or great-grandmother
was questioned. There wasn't a clue anywhere
that worked. Some people thought that the
cross had been miraculously disposed of. Others
supposed that it had rotted away. few Sug-
gested that it might have been chopped up for
f1rewood Nobody knew.
But Helena wouldn't give up She put her
wits to work.
She turned her attention to the place of the
Passion and Resurrection, as the spot where the
crucifxion occurred is called
This spot, commonly called Golgotha, or the
Place of the Skull, was longer just a hilltop,
outside the city gate, overlooking Jerusalem
There had been several pagan emperors since
Christ had died. They had offered sacrifices to
Jupiter and Juno, Apollo and Neptune and the
other sublime creatures that were supposed TO
live on Mount Olympus. Under of the en-
perors-Hadrian, 1t is commonly belieVed-it
was decided that Venus, the goddess OF love and
beauty, deserved special honor.
Therefore temple was erected to her on the
very spot where Christ and the two thieves had
been cTucifed.
1t was beautiful thing voluptuous, colortul,
with sparkling fnsiatains and heavy, dangerous
scents of flowers 1t appealed to the senses
decidedly . . but it had nothing to do with the
morals.
Queen Helena and Marcarius, the bishop,
went to see the temple. They looked at 1t and
shook their heads. 1t hardly seemed possible,
so they told each other, that on this spot the
Savior of the world had died for the redemption
Of man.
They decided that there a chance, slim
one, to be sure-that the cross might be buried
under the gilded temple of love.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05

The piece which remained in Jerusalem
subdivided into 19 pieces. Four of these v
retained in the city, while the other Is "
distributed among various places in the Orie
The largest portions of the wood of the CT
are in the Basilica of the Holy Cross of Jeru
lem at Rome and in the Cathedral of Nd
Dame at Paris
Chosroes, King of Persia, who lived from S
to $40, came over to Jerusalem to sack the
while he was at the zenith of his power
carried off the piece of the cross which
found. The Emperor Heraclius recovered
restored it on September IA, 615. The
that the cross came home has been celebra
ever since as the Festival of the Exaltation
the Cross.
THE Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jer
u salem now stands over the spot where u
cross is said to have been found An altar al
crucifix in the church mark the places of
discovery.
AS soon as Queen Helena reached home vii
her share of the cross all sorts of celebratioI
were held. Every knight who came by on
pilgrimage inspected the cross. Most of the
very humbly explained that they would I'D
rewarded for all the dangers of their pilgrim
ages if they could carry fragment of Il
wood back home
Helena and Constantine were generous, and
were their descendants. Little by little Il
pieces OF wood, made into the crosses whit
you see in reliquarieS today, were parceled on
In the twelfth century Henry the Lion can
riding by on crusade. He was duke of u
GuelphS, over in Germany His mother hi
been Gertrude III of the Brunons and h
father was Henry the Proud of the Guelph
The two families had quite group of sacr
relics. and Henry wanted to add to the cole
ton. 1t Is commonly thought that he CARR,
back piece of the cross as gift This pc
ton Is contained in the Paten of ST Bernwar
which Is the last OF the four relics of the tr,
cross to come to America.
Remnants of the true cross are made fro
pine Historians say that the cross weighed
Kilograms or about $50 pounds. According
M. Rohault de F1eury, a learned Frenchms
who made an exhaustive search of the wor
Tor all relics of the cross and published /
results In 1870, the total volume of the know
pieces OF the cross is only about three pound
as most OF the pieces have disappeared
Other relics connected with the crucifixi
OF Christ have been preserved as careful
as the fragments of the cross itself. II
relics are usually placed in receptacles al
mounted with gold, silver, ivory enamel al
precious stones.
Nothing was considered too costly for Il
resting place of the mementos Gliding h,
70 be applied by mercury in the Middle Ae,
and Its use often proved harmful to the worker
health. When the tomb of Charles the Bo]
Duke OF Burgundy was gilded at Bruges. Il
sculptor was obliged to pay each workman
horins for the loss of his teeth This type
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-05

HEN the Cleveland Art Mu-
scum recently bought the
Paten of st. Bernward, one
of the reliquaries of the
famous Guelph Treasure,
it raised the number of
the pieces of the true cross
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08
Pom Bottles as Weapons.

When a fourteen year old girl routs
a trio OF bank robbers by throwing pop
bottles at them, as has just happened
in Philadelphia, some hope may be en-
tertained that the spirit of the gangsters
is weakening. or else, perhaps It may
be that the spirit OF feminine youth is
waxing to promise a new dispensation
of law and order
This happening, as reported took an
unusual form The girl had gone to
the bank to take his luncheon 10 her
father, the cashier She arrived just
after the trio OF bandits lad held him
up and taken $500 in cash and were
threatening him with death unless he
opened the safe. One OF them seized
her. and, with pointing pistol threat
ened her also with immediate slaughter
If she resisted But she did just that
She yelled for help and threw at them
two bottles OF soft drinks which she
had brought for her father, The report
does not state whether she hit her
marks. But at any rate the men flea
and her cries attracted the attention
Of workmen nearby and the fugitiyes
were pursued and two Of them were
caught The third, who got away was
ALAS the bearer OF the $500 that had
been filched When the row was over
the cashier identified the two men as
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08
French Casinos Miss Dollars.

Reports from across the seas indi-
cate that western Europe Is hard hit
this Summer by fai4ire of the Amer
scan tourist crop. Early in the season
there were indications that the great
tide Of money-bearers and spenders
that annually sets in toward those
shores was in lower volume than usual
AZ the weeks passed the situation be-
came worse from the point Of view Of
the innkeepers and the caterers and
the providers Of amusements and all
the others who take American dollars
readily. and. It must be said. some
what ungraeiously. Hotels reduced
their tariffs and other inducements
were offered to attract custom. The
steamship companies lowered their
rates. but without avail. The Aneri-
can people simply are not taking any
this year.
NOW comes a report that shows how
really disastrous Is the slump In American
onHrisf trade, -Fae French gambling
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08

casinos In all the principal resorts are
facing bankruptcy and may haYe to
close unless measures are taken for
their relief from losses. A delegation
Is about to approach Premier Laval
with q proposal for the reduction of
the national taxes imposed upon casinos
and such establishments. One of the
members of the Chamber Of Deputies
said, after a meeting Of representatives
of the seven largest resort casinos,
those at DeauVille, Cannes, Aix-les-
Bains, Biarritz, Nice, lie Touquet and
Dieppe: 'It must be remembered that
it is not only the casinos which are
suffering from the rarefaction of
money and the comparative absence of
foreign visitors, but also our beaches,
watering places and the hotel indus
try"
A report just submitted showed that
the seven great casinos mentioned. had
a deficit In 1880 as compared with
1929, their receipts being twenty-one per
cent less The indications are that this
season the deficit will be. twice as large
as that Of last year. This means that
while the French resorts of chance are
suffering, great volume of American
money has been kept over here. Hard
as times are now in America, they
would probably have been much harder
If the tourist trade had not slackened
and the French casinos were not in the
red
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08
Chickens.

From the Baltimore Sun.
We are extremely gratified to learn
from a solemn bulletin of the Census
Bureau that the number of chickens
on American farms on January /, 1890,
was 378, 1888 1913, as compared with $50, >
537127 in 1920. This evidence OF an
increase in the feathered population of
American barnyards is one Of the most
notable signs of progress that have
come to our attention in these dreary
days.
On the basis of such figures. Mr. Hoo
yer can now revise his 2D-year plan for
America so that it will provide roosts,
coops and scratching areas for 40 600, :
600 more chickens in addition to schools,
homes and so forth for 10000 900 hui
mans. Nothing less than such a revi-
sion will suffice now that the Census
Bureau has revealed the chicken pop
ulation to be growing at the rate of
10000 900 in 10 years.
We are also heartened at the knowI-
edge, that chickens are multiplying more
rapidly than human beings If the
same ratios of increase are maintained
we shall soon have much larger por-.
tons of fried chicken and have them
more often. That is a boon in com
parison with which Mr. Hoovers prom
Use of more radios and automobiles grow
pale.
Our only misgiving in the face of
these impressive chicken statistics Isl
the possibility that the enimerators of
the Census Bureau may have been a little
too enthusiastic and may have allowed
themselves to enumerate a few chickens
that did not actually exist. What a
tragedy it would be to learn, after a re-.
count. that there were really only 37s, >
888,127 chickens instead of the 378. SS8. :
i2S the bureau reported
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEKELL.

! It is this veering around at the slight
| est touch of the wheel which makes the
| motor car such a nuisance to the honest
! country-road walker.
| If it were not for this ability, it is
! true. many o man would be run down
/ who now escapes. but 1t Is question
| whether it Is not almost as bad to be
! scared to death as to be knocked for q
goal.
The long, peaceful countryside has
the spirit OF the road has changed
| from one of pleasant ambling to that
of tremendous hurry-scurry.
| Instead of peace, we have pep-and
| the devil take the hindmost Maybe
Won don't know the origin of that say
| ing. In the elder days in Germany,
| before there was any Germany in the
| modern sense, devils were very much to
the fore.
There not only was the old master
| devil himself but a whole pack of
! smaller devils.
All Of them, including Old Nick, were
| thought to be constantly on the high
road, looking out for lost souls to grab
of in the passing
Hence it was believed expedient for
| human beings to travel in groups, not
| only to guard themselves against wan
| dering robbers but even more to pre-
vent the devil from Seizing them
Occasionally some rider, drawer than
! the rest. or perhaps under the influence
Of spirituous liquors. would propose a
| race, point out an objective, and start
And the devil take the hindmost%
| x II
| 1t may be objected, and fairly enough.
dc a f4f M
| ity and not made primarily for esthetic
uses.
! This is quite true. but roads in the
/ older days, still remembered by us who
are not very old, also were fit for medi-
| tations and offered the consolation of
/ Nature to the weary.
There was to be found alongsan old
! time road despite its clouds of dust, a
/ certain measure of peace and happiness
| which is to be found on the same thor
/ cugniare no more.
/ Efficiency has done its work If there
are any more devils on our roads. they
go on wheels, and they are made at
Detroit, Flint, etc.
- ksA
| And all this is necessary, and no one
would say word against it, of course
Progress is progress. and no matter
what happens we want it.
Progress is the nfth ingredient in the
air
If we have to run as If very devil
were after us when we cross even a Is
foot road-and even more so because it
| is so narrow-we must recall in that
! time that Caesar never had a chance to
go tenth as faSt-no, not twentieth
as fast.
How the great Augustus would have
loved an automobile, to be sure!
If he had had one-and stranger
| things can be imaginable would have
had one of the few, because the common
people-the sinking mechanicals, as
Shakespeare called them--would not
have been permitted to own them
That is why, among other things, our
roads are wholesome and democratic;
/ in fact. strictly communistic, as Bernard
Shaw points out in his book, THE In
telligent WomanS Guide to Socialism
and Capitalism" (Is there any reader
who has ever been able to read more
than 40 pages of it?)
Song of the Open Road indeed Some
day they will fence of all roads and
permit no one TO go on them except on
wheels. Then it will be the Closed
Road forever and ever.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08

those who, about year and o half ago
held up the same bank and stole more
than $500.
Various are the safeguards provided
by modern banks against raids and rob-
berries. There are bell alarms to bring
assistance, tear gas spouts to disor-
ganize the attack, electric contacts that
drop metal barriers, trick cash drawers
that empty into submerged safes upon
a finger touch, all sort of gadgets for
defense. But the girl with the pop
bottle seems to be as good as any of
them, save that one girl can hardly be
expected TO cope with as many as three
men. incidentally, it would be interest
ing to know how many other people
there were in the bank when the raid
took place, workers and patrons. The
published account draws a picture of
father and daughter alone with the
thieves. These are moratorium days.
but it is hardly to be credited that
Philadelphia has reduced even its minor
banking to a one--nan basis.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08

crystalline sentiment and moral support
of efforts TO stamp out lawlessneSs than
anything that could have happened, y
and the Jersey City Journal maintains
that "all that is needed is bona fide
order from the 'higher-upS to the police
to go to work on the dogs.
An aroused public opinion, with the
slogan No mercy for gangSters, be-
lieves the Schenectady Gazette, lis the
need today. The heaviest penalty should
be imposed for the slightest offense
Gangland should be taught the people
have awakened from their lethargy and
that they are determined to have crime
stamped out. If the people are insis-
tent, there Is no question about what
police bodies, juries and judges will do
But so long as the people go on with
their indifferent attitude We shall con-
tinue to read of innocent children being
shot down in cold blood by cowardly
gangs of murderers in cars bristling
with machine guns"
Condemnation of the methods en-
ployed by the police is voiced by the
Ann Arbor Daily News. with the state
ment:. All known beer runners were
called In for questioning. There was
quite an aSsemblage of them known
gangsters rounded up by the police for
an investigations The police have them
card inoexed, along with the addresses
When murder occurs they may be
asked questions. The idea seems TO be
that beer runners shall not be melested
except when killings occur. There is
police efficiency for you'll But maybe
the shooting of playing children on q
New York street will be charged to pro-
hibition. Then. again, the patrons of
bootIeggers might give the incident d
little consideration in terms Of personal
responsibility, particularly those who
have children"
The Portland Oregon Journal describes
the incident: 1T is lucky there were
not more killed and injured. 1t was a
crowded street. Approximately rs fam
ing bullets were poured from the mouth
OF the machine gun Anybody in the
vicinity was possible victim. There
was no thought Of who might or might
not be killed. There was no thought of
the safety OF innocent bystanders, not
even Of children. Is New York to per
nit the same gang sovereignty 10 estab-
hsh itself there as in Chicago?D
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-08
Volcano Put Into Park.

From the Pasadena star-lsews.
Lassen Volcanic National Park IS
being added to the natural wonder
lands of California which are being
made permanent Fairgrounds for tour
pecially rich in natural wonders and
sublimities. Several of these marvel
regions have been placed in national
parks. including the one and only Yo-
semitic and portions OF the big trees re-.
gion.
This newest parked land of natural
wonders. lying in Northern California,
bears the distinction Of having the only
active volcano on the mainland Of the
United States. 1t is a region where
the most marked physical changes have
been made on the earth's surface In
recent ages. Among the attractions in
the new national park are some one
hundred lakes. scores of volcanic peaks
and cones, forests. streams, waterfalls
and coloFed lava flows.
The Government at Washington for
many years has pursued coEarnenia-
bic course in creating national parks
out Of natural wOnderlands of extraor4
binary marvels and beauties. It Is q
happy idea TO have Isassen Peak, a live
volcano, included in 3 national park.
These marveis. beauties and rrandenrs
Of Nature should be forever dedicated
to the interest, the wonder and the
pleasure Of the people who each sue
ceediI.g year VIII continue to VISIT these
national parks through the generations
and centuries 70 coma.