The Coolidge examiner., 1934-03-30
THE GATE
CRASHERS
g
By r. H. WILKINSON
{. bel sysaisass--wSU Service.

NIAJoRco is gay and 70
NJ mantle city al any time OF
- the year.
But the Eaycst and most roman.
tic OF all days Is Dla Conmemora.
tive De somJes,a. a day OF feasJing
and merry making. a day Of cele-
bratIon and OF paying homage TO the
memory OF the nations most re
vered hero-El Miguel de Ia som.
jesta.
Itlsa day OF solemnity. also.
For Il Is on this day. at the hour
when daylight merges into dusk and
dusk into darkness that the coffin OF
the honored and celebrated II
Miguel de Ia som jesta Is removed
from its tomb and paraded slowly
about the walls OF the inner TEN
pie.
II Is rite that has become
tradition. the most sacred OF all
functions TO be sponsored through.
out the year. attended and PARTED
paied IN by the nations nobility.
Il is n moment AZ which the most
distinguished personages In all the
nation bow 70 the admitted superior.
ity of the great Somlesta.
The procession Itself takes place
within the walls OF the temple.
II f. as secret as II Is sacred.
only a chosen few have ever wit
messed the spectacle. and those hav-
Ing hrst pledged their solemn oaths
to maintain the trust down through
the ages.
Thirty minutes before the process.
sion is scheduled to get underway.
a hush falls over the city.
And until a half hour follows It's
conclusion the hush remains.
No word Is spoken. no band blares
from the carnival stands. no dancers
hold Eayly forth In the street. II
Is an hour OF silence aud OF wor-
ship.
The hour for silence had come.
Young Jerry Murdoch and equally
young slim Darrell stood across the
street from the temple gates and
watched the chosen few hle past
the guards. with bowed heads and
solemn looks
Occasionally a guard reached out
and tapped a spectator on the shoul-
der.
There followed a moment OF de-
lay while credentials were displayed
and scruiinlEed.
Fifteen minutes passed. and Jerry
Murdock undged his companion.
Wed better make a try now. II
ever. The crowds getting thicker"
slim Darrell nodded.
"Rlghto. Get your pass ready7-
Yes Listen. slim. It's pretty
risky business. II were caught
theyn treat us badly"
should have thought OF that a
month ago. Too late 10 turn back
now. Besides. II we get the pic
lures. the Post will Jack our sal.
aries 20 the limit. Come on"
He started across the street
Jerry followed.
Both young men were dressed In
long flowing robes. their faces al
most obscured In peaked hoods OF
the same material
They looked for all the world like
visiting monks.
They mingled with the crowds
surging through the gates.
slim was breathing n silent pray
er OF thanksgiving when suddenly
be stopped.
A guard had seized his arm.
Jerry. following directly behind.
stopped. also.
"Senor. your pass"
slim did not llff his head
Felgnlng a meditatlve state OF
mind. he reached carefully beneath
his robe and produced the square
OF cardboard that he and Jerry had
so carefully prepared on the night
previous.
Breathlessly he waited what
seemed like an eternity. while the
guard, his face a mask OF bewllder-
ment. studied the card. turning II
one way and then another.
Behind the crowd was pressing
forward.
"GracIas. Senor."
Slim felt the card pressed back
into his hand
He moved forward uninterrupted.
boy. what a close onel The old
man ought to double our pay for
this"
Better not crow until we get the
pictures"
Slim stopped suddenly. looked
around.
"Say. you don't suppose that Ex-
press reporter got inside. do you?"
"Not a chance. Whoever he Is.
he's new at the game. We've heen
trying to crash that gate for three
years. 1t doesn't seem likely a cub
could do 1t on hts first attempt"
Reassured. they mounted an iron
staircase 70 n balcony overlooking