Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 April 1915 — Page 3

oa S WE crossed Palestine, riding over fril those ancient byways that wind through hill and dale leading to the /jOwM holy city, we were deeply impressed Jlnlijm. by the pilgrims —not only by their ■ttH™ numbers but by their very air of patient eagerness—as they trudged ufiH the dusty roads footsore and weary. Jjjr As we neared the city we knew that Sfifirft Jerusalem was already filled to overjrfiyjf flowing with these pilgrims, because StyM the roads leading into the city were (H lined on either side with crowds of 'l these pilgrims camping in the ditches, 1 with their pots and pans and bedding. Although it was midday when we arrived and the sun beat down mercilessly, many of these tired pilgrims had spread a small scarf or shawl across sticks and were sleeping in its shade. Still they continued to flock into the city, carrying palm branched in their hands, until all the highways round about Jerusalem were lined with these weary but devout people. One could not help 1 pitying them, while at the same time admiring their wonderful 'devotion. Thousands of them had walked hundreds of miles through Russia and across inhospitable Turkey, being treated in the latter place more like dogs than human beings. If there is one thing above another a Turk hates, something that arouses his Mohammedan indignation, it is the sight of theSe Christians, devout members of the Greek church, plodding afoot across the sultan’s domain with but one thought in view —to kiss the tomb of Christ. You can only marvel at their religious seal which enables them to withstand the tortures of a long journey and the abuse of the cold-blooded Turks. Fortunately, our quarters had been reserved long in advance, otherwise w®. t°°, "would have been forced to camp among the pilgrims beside the highway. As these pilgrims come in sight of the Holy Land they fall upon their knees, facing the Jerusalem they love, so simple and beautiful Is their faith. ‘ Jerusalem’s places of interest during the Easter week are many. They are made memorable through their association with Christ on and prior to the day of his crucifixion. We first visited the Garden of Gethsemane, where, So many years ago, he went to pray, “Ndt my will, but thine.” This is really a very* small plot of ground, about twenty-five feet Bquare, containing many flower beds and. some extremely old olive trees. Always kept in good order, on the occasion of Easter this hallowed garden is made glorious with beds of flowers in full bloom. There is also the. Via Dolorosa, or “the street of sorrows,” through which Christ passed on his way to Calvary. Along this street are the various stations of the cross, recording the incidents in this memorable Journey. / _ Then there is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, where the elaborate Easter ceremonies are held. This church is in reality a massive building containing vast congeries of churches, ohnpai« and shrines in which the various sects worship. There are within these walls thirtyseven so-called “holy places," although it must be said that there is a grave question as to {she authenticity of many of these. As we approached the outer gates of this church we were annoyed by the painfully incongruous note which was struck by the deafening medley caused by the yelling and screaming of dealers In “articles de piete,” or, in other words, “holy relics." All sorts of venders were shouting at the tops of their voices and eagerly choking at all owners in their frantic endeafors to make a sale— representative descendants, h»deed, of they who once made the tempi* a house of merchandise. “

Gaster week in Jerusalem

Knowing that during the days of the actual Easter celebration we would have little opportunity to see these things, owing to the great crowds, we took occasion to visit them the day following our arrival. Among the principal places of interest in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher are the supposed tomb of Christ, the stone of unction, the hOly sepulcher, the Greek church, the chapel of St. Helena and Mount Calyary. The first of the Easter services in the holy city consists of the “washing of feet.” This .occurs on the Thursday before Good Friday. It is a Greek ceremony, short and unexciting, apd takes place 1 k the courtyard of the church. Notwithstanding that it is unexciting, every available space in the courtyard and every commandlpg window find rooftop was occupied as the Greek patriarch bathed the feet of twelve of his priests as they were seated upon a little platform. On the next day^—Good Friday—we witnessed the Latin ceremony of the crucifixion. IThis is interesting in a way, but somewhat shocking to the occidental idea. This ceremony takes place over what is said to be the actual site of tho crucifixion. It is performed before a cross on which a durtimy figure has been nailed. At the conclusion the figure is taken down from the Cross and placed iu a white sheet, the crown of thorns and the nails drawn from the “hands” and “feet” being placed on silver salvers. After this a procession is .formed which leads to the* stone of unction, where sermons are delivered in six different languages. Saturday afternoon we witnessed the ceremony of the "holy fire,” to the minds of the pilgrims the most important of all. There is a certain impressiveness about it, but the grandeur is lbst in the mad struggle between the Latin and Greek worshipers that changes what should be a solemn ceremony into a veritable mob scene. At the time we were there much talk was heard of either abandoning this ceremony or greatly modifying it, and I must confess that all of" our party agreed that pnless it could be conducted in an orderly manner it should certainly be abandoned. ' There is an old tradition in Jerusalem that long after Christ had arisen and departed from the holy sepulcher holy fire from heaven was seen to descend into the sepulcher. Time has deprived thi# tradition of the greater part of its weight, but Jt must be admitted that many of the poor faithful but Ignorant pilgrims still be-

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

bis heart’s desire was to light this candle by the holy fire. Within ten minutes the thousands struggling around, the holy sepulcher incloeure had lighted their candles, and the church was a mass of tiny lights from each of these candles. We were told that much better order had been maintained on this Easter during the holy fire ceremony than ever before, and we could but wonder what some of the past ceremonies were like, since five persons were removed on stretchers while we looked on, living been severely injured by being pushed down and trampled on by the struggling mob. It was interesting but by no means comforting to note the hatred exhibited on every hand by the Turks. :> We watched the line forming for a procession where the Turkish soldiers were drawn up as a guard, much as city policemen keep back the crowds during a parade In this country. Whenever a Turk got In the crowd he was well handled and assisted to a vantage point if he cared to see, although for the most part the Turks would not deign to look upon it. Whenever one of the Christians was pushed by the crowd Into the line of Turkish soldiers he was promptly and effectively pounded with the butt of a rifle. Not openly, but rather surreptitiously, the soldier stared Straight front at the same time he maliciously and viciously jabbed backward with rifle butt, generally grievously hurting whoever was unfortunate enough among the pilgrims to be crowded against the lines. Above all it was the Armenians who were thus abused. On Sunday morning there were more ceremonies in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. These ceremonies were conducted in many languages, and the vestments worn by the priest* were unusually gorgeous. - ± - At noon on Sunday the Easter week ceremonies were over for the year. An .hour later the great army of pilgrims was flocking out of the city. Ip all directions they' were traveling with their few belongings in bundles, but by far the greater number-journeyed out on the highways that led across the Holy Land and into Russia. By night not a pilgrim remained, while all along the roads round about the holy city were left the litter and the *»hes of the campfires where so many thousands had encamped during the week. The next day Jerusalem became the same quiet, sleepy city that it was when the man of sorrows rode into it and mm- taken to tore Pilate.

lieve the flames they witness to be literally holy fire. We secured a good vantage point from one of the upper balconies, and by two o’clock the church was filled to overflowing with a zealous yet excitable mob. The Greek patriarch, accompanied by the Armenian high priest, entered the holy sepulcher, and instantly there a hush throughout all the church. On either side of the sepulcher are holes, and soon flames appea re d through these holes. Instanttythe struggle commenced. To us it was h terrible sight to see the pilgrims fight to get near the holy flame. Each pilgrim held a candle, and

GRANDMA'S OLD BOOK

Leonore Found Romance in It, but Found Much More in Real Life.

By LAWRENCE ALFRED CLAY.

(Copyright, 1815, by the McClure Newapapaper Syndicate.) One of tlie ancient and interesting things to be found in Grandma Pearson’s ancient and interesting red farmhouse was the big scrapbook she had been forty yean making. She had begun it when a girl, and now at the age of sixty she was still occasionally pasting in an item. The first third of the book, as might be expected, was devoted to such items as would interest girls, and among them were recipes to make yourself' beautiful, the significance of dreams, how to catch a beau and other nonsense. Each year when Miss Leonore Minturn, grandchild, came down to pass a few weeks with grandma, she .hailed a rainy day with joy. She was eighteen, but she would get that big scrapbook down on the floor and lie at full length as she read it. She had been brought up in the city, but she had the same superstitions and caprices as the girl of the country. “If you dream of a black fox three nights running you will live and die an old maid,” read one of the items. The girl partly believed it, but when she asked grandma for corroboration the answer was disappointing. "It may be so, but I never knew a base of it.” “Didn’t you ever know of a girl who dreamed of a black fox three times running?" “No, nor a red fox, either. There was Sarah Jumper. She dreamed of a coon five times running, but instead of living an old maid she had three husbands before she got through.” "But it surely means that you are going to fall in love if you look down the well and see your face in the water.” “Y-e-s, I suppose it does; but girls are pretty surq to fall In love, even if they never look down a well.” But as the girl read on she gave a gasp of surprise. She had come across the following: “If the sun comes up very red and you 4re standing under a pear tree and a white dove alights on your shoulder, it means that you are going to meet a stranger.” “Why, I should think it would. It seems to me it ought to.” “Grandma, I don't believe you believed in any of these things when you were a girl,” pouted Miss Leonore. “Well, you will find one here that says if a girl dreams that she falls asleep under a sunflower and is awakened by the twitter of a robin, a strange young man is coming along to fall in love with her." "But did you ever know It to happen?” “Hannah Baker always vowed and declared that it happened, but Hannah was a good deal of a liar. She said that the man who came along was Tom Perkins, whom she afterward married.” “And they lived happy forever more?” “No, they didn’t. That’s the worst think about dreams. Hannah and Tom tought like cats and dogs within three months and separated.” "And never made up?” “Not as I ever heard of. You mustn’t pay mhch attention to those old items about dreams and things. Those were days when girls were very silly.”

It was the first time {hat grandma had ever cast a doubt on the absolute veracity of the Items, and the fs r l went out into the orchard and sat down and had a good cry. She had believed since she could understand, and it was a bitter disappointment to be told at last that she had been believing in a lot of nonsense. Grandma finally called her in to show her how to make a custard for supper, and Miss Leonore dried her tears. “But something may happen yet.” “Of course it may. Things are always happening. I've had that spotted cow for thirteen years, and I’d have as soon thought the jedgment day would come as that she would kick, but what did she do the week before you came but haul off and give me a rap that sent me agin the fence. Keep your feet dry and things will happen right along.” Three days later, while Miss Leonore was chasing the calf around the lot, she ran a thorn into her foot. If she Bad had her shoes bn at the time she might not have run so fast, but she would have escaped the thorn. Grandma had to take her teeth to the thorn, and there were yells and sobs. “I told you something might happen any day, and now it has.” "But I won’t be able to step on that foot for several days," was protested. '1 know It, and that’s what you get by playing the tomboy. I will make a bread and milk poultice to draw the poison out” —' -r " The next day grandma received word by a boy that a woman half a mile away wanted her and she said to Miss Leonore: “You will have to keep house alone for a couple of hours, but there* will be nothing to make you afraid." * f "But there may a young man come along,” was answered. U“But you get into this rocking chair d put your foot up in this one, and don’t pay the least attention if anyone knocks. ▲ peddler may come along, but he’ll go away after he is tired of knocking."

| Grandma had gone about half an hour when there came a knock at the door. No, It was not a knock. The old lady hadn't quite shut the door; after her, and the wind had pushed it back without the cripple being aware of it. There she sat, almost dozing, and the poulticed foot looking as big as a beer keg. “Ahem! Ahem!" “Oh, my!” It was a young man in the act of lifting his hat, and he stood fairly in the door. "I called to see—” he began. "You must go right away, sir." "Couldn’t I ask—” & “No, sir; go away.” "Yes, yes. I beg pardon.” And with a look that certainly Included that big foot he walked away. Did he have black eyes and cUrly hair? Did he wonder what ailed bet* foot? Did he suspect fan the remotest degree that a great big girl like her had met with an accident while chasing a calf barefooted? In the girl’s anxiety she found herself across the room and peeking out of the window at the stranger’s back as he walked away. She thought he had a good figure, but had got no further when a twinge caught that foot and she had to go hopping back to her chair. “I know we should have liked each other at first sight, and yet I must have a foot on as big as a barrel of soft soap. I told him to go, but I think it was the sight of the foot that scared him,” she sobbed. When grandma returned and was told of the incident she said: "I don’t know who on earth it could have been. He lifted his hat, did her’ “Most gracefully.” “Then it wasn’t any man living within twenty miles of this. He came to ask something, did her* 1 "He did, but I choked him off. I wish I'd let him say away. Drat this foot!” “I suppose,” said grandma, looking very thoughtful, "that providence ordained that you should chase that calf?” “And get that thorn in my footr' “Yes." "And be laid up when a'stranger called?” “That’s it, dear. That young man saw you was a nice girl. He saw you had met with an accident. You have aroused his curiosity and interest.” “Yes, grandma, and then?” "He'll surely be back again in two or three days.” "And —and —” "I guess I’d better change the poultice. If providence has planned to bring you two together she’s goin’ to do it, unless you go'and get stung on the nose by a bumble bee before that foot gets well.” That foot got well like magic. The third day saw the patient hobbling around and keeping eyes on the highway. "You must not be too interested," cautioned grandma. “Oh, I’m all right,” was the laughing reply. "It’s silly, as you say, to think that anything romantic could come out of that old scrapbook. If anyone comes it will be a chicken buyer or a tin peddler, and as there is nothing romantic about them, 1 will take my book and go out In the orchard." But the man came, and was neither after chickens, nor did he have wash basins and dippers to sell. It was Mr. James Brinkley, the artist from the city, whose errand that day and the day or two previous had been to buy an acre of ground of grandma’s property to build him a bungalow on. In making a short cut out to the house the artist climbed the fence to pass through the orchard and inspect the fruit. “Why—why—” exclaimed Miss Leonore, as she rose up as they came suddenly face to face. “Have I scared you again?” he asked with a pleasant laugh. “I was at the house the other day, you remember?” > "Why-e-yes, and I had a thorn in my foot” , “A thorn! I thought it might be a stone bruise. Mother had to poultice them for me when I was a boy.” The girl wondered If he would further say that he got them by chasing calves around, but as he did not she dropped the subject and accompanied him into the house. Grandma Pearson had long been land poor and she was pleased at the opportunity to make a! sale. When it came down to naming figures the artist laughingly said: “They call me a rather hard man to deal with, and perhaps I am. At any rate, I should like to know what goes with this land.” At this juncture Miss Leonore seemingly had her suspicions aroused and silently vanished from the house. * “What goes with the land?” queried grandma with a laugh, “why, all you can get.”

No Conscience at All.

"How does it happen that you are in liquor again when you promised hot to take another drink for six months?" asked the ascetic person. ‘at was the luckiest accident yon ever heard of,” said the bibulous one, enthusiastically. “I met a friend who led me to a bar and told me my money .was counterfeit”

Worth the Risk.

“Bolts was tun over by a handsome limousine yesterday." “Hurt much?” “No. A stunning girt who was in the car made the chauffeur pick Batts up and she held his head In her lap all the way to the hospital.” “Think of a thing like that bsppmfv ing to Botts, who has no soul!”