j MIDNIGHT MASS AT MAFEKINQ. I Ushering In Christmas Day In the I Besieged South African Town. I . A correspondent at Mafeking gives I the following account of the manner I ir which Chriat.mas day was ushered in by the Catholic portion of the garrison: garri-son: "The Roman Catholics had arranged to follow the eld custom of celebrating mass at midnight. It was close on that hour when I wended my way toward the convert. The whole town Maa enveloped in Stygian darkness, and I could only find my road by the aid of flashes of sheet lightning reflected re-flected from an oncoming storm. The convent has suffered severely from the shell fire of the enemy. As I passed j through the ruined portico and shattered shat-tered pillars I enterec' the great empty I building, pierced in half a dozen places by the shells of the eiemy. Through, these holes the wind sighed mournfully. At the far end of the room six great tapers gleamed through the darkness. The windows had been covered with the veils of the nuns, lest the enemy, seeing the light, should be tempted to open fire. Around the altar the black-robed black-robed figures of the knetling Sisters contrasted strangely with the white silken vestments of the priests. Behind Be-hind the nuns was a motley group, mostly of men. Many of us were booted and spurred, and if one had lookel might have found the rifles and bandoliers bando-liers of the worshipers ready for use at any moment. The mass began with the 'Adeste Fideles,' and the grand old . old Christian hymn echoed through ruined convent. At the chapel door a group or Cape policemen was gathered, wondering and not quite understanding what it all meant. Vivid flashes of lightning illuminated the room, piercing pierc-ing the veiling of the windows; hailstones hail-stones rattled on the roof, and gusts of wind rushing through the passages made the tapers flicker, till total dark-nea3 dark-nea3 was threatened. A few who had the opportunity made confession and f were commuriicated. Then the priest gave us his blessing and we went out into the early morning of Christmas day."