Show P H wo h A az c wy HOT GARI WO wm woj all A OFT and low melodious penetrating the tones of a bell break the stillness that has fallen upon the little audience monks step noiselessly to the sides of a wooden stage and draw tho the curtains lighted candles shine brightly in contrast to the darkened amphitheater A great robed figure august and majestic wearing a triple crown moves to the tore fore ile he Is attended by a court who sing and dance and toss up censers censera until he lifts hla his hand hana they they fall muto mute and the silence spreads instantly to the tha people below who had stirred and leaned forward in the intensity of their interest when the curtain parted disclosing the magnificent scene it Is a miracle play the first christmas play and it Is staged in the cathedral of a medieval town in northern england the great robed figure Is tho the representation of god himself the singers are attendant angels the scene to Is heaven beaven god speaks in sonorous latin Is disclosed the order of creation and gods will toward man monotonously the words roll forth and almost endlessly it seems to the awed listeners but at last it does doea end and there follows follow s a strange interruption ludicrous almost sacrilegious an ugly creature clad in goatskins goat skins and with two rams horns on its head bead capers forward a clown a buffoon with strange grimaces and stat sinister sier contortions it asks and receives leave to become a curse and a plague upon men then it departs ds it came grotesque and out of place disappearing beneath tho the stage the devil going down to hell an organ peals from out the halt half gloom the angels dance and sing and toss their censera censers and the first scene closes as it opened outside the cathedral the old town Is deserted its streets snow covered and silent all its inhabitants the visitors within its gates and the people from far and near around it are gathered within the cathedral to witness the first Chri chrismas Amas play it Is a solemn occasion one meant to convey its impressiveness and teach its lesson for a distinct purpose the cathedral Is only part finished and the artisans and craftsmen who are completing it will draw from to nights production of the miracles inspiration for their work of decorating and carving and building from far lands and near these workmen have gathered skilled men from across the seas have been hired and brought here to exercise their skillfulness others have come because of their love for the art they represent anxious for an opportunity to let it speak in the scrolls and figures figurea and images of this sacred plane place still others are there from a sanse of religious duty and yet others to do penance for their sins by manual labor in n such a cause all these sit within tho the cathedral caught santa these modern modem children certainly beat me I 1 havo have always looked for surprises at the other end ot of the chimney with them are tho the eollo of the town tho the hinds and yokels of the abo surrounding hills the tradesmen and craf craftsmen tamen of the little village together with their wives and sweethearts little children are there half fright ened at times then merry and again saddened bythe by the pathos they scarcely understand it Is a typical crowd ot of the time and the season but such an one as was never before gathered for christmas has hitherto been celebrated differently in merry england por for days the preparations for the miracle All play have gone forward about the partly finished cathedral there has been no sound of hammer or chisel or knife in place of the workmen busy about the building have been monks decorating the interior with holly boughs and ye yew tv and christmas green the stage has been bee n put in place tho the curtain arranged and the trappings gotten into working order it was pioneer work and to our modern eyes it would seem strangely crude but in that time it was destined to be a marvel for many days to come somewhat of the grotesque again appears in the second act 0 of the christmas play but it Is short the first two being chiefly preludes to that which Is of the grea greatest tesi interest and most pe pertinent to the season scenes portraying tho the coming of christ the second act tells of the fall it Is tedious but thought by the monks to be necessary for the setting of tho the real story that Is to be told finally the curtain Is drawn tor for the third and by the dim rays ot of a lamp mary Is disclosed in her humble cottage spinning she sings as she works and all Is quiet and peaceful suddenly the light on the stage increases a rustling la Is heard and a wonderful creature in white garments and with golden wings appears bearing a illy and crying avo ave maria gratia plena timid and confused cont used mary rises but does not answer gabriel comforts com forta her and sings about aboud his glad message then mary alary kneels and gives thanks to god and the angel disappears leaving the room halt half darkened again clearly and joyfully there sounds through the church the voice of mary singing the magnificat ni ficat while from the audience come the sounds of women weeping as the curtain falls next Is shown a shepherds camp in the hills of judea it is wonderfully realistic a fact which the countrymen present acknowledge in low murmurs of appreciation real abee sheep P are bleating in the fold and the shepherds herds lounge about talking of the days daya work the simplest things of their life engross them the death of a lamb the whereabouts of a sheep that has disappeared As their talk ceases and they fall asleep soft notes issue from the hidden organ the stage Is darkened now and the scene with the dying melodies echoing through the cathedral most impressive then a ray ot of light breaks and grows in splendor across the stage and gabriel is seen been on a platform so arranged that he appears to be in the clouds the shepherds awake frightened and confused sheltering their eyes from the brilliant light but gabriel heartens them by waving his illy and calling upon them to be of good cheer and then suddenly a choir of angels gather about him singing gloria in ex celsis and the shepherds fall down and worship still kneeling as gabriel and his hia heavenly choir disappear e r the shepherds chant a familiar ca carol ro 1 partly in latin partly in english and the chords of the organ sound again soft and low and distant while the voices of the people take up the melody down lu in the body bodi of the church when the curtain to Is again drawn there Is shown the stable at bethlehem the star shining above it mary Is there kneeling a and nd joseph leans upon his staff before the ox and the BBS aiss is the manger and in it on the straw clothed in jeweled robes lies the child jesus jesua the shepherds have followed the star and bow in dumb show while solemn music is chanted from a distance then enters a magnificent array aay the three kings come to do worship to the newborn new now born prince of peace pace As the chant dleo down the roll of drums and the shrill of eifes fifes and trumpets N faia T JN nn 0 it ty W 1 vt alp Z 0 0 0 announce the royal cortege and tho the kings pass in stately review each doing his obeisance to the child lalta lowly logli cradle each presenting it with some costly gift each laying his bis crown at the feet of the savior then the royal figures and their retainers loin join the humble shepherds reeling and worshiping in silence soft and low then rising higher comes again the melody bithe distant angel choir then it dimini diminished shei and dies away as the curtain closes and the lights go out so ended the first christmas pla play fiver evey written |