Show alth the approach of leuly efe the penitentes forsake the role of stu pid geons peons and once more take up their yearly scourging the passing of carter because of ne rigors each brother hao accomplished one more net to be used for his sil has taken another step that should bring him closer to headen all the year around the are indifferent mexicans ins in their adobe nuts which they have made with their own hand existing in a land of manana sometime ml in little fields of stunted corn or chill peppers or mexican hems sometimes tending their few scrawny chicken or goats they are never hurried never do anything vet hnyp little time if anyone asks them for something they invariably answer hav poco clemp tl emp 1 have II 11 lie time thus Is a life of poco tie nipo except during I 1 ent rarely at adv other time during the year do the penitentes become if they do it Is on all souls dav two davs after 11 time tl they moke a proc esMon to erne tery whipping their hacka as chev po occasionally when one of their broth has died they convene at hi house to hold chantlan ln song into into the night for the departed soul lenten observances all during lent though they hold secluded braving going in small pro sessions cessions ces in the ight indulging in some self tl lying hut it Is fri day which awakens their zeni to the highest pitch haw wind ol 01 barch or april now swaying he blackish green pinion trees dotting the region othere the penitentes ahe the land has been picturesquely named the sangre de alsto range blood ot christ bv the spanish explorer because of the red stained rocks n jhc thc rock showing a ferric composition on friday afternoon the brotherhood hold the gi catesi of their spectacles they have been flavin themselves on and nn all during week their backs are masses of on baled blood and outraged flesh nev erth eless they begin again aup dented tenor shortly after noon coming out clad only to trousers and beginning the big procession the en acting of the Grew some ceremonies one of the penitentes Is chosen tu take the part of el risto and marle the cross heay crude symbol he can hardly drag staggering under the eight behind him come the others alie singers and those who flay themselves with whips made from the yuna or soap wed the plant Is common throughout the southwest South nest and bears long bhicks blades it Is used by the geons peons to make crude soap the tough blade are also used as twine usually those scourging themselves take one step forward and then pause bringing down the cutting fibers of the whip upon their much bleeding backs with a dull thwack the rhythm of the chant alda their regu larity of motion if any lag in his fervor of laying on blows or shrink under them then in chaa cha 1 will remind him by brensing brin sing down a blacksnake on his shoulders of his remissness the leather whip cuts the air with a sharp whistling no limit to SeIf Torture often these rigors are not enough the cholla cactus one needle of which has known to arhe horses to fury Is about their chests or yet again the walk across thase with their bare feet or fling the branches of needles on their backs the cholla needles are long and ma ll gnant they stick in the flesh as if barbed and burn like fire working their way inward where they cause pustules pus tules many of these needles in one flesh 1 and yet the penitentes with zealous cries con dinue their way to the place selected as el camarlo all their pain sueju gated hy their religious fanaticism amid loud lamentation the pilgrim age of the cross Is enacted the mar tag gering under the of ohp symbol lie precede the group hi back Is now bleeden ble edin now clotted hen he reels showing signs of being about to fall one of the elder broth ers in rank helps him once attain ing the spot chosen as calvary el cristo Is usually tied with ropes to cross and raised indeed what a spectacle the sky lowers like a cloud ed opal and lie raw penetrating breeze fans the trousers of the these people believe that bad neather Is synonymous with holy week that the weather must be bad because it Is a time when every one mourns and still they worship ob of the cold winds lifting theli cries and chants whipping vigorous ly el cristo hang until he no longer shows much sign of life and then Is taken down wrapped in a cloth and carried anav deaths not uncommon formerly nailing the to the cross was quite common death came also as often to their ranks the corpses were ferreted anav and probably burled but nothing definitely lias ever been proved against the cult in the past rumors have circulated about this penitente tente or that not being seen after holy week men have been known to die from the excessive fanaticism of their ritu il NOW the news that one of them has been killed during the crucifixion spreads now one has died frodi exhaustion and too rigorous self torture but these stories are short lived should a penitente tente betray his then the pen ally Is to he burled alive consequently no one has ever talked hottner Hot teer at present the Is more guarded and merely takes the form of eving tving the victim to the cros alth ropes cen now the spectacle of tying el cristo Is beginning to be eliminated or else performed at night on thurmay Thur day evening guards with guns are usually posted at the ceremonies in order to keep away abe overcurious ous stranger any one ap preaching too close Is duly threatened boys have taken hikes into the mountains to behold the spectacle of the penitentes whipping many have crouched behind a rock or w a bush on a hill watching the ritchal c closely while expecting any inkrott to receive from their rear the shot 0 w dreaded and doubtful bacon rici 5 such hikes provide great thrills for m the youths and also material tor i H story which they can recount to their B les fortunate comrades A not having been the penitentes Is co p unworldly wise and a ninny 11 cult Is dwindling thus does the alt flourish tn mexico southern colorado utah and eastern arizona but each jf ear this sect ts becoming leso and M lea conspicuous withdrawing more a and more into the fastnesses fast nesses of the mountains 1 0 undoubtedly tourists have beheld 9 the penitente tente miniature crosses erect ed along some highways as they hav ridden over the rough dirt roads in hie neighborhood of the colonies a piles of rocks hold thee crosses op J right they are some three feet high but the passing of the holy week marks the cessation of their ceremonies and of their greatest activity during the rest of the entire year they are peaceful people who carry on their meager farming As a peo pie they are superstitious impre a and are commonly known ai that Is half breeds of in dian descent but oftener they a are of indian descent alone |