Page:Life in Mexico vol 2.djvu/60

40 whole party singing the Litanies. Kwalked with the Dowager Marquesa; and a group of little children, dressed as angels, joined the procession. They wore little robes of silver or gold lama, plumes of white feathers, and a profusion of fine diamonds and pearls, in bandeaux, brooches and necklaces, white gauze wings, and white satin shoes, embroidered in gold.

At last the procession drew up before a door, and a shower of fireworks was sent flying over our heads, I suppose to represent the descent of the angels; for a group of ladies appeared, dressed to represent the shepherds who watched their flocks by night upon the plains of Bethlehem. Then voices, supposed to be those of Mary and Joseph, struck up a hymn, in which they begged for admittance; saying that the night was cold and dark, that the wind blew hard, and that they prayed for a night's shelter. A chorus of voices from within, refused admittance. Again those without entreated shelter, and at length declared that she at the door who thus wandered in the night, and had not where to lay her head, was the Queen of Heaven! At this name, the doors were thrown wide open, and the Holy Family entered singing. The scene within was very pretty; a nacimiento. Platforms going all round the room, were covered with moss, on which were disposed groups of wax figures, generally representing passages from different parts of the New Testament, though sometimes they begin with Adam and Eve in paradise. There was the Annunciation—the Salutation of Mary to Elizabeth—the Wise Men of the East—