Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. III.djvu/127

Rh them handsome, and all in grand array of silk and velvet, jewels or flowers, with bare necks and arms; all with transparent veils, black or white, thrown over the gaily-attired form, and evidently more occupied with their appearance than with their prayer-books; around them stood rows of well-dressed gentlemen, evidently more occupied with gazing at the ladies than with—anything else; divine service and devotion existed not, excepting in the hearts of two persons—at least judging from appearance—the one an elderly man, and a Spaniard, the other a mulatto woman. The rest was a grand show of priests and ceremonial. The choir of the church was in a gallery near the roof, covered with palm-branches, banners, and holy pictures. Palm-leaves were blessed and distributed. The Spanish soldiers took part in the solemnity, standing in line in the church; most of them appeared to be young men of slender figure, and refined and handsome features. Slaves, both male and female, after they had rolled out the mats for their mistresses and their daughters, withdrew themselves into the background of the church, where they knelt upon the bare floor. A stranger and a Protestant knelt there among them and prayed—for them as well as for herself and her beloved ones. But her prayer here for herself is thanksgiving. She also received some of the blessed palm-leaves, and will convey them to her home in the remote north, in memory of this morning hour. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny morning. Life looked delicious and easy for all. Oh! if the inner life here only corresponded to the outer, how easy it would be to live and to crown oneself with garlands!

The costume of those beautiful ladies gave me pleasure, although I cannot approve of it for a church, and that Spanish mantilla, which however is said to be going more and more out of use, produces an infinitely picturesque effect. The negro and mulatto women use it mostly as a