Byways in southern Tuscany . ently tohis attendant raven whose beak touched his ear. Therewas, too, a quaint oblique-eyed madonna—a small choicething—inserted in a big irrelevant canvas in the strangefashion sometimes adopted, and there was little else. Something of a different nature there was, however, thatattracted the attention. Before the high altar were tablesarranged so as to form three sides of a large were low, and spread with white, lace-edged coversover scarlet. The celebration of first communion had justtaken place, the young priest told us. It looked a morethan
Byways in southern Tuscany . ently tohis attendant raven whose beak touched his ear. Therewas, too, a quaint oblique-eyed madonna—a small choicething—inserted in a big irrelevant canvas in the strangefashion sometimes adopted, and there was little else. Something of a different nature there was, however, thatattracted the attention. Before the high altar were tablesarranged so as to form three sides of a large were low, and spread with white, lace-edged coversover scarlet. The celebration of first communion had justtaken place, the young priest told us. It looked a morethan ample board for the years crop of little catechumensand I said so. He smiled and explained that the table wasmade large enough to seat not only the children of thepresent year, but also those who had been received theyear previous. It had been a most beautiful, a mostsacred day and the flowers—they were never so lovely be-fore. That part of the pavement on the inner side of thebordering table had been quite covered. 78. Roccalbesna. The Castle. BYWAYS IN SOUTHERN TUSCANY And all with wild flowers? My thoughts had gone back to the little flower-gathererson the hill. Yes, truly, a flower mosaic. Would I perhaps, heasked diffidently, care to seethe diagram of the pattern .f I expressed the gratification it would be. He flushedwith pleasure and flew to fetch it from the sacristy. It wasdrawn upon a large sheet of white paper symmetricallywith many divisions, and in the central panel a little shipand a star. This design, outlined upon the floor, had beenfilled in with flower-petals of many tints. He showed thecolors chosen, here rose, there white, here golden, butchoicest of all, the centre—the background of the little ship—that was of purest blue, all laid in petals of tiny blossomsand then when all was completed and the hour hadcome, there above the bright parterre sat the children,their sweet faces themselves like unto the angelicalflowers, roses and lilies, wherewith t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjecttuscany, bookyear1919
