re ringing and we were a little late.
The big doors of the church were wide open, the organ playing, and a
good many people standing about. The altar was bright with flowers and
candles, and "oriflammes" of blue and pink gauze, worked with gold and
silver lilies, were stretched across the church between the pillars. One
or two banners with the head of the Virgin and flowers painted in bright
colours were also hanging from the columns. Two or three priests, with
handsome vestments--white embroidered in gold--were officiating, and the
choir boys wore their red petticoats--soutanes trimmed with lace and red
shoes and caps. The Suisse (beadle), with his cocked hat, silver
embroidered coat and big cane, was hovering about, keeping order.

Just inside the chancel sat the "communiants"--fifty boys and girls. The
girls--all in white from top to toe--white dresses, shoes, and gloves,
and long white veils coming to the edge of the dress, and either a white
cap (which looks very pretty and quaint on the little heads--rather like
some of the old Dutch pictures) or a wreath of white flowers. With them
sat about half a dozen smaller girls--also in white, with wreaths of
white roses. They were too small to make their first communion, but they
were to hold the cordons of the banner when the procession passed down
the church. The boys were all in black, short jackets, white waistcoats,
and white ribbon bows on their sleeves.

The church was very full--mostly women, a few men at the bottom. It was
a pretty sight when the procession moved around the church. First came
the "sacristain" in his black skirt and white soutane, then the banner
held by two of the big girls; the group of little ones--some of them
quite tiny and so pretty with the wreaths of white roses on their black
hair--holding the cords and looking most pleased with their part of the
function. Just behind them came the good old religieuse Soeur St.
Antoine, hovering over her little flock and keeping them all in their
places; then all the communiants, the smallest girls first, the boys
behind, all carrying lighted tapers and singing a hymn to the
accompaniment of the organ.

They went first to the font, stopped there, and one of the girls read a
sort of prayer renewing their baptismal vows. Then they started again,
in the same order, to the Chapelle de la Vierge, always singing their
hymn, and knelt at the rails. Then the hymn stopped, and they recited,
all together, a praye