ecesses or alcoves along the side of the
church, fitted up and furnished with altars, crucifixes, confessionals,
paintings, images, and other sacred emblems connected with the ritual of
the Catholic worship. They are usually raised a step or two above the
floor of the church, and are separated from it by an ornamented railing,
with a gate in the middle of it.]

"That is where the music came from that we heard," said Rollo, pointing
upward.

Mr. George looked up where Rollo had pointed, and there he saw a gallery
at a great elevation above them, with a choir of singers in front, and
an enormous organ towering to a great height towards the vaulted roof
behind. The choir was separated from the body of the church by ranges of
columns above, and by richly-carved and ornamental screens and railings
below. The ceilings were beautifully painted in fresco, and here and
there were to be seen lofty windows of stained glass, antique and
venerable in form, and indescribably rich and gorgeous in coloring.

After gazing about upon this scene for a few minutes with great
admiration and awe, Rollo called his uncle's attention to a discovery
which he suddenly made.

"See," said he; "uncle George, there is a congregation."

So saying, Rollo pointed across the choir to a sort of gateway, which
was opposite to the side on which they came in, and where, through the
spaces which opened between the great columns that intervened, a
congregation were seen assembled. They were in a chapel which was
situated in that part of the church. The chapel itself was full, and a
great many persons were seated in the various spaces rear. Mr. George
and Rollo walked across the choir, and joined this congregation by
taking a position near a pillar, where they could see what was going on.

At a corner near a little gateway in a railing, where the people
appeared to come in, there was a woman sitting with a brush in her hand.
The brush was wet with holy water. The people, as they came in,--for a
few came in after Rollo and Mr. George arrived at the place,--touched
their fingers to this brush, to wet them, and then crossed themselves
with the holy water.

At the altar was a priest dressed in splendid pontificals. He was
standing with his back to the people. There was a great number of
immensely tall candlesticks on each side of him, and a great many other
glittering emblems. The priest was dressed in garments richly
embroidered with gold. There was a boy