he village is less than two
thousand, it practically takes in every family and sometimes every
member of the family. The choosing of the important players is always an
important event in the village. After a season closes no characters are
chosen for seven years. At length the day arrives when the committee of
fourteen who are to choose the leading characters for the play three
years hence is elected. It is a great day. The assembly meets in the
town hall. Every parishioner has a vote. The mayor of the village is
chairman.

After this committee of fourteen is duly elected a meeting is soon
called. It takes several months to consider the problem. Every player
must sign a contract to carry out his part to the best of his ability.
Offenders are punished with great severity. Married women are barred
from the prominent parts. It is said that more than one hundred
rehearsals are held before the opening day.

The receipts for a season are enormous. The sale of post cards and
souvenirs greatly add to the sum. It is not surprising that these people
are often accused for running the play for the money there is in it. But
the leading characters only receive a few hundred dollars for the
season's work. The church receives a large amount. The theater building
and upkeep represents a fortune. To care for the thousands who attend,
the town must have a good water supply, an up-to-date sanitary system,
and many things that would be uncalled for in an ordinary town. Located
as it is away in the mountains, it is very difficult to have the things
that are necessary in the way of improvements.

The people of Oberammergau are a humble, hard-working people. Their main
business is wood carving and they are experts in this work. Without the
Passion Play season the demand for their product would not be so great.
As is said above these people are very religious. They have a very
expensive church or two. On a peak of one of the highest mountains in
the vicinity is a gigantic cross. This is kept polished and when the sun
shines upon it the sight is very beautiful. Many journey to the top of
this mountain and the view richly repays one for the difficult climb.

CHAPTER XIV

THE COUNTRY WHERE THE WAR STARTED--SERVIA

It was a Servian lad who started the war, or rather the fire was all
ready to start and he lit the match. Whether he was hired to do this or
not as has been reported may never be known as he died before the
investigation h