This practise they had from Padre Damaso, who said: "To the Virgin the maidens and not the old women are pleasing!" This statement had caused wry faces on the part of many saintly old ladies, but the Virgin did not change her tastes.
San Diego followed the Magdalene but did not seem to be rejoicing over this fact, since he moved along as repentantly as he had in the morning when he followed St.Francis.His float was drawn by six Tertiary Sisters--whether because of some vow or on account of some sickness, the fact is that they dragged him along, and with zeal.

San Diego stopped in front of the platform and waited to be saluted.
But it was necessary to wait for the float of the Virgin, which was preceded by persons dressed like phantoms, who frightened the little children so that there were heard the cries and screams of terrified babies.

Yet in the midst of that dark mass of gowns, hoods, girdles, and nuns' veils, from which arose a monotonous and snuffling prayer, there were to be seen, like white jasmines or fresh sampaguitas among old rags, twelve girls dressed in white, crowned with flowers, their hair curled, and flashing from their eyes glances as bright as their necklaces.

Like little genii of light who were prisoners of specters they moved along holding to the wide blue ribbons tied to the Virgin's car and suggesting the doves that draw the car of Spring.
Now all the images were in attitudes of attention, crowded one against the other to listen to the verses.

Everybody kept his eyes fixed on the half-drawn curtain until at length a sigh of admiration escaped from the lips of all.