The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-11-08 00:00:00

THE "FETE DES MORTS" IN PARIS

AND ROME.
The Paris correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, writing
on Sunday, says
"Visitors to the Paris cemeteries must often
have been struck by the care with which the tombs
and even humbler graves are tended. Many pretty
tokens of affection are laid by pious hands upon them
and often renewed. But on this day, the "Jour des
Morts," the cemeteries are systematically visited, and
thousands of families may be seen each wending its
way to the resting•place of some departed member
whose memory is eill fondly cherished. The Me des
Morts, as it is called, began practically yesterday
(Nov. 1) on All Saints' Day; but to-day Paris may be
said to have been given up to the saddest of duties.
Crowds filled the tasteful avenues shaded by tall trees,
while in the narrower lanes which separate the lines of
graves might be seen among the cypresses mourners
tenderly trimming some plant or hanging a wreath of
immortelles inscribed with the names of parent, wife,
or child upon the cross which heads the spot."

The Paris oorrerpondent of the Daily Chronicle, in noticing
the celebration in Paris, says :

"To-day the sun shone out brightly, and the nip-
ping air gave a bracing tone to the thousands of pedes-
trians who journeyed to the cemetries wherein Paris
deposits the ashes of its citizens. Pere Lachaise, as
usual, attracted the largest crowds. In France,
society always resolves itself into groups, and this was
to be observed in the sectional divisions into which
Paris divided itself to day at the grave•side. The
tombs of Theirs, Ledru Rollin, Baron Taylor, and
Rsspail had each their separate visitors, who
deposited wreaths of immortelles on the stones
that marked where their respective idols lay. The
military thronged around the tombs of Ney, ' the
bravest of the brave.' Macdonald. Messina, and
Davoust, whilst Alfred de Musset and Denton, who
almost elbow each other in death, were visited by the
ardent lovers of the first poet of the Revolution and
its moat stormy hero. Racine, too, bad devotees at
his tomb, whilst Zarras was almost neglected, as were
also Baleen and Madame de Geniis. The young and
the sentimental grouped themselves around the tomb
of Heloise and Abelard, and many tokens of fidelity
were fitfully exchanged over the monument that tells
their history, but scarcely marks the last resting.
place of the strange but ardent lovers,"

The Frensh residents at Berlin paid a visit on
Sunday to the tombs of their countrymen—victims of
the war of 1870 (lays the Correspondent of The Times).
Professor Lacroix delivered an address and deposited
a large laurel wreath decorated with the Tricolor.
All the French Embassy, except their head, M. de
St. Vanier, who was indisposed, were present.

Writing from Borne on Sunday the Correspondent of The
Times says :
"Yesterday and to-day, being All Saints' and All
Souls' day, the entire population of Rome has been
moved
Ancient d
Aaanciifby one consent to commemorate its
indeed, by tens upon tens of cen-
turies, through Paganism and Christianism, as is
this custom in Rome, it might have had a special
revival this year. The long road to the cemetery of
San Lorenzo has been thronged both days by a
double line of conveyances, often obliged to go at a
foot pace, and by a crowd of pedestrians flocking
both ways, The silent field of the dead looked as if at
had become the busy gathering-place of the living, and
it might almost be described as gay from the multi-
tude of flower vendors assembled outside and the wreaths
of garlands with which the dead were covered. The
secular custom, also, of lighting lamps and candles at
the heads of graves was universally observed. Liberals
and Clericals were united in paying together their tri-
bute to their particular dead, and within the
basilicas of the Pantheon and San Lorenzo extra
muros special honours were rendered to the memories
of the King and the Pope. Over the spot where Pius
IX.'s body is at rest in San Lorenzo, two magnificent
silver wreaths—one bearing the motto, Italy to the
unconquered martyr, the other to Pius IX, from his
Rome many others of flowers had been placed.
This morning, at the Panthson, representatives of
all the regiments and military institutions of Rome
assembled, and after General Marro, commander of
the military district, had spoken a few appropriate
words, they hung A splendid silver wreath before the
tomb of Victor Emmanuel, Curiosity to see and try
the new tramway to sian Lorenzo, opened yesterday,
had doubtless something to do with the extraordinary
conoourse to the cemetery. The spacious carriages
were absolutely stormed the moment they arrived at
either terminus."