The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-01-18 00:00:00

SUNDAY AT CHISELHURST.

The following Interesting sketch from the Daily
New@ contains graceful tribute te the Awmory of the
late Emperor :

The natural beauty of the place, and the balminess of a
winter morning that for a freshness that waist once soft
and bright might have been May morn, made au early wadi
across Chimlhurst common very enjoyable. . . . The Born-
brenese on the scene wee in the closely-drawn blinds of
Camden-place, nestling with a certain dreariness if shelter
among the swarthy yew trees which surround it with their
sullen-tinted foliage. But the sun Bashed beams in and out
among the yew treee, dud glinted merrily on the windows,
behind which were drawn blinds and grief. Past the
"Tiger's Head," whose luncheons pedestrian, know so well,
leaving on the right the church beneath whose quaint roof
dead Sidney, lie nearly as thick as in the family aisle at Pens-
hunt, across • tiny common, its grass micumbered by furze
and its area encircled by cottages, my stops brought me
presently to the gates which lead-into the trim little ceme-
tery of the Roman Catholic Chapel of St. Mary's, Chiselhuret.
There ion plensant aspect of dainty trimness about the little
'Coil's acre" of the Chiselhurst Roman Catholics. Great
old elm trees overhang the graves and the lowly roof, rose
bushes line the well.kept pathways, and there are flower
beds on and among the graves. In the southeastern corner
of the churchyard is the family vault if the late Captain
Bowden, the
.founder of the chapel, and it was in
this vault that at one time there was a half inten-
tion of depositing the coffin of the late Emperor.
.... On Sunday morning, during the early mass,' which
was celebrated at half-past eight, a single rushlight
glimmered among the evergreens and bungles on the
left side ef the Host; and close to the break of the
chancel, on the left side as one stands with his hack to the
altar, another rushlight faintly Illuminated the head of the
crib, embowered ansong evergreens and eurrounded by
praying women On the opposite wall, and facing outward
from the chancel, tea marble statue of the Virgin Mary. The
walls are hung with the Initial religious wood carvings in
renews. The church was still bright with Christmas deco-
rations. In bars feetoons and cypher., emblems, and mottoes
in green leaves.

Tho congregation 111111 not large. The chapel mu open
for morns time before the commeneement of maw et hall-pest
eight, and women and children came dropping in singly—
some knelt In prayer, while others pasted in succession
through the narrow door leading Into the Confessional. Two
black draped Sisters of Mercy knelt nedionlese in prayer at
the foot of th alter-tteps. On tbe alter•dala, on the right side
of the chancel as ono stands with his back to the alter, were
three fauteuils with& Trio-Dieu between them, both fauteuils
and Trio-Dieu covered with crimson velvet. Just before the
service commenced the priest entered, and amid a silence
that was hardly broken by the muttering of prayers nod the
suppressed not,s of one of the Slaters of Mercy, proceeded to
drape the fauteuils and pose-Dieu with a covering of hack
velvet trimmed round the edges with white. There wet
rigid simplicity in the action, yet In it there was a mourn.
fulness that paid more than any words could have said.
Then to hie little congregation, emulating almost wholly of
Irish people, end copping none of the Camden-plans
party, KG r oddard offered up mass. The service tatted
barely half an.hour, and with the exception of the praying
sitters of Mercy the chapel wet empty until the time drew
nigh for the commencement of the principal service.
• • - - -

There was some expectation hi Lmdon that there would
be • special eervice and sermon on Sunday morning at St.
ary's Chapel, and ab, ut • hundred visitors had come down
by the not trala from Charing.erona. The little church was
crowded lon before the service commenced, but those who
hat Come expectant of special services were disappointed,
as nothicg but high mass wee celebrated, even the ordinary
set mon b-ing omitted. There were many French people,
both male and female, to be wen among the con.
gregation, and at intervals • suppressed sob from
some part or other of the church told of a sorrow that
was still recent and unsubdued. Shortly before the com-
mencement, the smite that had been reserved immediately
behind the three Imperial chain were oocupied by the
Princesses Ilathlide and Clotilde, the Due de lisallinno, Baron
Jf,rome David, M. Pietri, Dr. Cconeau, and Dr. It Baron
Corvisart. The service wan conducted in a very dmple
manner by the Rev. Mr. Go tdard, who @mimed weights'
down with sorrow. Indeed, at the end of the cele-
bration of the man, he announced in a voice that
was 'several thee* Interrupted by deep emotion, that
he would not give the ordinary sermon that morning,
as he was neither inclined nor able to say anything to him
congregation, for that at that moment, as on several days
past, the holy aliCrifiCe of the mass was being offerd no at
Camden-place for the repose of the soul of his Majesty the
Emperor of the French. The rev, gentleman then requested
the congregation to accompany him in silent prayer Alter
the singing of the hymn of benediction, the congregation
dispereed.

In the parish church of St. Nicolas, on Chiselhurst-
common, the Rev. Francis Murray, the rector, held a Me.
bration of holy communion at eight o'clock in the morning
but not at eleven. During the Litany there were frequent
pauses for private prayer for the Imperial sufferers, and in a
shott address the preacher admonished his hearer, to re-
member the bereaved and afflicted widow and son in their
prayers, and show their sympathy in Tuesday's and Wed-
nesday's ceremonies.
In Christ Church, Chin'burst, the Rev. Mr. Flemming
made a touching allusion to the uncertainty of human life
in reference to 'the illustrious dead now lying In our
ml ii" A short allusion to the death was made in both
churches in the afternoon services.

Throughout the whole day there were many visitor' at Cam-
den-place Prince Napoleon arrived in a carrture from Loudon
a little after eleven, too hate for the service at the chapel.
Princess Mathilde, with whom Dr. le Baron Corvisart sln Cl.
hetrl, Ben , walked from Camden-place to Bickley station, and
came up to town by the two o'clock train Some of the visiton
were admitted Into the bedroom where the Emperor's remains
Ile. alth ..ush there was inevitable bustle on the ground
floor, everywhere upstairs the deepest silence reigned.
No servant was allowed to act as the usher of the SUCC.NIVE,
parties of visitors; one of the personal suite. Count Clary, is.
Deciliters, is. Pletri, and others undertook the duty. The
chamber, of which the furniture Is very simple, was
darkened almost to obscurity. The coffin stands on treaties
in the middle of the floor, and the Emperor's body, clothed in
fall uniform, booted and gloved, lay In the cofflu mai:ended