The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-12-25
NEHSCEELA NEdpUS.
From Chambers Edinburgh J0urnat.
THE DEAD-HOUSE OF PARIS

i'h DAIND-iICODEL vi hRIo.
La Morgue rthe Dead House) of Paris is
retired gloomy building, situated on that part o
the left bank of the Seine, which lies between
the city quay and that of Orlevres. The obJec
of the establishment, as its name partly implies
is to receive the bodies Of all those who have
come to a violent end, Ivy land or water, anc
either 10 retain them till they are claimed by
friends, or 10 bury them ifthey remain unknown
1t is strange how the existence OF this building
Influences the district in its immediate vicinity
La Nlorgue is the centre point Of attraction, the
source OF news aud novelty. The neighbor,
there talk not of politics revolutions. A
fine corpse was that brought in this morning."-
" He was fair, wnsnt he ?" Did you see the
girl today 2" What long black hair she had
1t unled on the ground as she passed on the
hurdle" Such is the general nature of The
gossip in the neighborhood Of the Dead
House.
visited La Morgue twice. On the first oc.
cason, Francois, the receiver of the bodies
could MT show the establishment 10 me in the
absence ofthe recorder, NJ Perrin. These two
persons dwell with their families in the upper
floor of this house of death, and have the sole
charge of it. Francois, with whom | became
somewhat familiar, desired me to return u GER
tam time, ami should see the whole. Accord
mgly, went again TO La Morgue.
An, you are there" said Francois, rising to
receive me, and Introducing me to his wife and
another person who present. I" This is q
neighbour" continued Francois, abiding TO the
latter individual, who comes, out of sheer
friendship, to help me when require assistance
and on this morning his services have been much
required. Your visit has been timed most luck
ny, sir. We have to.day Il woman who hanged
herself with her carriers man who has been
four hours in the water, and Il third, little fe-
male child, an infant, who suffocated last
night by accident in II stage conch. They mis-
took her for packet, and crashed her. Poor
thing how lovely she is ~
All W said iba th,ita IF
she had mother, who waited anxiousy for her
return from the country by the bye, Fran
co.'s, where did yon lay her , On the dissec-
ton table ?"
" No no ; why, what use could there be in
opening her? Who could think of that dear
little child having been poisoned ? Go and
look nj her; she is as clean il she had come
out of Il BATH And then the young nurse, who
brought her here in her apron, wept as if the
little one had been her own. She told me that
she had been returning from her native village
in Normandy, whittier she had gone to nurse
the child, and that the stage coach, in which
she was, vas so full of people that she was
compelled to put her little nursing between her
knees. She was then much fa,igued, having
slept none for two days. When night came,
she fell asleep. The child slipped from her
grasp; she slept still. The cInld moved aud
perhaps Cried but the rattle of the coach stlf1e,l
the sound and The nurse slept on. In the
morning when she awoke, she found that she
Frnrois ?" said his wife.
" The rest may be conceived. On reaching
Paris where the mother lives, the nurse burst
not go to the house, and thus she thought of
bringing the body here for nterment. But she
would scarcely part wilhgthe child. She kissed
its cold brow, she kissed its hands, she kissed
its shoulders, its feet, saying all the while, Oh
can it he true that she is dead, SIR Then she
gave the body to me, took it back again, shook it
called it by its name, and srove with her fingers
to open its eyes. Oh ! do you know way
to open its eyes for me? Ali they were such
pretty eyes, so round, so blue I! Its eyes My
girl had blue eyes like her mother-oh, she will
kill me, that mother ! will tell her The child
died from its teehing but all village will
say it is not true. l will say they took her from
sne in the coach; but the coachman will say it
is not true. No, no | will tell nothing. | will
go back to my village, and wait ill her parents
come TO see the child. Perhaps they may not
come for three-fcr six !nonths-perhaps no,
for a whole year! But ali can never go
back to my village-never more, if / have not
my infant, my little 1.eonore.'
Here Francois interrupted his account of the
poor nurses EXPLANATIONS, to tell his wife TO note
the name Of Leonore. Remember, wife to
repeat it to Monsieur Perrin that he may in.
scribe it in his register" Francois then resum
ell the nurses soliloIuising.
50 All, cannot return to my village in Nor
mandy. Every body there was so fond of my
Leonofe sugar plums and cakes were show
cred upon her. Monsieur the Curate was dis
tracted about my girl! Oh! sir could we
nor bleed her, and bring her back 4? Or put
her feet into warm water !? All, you know ma
ny cases of children being restored-don t you
now All, you do No! Oh, tell me-tell
me what to do I Her mother will kill me. YES,
certainly she will kill me Or if 60 home to
my village the will throw dirt upon me like
toad Oh, sir, bring my Leonore back to me
and w-yes, IL will give her to you %
Francois paused, and then continued in his
own words, " When it was absolutely necessary
to depart, the nurse again kissed the infants
cheeks, and besought leave from me to take a.
way with her the cap and kerchef that were
upon it. 1t is not our custom to permit this, but
was always too soft-heared. l babe her take
them, and, after snatchng them up, the poor
woman threw her apron over the babes features
and ran out of the house." This was all Fran
sols had to say.about the nurse and child, and his