The native American., 1838-12-29
i.aie as to see them all married. He is gooe
E,tb

Toys, marriages ana DaptiSlns, love, religion, and
virtue, all have place in this funeral abode, as
well as elsewhere. Meanm lille we passed on
through chambers which it is not my purpose to
describe, until we came to the administrative cabi
net or registry-office Of M. Perrin. ] asked and
received permission to look over the book con-
tanning the records of the dead. 1t was in double
columns, the one for the known and lhe other for
the Unknown. The numbers of the unknown
greatly predonlualed. Such entries as these were
abundant: drought at three in the morning;
skull fractured; mknorn.-Brought at midnight;
drowned under the Bridge Of Arts; pack of cards
in the pocket; uHknoWn.-Child newly born;
found dead from cold at the dor of hotel; IN
knomn." And SO on.
sAh!' said M. Perrin to me, don't you find our
res listers kept very nicely now? My hand does
tremble little, but you may see that il is still a
firm handwriting for my age. | have cultivated
a flowing dash with some success. There is
capital Nj now--neatly turned, is it nol?'
Good, simple man! Prond only of The tnrn of
capital letter. whilst needless of the fact that tha,
very letter the commencement Of priacc's
name--of name inscribed upon an Italian coin
age. How came the name of prince into the
pages Of dea;-house register! | remember the
occasion, though | know not the cause One
night when proud mansion was lighted up in
dTiS, WIlcH HANS WcTti CIOWuCtl
with the gay and fashionable. all thinking only Of
life and its enjoyments, domestic, with haggard
Hook, rushed up to the mistress of the dwelling,
who was surrounded by the guests entertained by
her in her husbands temporary absence. The
lady had sooner listened to her servant, than
she flew from the assembly. The mnsic ceased,
tie dancers st,ppel, whispers passed am 'ng the
lcrowd, a voice cried 60 La Mnrgue! and away
rushed the whole. some of them unclnaked, some
with their very heads uncovered, and all in cnnl-
IslDn. A strange sight it was to see that lately
brilliant throng lying in disorder through the open
streets in night of storm and darkness. They
reached LA Morgue one bv e; and Il ere, stretcl-
ed On table. they beheld the lord Of The mansion
they had left cold an Ii't|ess The body Of, the
Prince - had been found in wool in The en-
virons of the capital. How he ded was undis-
covered But, opposite to his amein the regis
ter there was, as NJ. Perrin made me remark, the
words lUeH-kn07Un.
TO return, however, to NJ. Perrin. From
the CHI, mber Of registry we went TO another apart
ment that in which the clothes of the dead were
kept There they hung upon the wall, Of all
forms. kinds, and dimensions, hideously coupled
together a spatterdash, joined by pin to a
sleeve; shawl resting upon the collar Of mans
coat; dresses Of gentlemen, ladies'. workmrn, and
iir'v and defacrd, and exciting the most painful
in, r,ssions in the mind. One could even mark
tn. aprons of the workmen, still rolled up, and
showing that death had surprised them at the end
of days common toll.
Francois, who followed my eyes in looking at
these objects, in order to observe the e ect made
by them upon me, here drew profound sigh.
'What you, then, are moved at this sight," said
| to him. "Your condition is unsatisfactory
rapugnant to yop, then, is it?'
Mot precisely that, SIR replied Francois.
But you must know, sir, that hitherto the clothes
|of the Unknowns have fallen to us after be
ling exposed for six months. We then sell
them. Now they speak OF fuking The clothes
from u.s."
Strange callousness Of habit! | consoed Fran
co.'s by the assurance that neither the Govern
nent nor the world at large spoke Of taking away
the perquisite of the clothes. From this apart
ment we now wen! to the room where the bodies
are exposed; and here, upon marble table. its
sole furniture, beheld the three bodies spoken
|rf The infant. which had fallen from the grasp
of the poor nurse. and been suffocated in the
lstage-coach was beautiful! The other bodies
were dsagreeable objects, and hurried from the
sight Of them
| | said to NJ. Perrin, when we came to his
regster-room again, that feared he must find
his situation tedious in the long nights Of winter.
mo, no. said he, in lively tone; ''my daugh-
ers sing and work; francois and | join our
wives at game of picquet. The misfortune is,
that our little party is often put into disorder
A knock comes below: we are Obliged to descend
to receive and undress the newcomer, and to put
the case in the register. This disurbs our game:
ne forget to mark The points,"
"But your daughters, are they erlechy-"
"Oh you mistake much if you imagine that
the common speciaces to be seen here distress
them at all" said Nj. Perrin. ''TIey pass the
night here with the greatest composure and cheer
fulness. One grows to any thing
He might well say So The rooms which his
family occupied were on the floor Immediately
above that where the bodies were laid. Nay,
the piano of the young ladies stood directly above
the table on which the untortunates were expos
ell, before being reclaimed or buried. So much
was struck with the wonderful soaring Of habit
in this instance, that could not help lancying it
possible for these girls--so familiar with the idea
of dead bodies, SO accustom q to the domestic
spectacle of their existcnce-to forget themselves
on some occasions, and to ask strangers whom
they visited, Just as would inquire ior a gar
l,len or a kichpn ..bu, where do Won kcao your