Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-07-25
Vol. XIV. Whole No. 1877. No. 80.
Correspondence.
Paris Letter.


| (From our Regular Correspondent
THE CATACoMBs AND THE FETE-THE
BONES OF THREE MILLIONS OF PERSONS
| EXPOSED TO vEw.-rHEIR TASTEFUL
| ARRANGEMENT-TuE GREAT ILLUMINA-
| TfoN-TEMPLEs OF FIRE-THE VOLATILE
| ABANDON OF A HAPPY, MAD, DEMOCRATIC
| MOB.
| Since l last wrote | have seen the cata-
| combs of Paris, where the bones of three
millions of skletons are arranged, and |
have also seen the great Illumination in
| honor OF peace and industry, which il is
| estimated was witnessed by no less than
| two and hall millions ofpersons. l hard
ly know which most to admire the cata-
| combs or the fete. As the old rhetoIician
| said iu his parallel of Virgil and Homer,
the first was more correct, the latter, more
! Impressive. The catacombs are the ac-
cumulation of the last hundred years from
the ancient cemeteries of Paris, and they
consist Of literal thousands OF cords Of hui
man bones, arranged on each side of sub
terranean galleries, extending for miles in
various directions under the city. Our
party of about 200, representing many
tongues, aud both sexes, each with a can
die, descended shaft of l02 steps below
the surface of the EARTH aud then walked
without stopping for forty minutes before
we reached the point OF ascent. We had
however explored but small portion Of
rhia -, ~ 4
as many as sixty different places OF en-
trance to the catacombs, and we passed
numerous galleries leading of from the
one through which we were conducted In
tt langement of the bones Il must say
bones tor did not see an entire individual
skeleton among them) am again COM
pelled 70 admire the French talent for oru-
amentation. In the first place their regu-
larity is perfect On the floor and back to
the wall, about yard In depth are ar
ranged leg and arm bones, on top of these
layer OF skulls, then another series Of
limb bones, diversified with skulls on top.
TO relieve the monotOny OF these long
ghastly galleries, the skulls are at inter
walls Tor few rods arranged III gracel>l
curves, which present to the spectator as
pleasing an appearance as considering the
material used, could be expected. Then
again the facade is diversified by artistic
presentations Of death heads and cross
bones, used by druggists to label poisous,
but made Of the genuine material We Oh
served in passing that many of the skulls
had bullet holes. some more than one, in
the forehead; others had the appearance
OF having been crushed by sabre stroke.
There has been no effort made to keen th,.
Only Of late years haye the bones dislnterrd
from different cemeteries been arranged in
distinct galleries, and prince aud peasant,
monarchist and rcyolutioni,t, relisonest
and utidel, friend and enemy, male and
female been made to exchange and mix
limbs IN a most grotesque aud moralesquc
manner. Haste tbee to my ladys cham
Der and tell her though she paint one inch
thick to this favor must she come at last
| observed that many OF the skull, were
toothlcss, aud from the way in which an
American dentist, (he said he was a den
tist) pulled at the teeth as wc passed,
thought | had q hint OF how they became
toothless What ridiculous mania for rel
les some people have.
Everything favored the great illun.iua-
tion of peace and industry, that has for
days been the talk of Paris The weather
wls clear and pleasantly cool. The bou-
levard> were lined on each side with gas
pipes with jets Of light about four inches
apart. The trees in the parks and along
the streets were hung with Chinese lam
terms. The public buildings and churches
were outlined in the darkness by jets of
gas on their lines of architecture, .ud the
Augustin especially, looked like temples Of
the fire. The main avenue OF the garden OF
luiieries was gorgeous with lattice work
of light, in various designs, which shining
through glass Of different colors, presented
a scene OF ndescribablc beauty. But by
far the most interesting part OF the specta-
Gle was the hHndredS of thousands o
French thinking, acting. and speaking men
women and children, of all classes mad
with excitement aud happiness, surreud-
erng themselves to the merriment of the
occasion with volatile abandon that some
would call childish and others ridiculous
The incidents and episodes of that night
will not be forgotten by those who wilt.
messed them. and they will furnish a key to
French character, and to the tragedy of
French history such as cannot be found in
volumes of brilliant dissertation.
Hundreds OF professions composed of
boys. girls, middle aged and well dressed
men and women. servants male and fe.
male, with white caps and aprons, singing
the Marsaillaise .or q love song. were
marching al a quick step In the direction
was not continuous, but scores of crowds
of from fifty to two hundred people each
appeared To rally TO the standards of self
constituted leaders. One crowd WAS led
by boy with white apron and bare arms.
To see him walking packard in front of a
mob of genteel looking men and women,
waving a little stick. after the manner of a
leader of the orchestra, while they were
chanting love song was exceedingly ride
ulous. Another motley division was led by
an elegantly dressed girl. Still another
battalion had rallied to the leadership of
a man who had basket on his head with
his child in it. C. A. S.