The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-06-24
IN THE CATACOMBS.
BY MISS VI. VI. ELDREDGR.

at is almost finished, is it not, Henri"
yes" answered the artist, dreamily Two
or three more hours work will see my years
occupation ended"
The young man laid down his brush anC
with look of passionate love- stood gazing
silently at the beautiful creation before HIM
1t was madonna, IN which the tender
sweet beauty of the young girl, who stood be
side the artist, was reproduced. with startling
success; and no wonder, for the painting OF
this picture had called into play the two rul
ing passions of Henri Chcneviere's life, his
devotion to his art, and his tervcnt love tol
Elvire Lenoir the girl who was watching him
with eyes full OF such intense sympathy and
appreciation.
AS Henri stood, motloEless IN absorbed
contemplation of the picture, a change came
over his expressive face, which Elvire seemed
to understand well; tor she gently slid hel
hands into his, and with voice tremulous
with loving sympathy, said softly:
1T is something 10 possess the glorious gift
of genius, Henri, even If the ignorance and
stupidity of those around you condemn you to
unmerited obscurlty"
"You are right, Elvlre," answered the young
man. arousing himself from his abstraction
sit is q glorious glft. But | sometimes feel
that it must have been bestowed upon me by
some malevolent fairy in mockery; for, Ell
virie, have, at last, almost come to the con.
clusion that must resign all thoughts of an
artists career, and accept my unccs offer of a
position IN his counting. house, though the
mere thought is positive torture"
Nonsense, Henri! A man who can pain,
such picture as that has no right to bury his
talent in the earth. Why, there is not another
artist IN Paris who could produce Its equal, |
firmly believe But Henri, you have been
moping long enough in this gloomy old
studio Come out with me for walk. Have
you forgot that this is mammals tete day? The
preparations for our little celebration tins
evening, are not quite completed. We must
go out for bottle of cordial, and some cakes.
Come along"
Soon the lovers were strolllng through some
of the comparatively quiet Partisan streets, on
the left bank of the Seine, having, with true
French volatility, left behind them all their
cares and perpleXities, in the little studio I'M
der the solemn shadow of Notre dame They
talked and laughed with all the happy aball-
don of their race. Past the Luxembourg they
wandered; throug the Rue Naugrard, where
Henri bought the cakes and Chaytreuse; along
the Boulevard du Mont Parnasse; past the
quiet old cemetery; until they reached the
Barriers d. Eater where Elvire's observant
eyes took note Of small crowd of animated
tourists conversing gayly in more languages
than one, though English seemed predomi.
nant
" hat especially attracted Elvire's attention
was the candle with which each of this com.
pany was armed, set into wide, circular
piece Of pastc.board, probably to catch the
falling grease
What IN the world are they dong, Henri ?"
asked Elvire, with wide open eyes.
This is the entrance to the catacombs,"
WAS the answer, "and this must be- one of the
days of admission"
"Oh, Henri! | have never seen the cata-
combs, and want to, so much!" said Elvlre,
excitedly couldn't we join the par,y?'
"What-cakes, Chartreuse and all ~ queried
Henri, laughingy.
"Oh, yes! am sure there will be plenty
of time before dinner We have no tickets,
but we might give the guide franc"
Henri consulted his watch, and seeing tina,
they had several hours before them, followed
his usual fashion of invariably indulgng Ell
wire; and after purchasing candles, they
joined the party, which was just then admitted
into door, that opened on a dark stairway,
leading into the ground. Arrived at the foot,
the party found themselves at the beginning
OF long, vaulted, sub,erranean passage, wind.
ing mysteriously on before them into the dark.
ness, which seemed blacker, and closer, and
denser than Elvire had ever believed darkness
could be. AS they became little more &C.
customed to the gloom, they saw that the
weird shadows cast by the many candles we're
falling upon walls lined with human bones,
arranged in varied and fanciful patterns, in
this, their last resting place; while above was
marked the passage of the many living visit
ers to these halls of the dead, in the fantasti-
cal devices made upon the limestone by the
discoloring black smoke of the candles
Elvire grew silent and awestricken at the
sight of these sad relics of humanity; and she
cazed IN mute astOnlshment at two giddy, IT.
reverent girls before her. who were giggling,
chattering ana blowing out each others and
their friends candles, in total of disregard OF
the solemnlty of the place. On the party
wandered, through the darkness, preceded by
the guide; for Of course only a very small
part Of the many miles of these funeral pas.
sages, which underlic Paris, can be gone
through III few hours, and stranger might
wander here for weeks without discovering an
outlet.
Elvire, meanwhile, was pcerng curlously
down the many passages they saw branching
from the man one. Suddenly she came 10 a
pause.
Henri" she said, elsie told me that at
the end of some of these passages, are chapels
formed entirely Of bones. She described one OF
the passages which leads to such chapel,
am sure, from the arrangement of these skulls
that this is the one. Dear Henri, won't YOU
go down there with me, for a moments"
or course Henri assented, only remarking,
we must be quick, Elvire; II would be no
joke to lose our party, in such place as this"
Down the passage they walked, sometimes
hastily, until, 10 Elvire's great disappoint
ment, they came to a turn without binding
what they sought. She stood for moment,
perplexed, then hurried on with the remark
III must be here, Henri; come on, think re.
member that Elsie said we must turn once
We can't go astray, for we can hear, so PLAN.
ly, the voices Of the others"
Henri made some demur, but followed the
excited girl, until she came to sudden pause
and with low, frightened scream dared back
to her lover, "Ohl Henri" she gasped. 81