National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-02-11

tool houses, stables, and residences for half a
| dozen men and their respective families, Other
pilgrims for PaudcmOnium cnmc into the yard
soon aiter our ARRIVAL aud at a concerted signal
| we began To- dcsccnd In single file narrow stone
staircase, which was reached through a trap. door
/ at one side OF the yard zach bearing candle, we
! wound our way round and round TIL we reached a
! loyel passage, with blacklue painted along one
slde on thG white stone and clay 10 prevent pilgrims
| from sttNying OF into hy.wnys. We went along
for half mile nt least before VIC saw anything to
break the monoony Of this narrow tunnel, pass
| ing from time TO time branches running of to the
t,ght and lem I'm the same order rs the streets
above, aud bearing the same names, till we
reached broad chamber, decorated In the most
fantastic fashion with human skulls and skele.
tons An ornamental fretwork, made of bleached
inger-bones and shoulder blades, was supported
by graceful Coriuthian columns OF leg and arm
bones, with bases Of skulls and capitals made Of
hp-ioints, the shading in this attractive sculpture
-i mi9r shading II was-being artistically arranged
with the smaller bones OF the feet and the shorter
fibs. Knee caps and tho perforated sections of
the spinal column were made good use OF in the
minor decorations, while jaws and stray forearm;
deed
COULD BE MORE HARMONIOUS
rs an architectural whole, and II was only after
viewing with great attention this attractive strc-
turc that 81. Dupc and myself were able to con.
gratulate ourselves that ot last we know what
mankind was made for. Various tablets, with
quotations from the poets inscribed upon them
we're seen along the route and shortly after leay.
the architectural gem above mentioned, great
rtcks ofshuttcrcd human frames arc seen on either
side ofthe path, reaching. To the ceiling in heaps
like cord wood, and all built up in the highest
style of ornamentatOn known to- the trade Some
young girls In the party who had recently come
over from the stntes said that the spectacle made
them feel quite sea.siok. They thought It was
disgracenl 10 use the dead with such disrespect.
one young EnglshwomOn who was with her hus-
bnnd-Hnd plainly they were over the Channel on
q honeymoon excursiOn-remarkcd very seriously
that the poor people whose skeletons were brought
70 those horrid Cntncombs would have hard
In IL IlVUtH
Wneh the Gay OF rcsurfecilon comes. sanity ob,
served, briefly. By Jupiter Mnck, we must get
cash enough an ahead some way to save 10Y our bones
sighed and made some sort of a remark about the
scene, after which the guide proceeded along
another narrow passage, which led to the exit,
about milo from where we entered the Cata-
combs, and we once more arrived among the ami.
mated counterparts Of what we had seen down
there In the darkness and gloom
STRANGE, WEIRD, ASD CHASTITY
Is that municipal bone yard. And what lesson
there is in IT, Sex, race, creed, condition, worth
hidcous mass of discolored aud halfdeCaylng
bonesl "lIonors are even" there sure enough.
There is the shin of rcd cO1naHtndrd of the last
century, sticking through the eyo-socket Of OF
the Kings sheriffs, supporting his skull alongside
of those of two dCnli.DlonddiRes In an ornament.
Here we have the arms and legs of maid of honor,
interlaced with the ribs, skull, and vertebrp of n
beggar of Montmartre; and here the skull of Il
poet, balanced between two thigh bones, one being
that of actress the other that of grnved digger
Who knows but the true bones of some real kings
and queens are moudcTing away there among
that residue OF millions Of human beings? And
who cares whether they are or not? It IS the
grand and solemn finale of life Mt least and the
great cure.all for mortal misery Want, sorrow,
care, ambition, disappointment, worry, and pain,
all of which have had their part in swaying
to and fro the life which once moved those naked
wrecks, are now powerless to affect them in any
way. The poor, sad looking old clowns who rat.
tie them about and build them into those fantas
tic shapes know well enough that their own ILL.,
fed carcasses will soon share similar fate while
tourists who go there from all parts of the world
must often feel like repeating they depart those
old lines about Mingle, mingle mingle, ye that
minge mayw
Lively social notices don't come In very pat after
such scenes, but all the world-that is, the for.
eign society in Paris-is excited over two brilliant
entertainments which are about TO take place-a
grand ball to be given by DR.. Warren (Bey)
and his charming daughter, Miss Bette, and Miss
Nettie Hoopers private theHtrcals both of which
will be attended by the American Minister, and
all the prominent and distinguished Americans in
Paris MACK