The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1883-09-22
A VISIT TO pERE-LAcHAisE.

Ia. Miner GriswoId, in Cincinnati Sal. Night.
Pere-Lachaise is the most famous GEN.
etery Of Paris. IL was laid out about So
years ago, and is named after Lachaise,
the Jesuit confessor Of Louis XIV, whose
country seat occupied the site of the pres
ent chapel. The location was well out in
the country when it was selected as a
resting place for the dead, but the city
now presses against and passes far be-
yond It's walls.
You become conscious that you are
approaching the cemetery some time be-
fore you reach it by the great number Of
shops for the sale Of tombstones, mortu-
AIRY wreaths and flowers, ETC., which meet
your gaze. Your guide, If you have one,
win probably lead you past the prison
de la Roquette, which is ia the neighbour
hood, and show you just outside of the
walls and fronting the Gate Of the Con-
demned,' the blocks OF stone inserted in
the pavement, on which the fatal Suillo-
tine rests when a PASSOVER is executed.
Executions are exceedingly rare under
President Greyy, and his clemency to the
condemned has won for him the some
what derisive title Of 1.-The prisoners
friend" He has commuted numerous
death sentences to imprisonment for life
during his term Of Office. Il was at Ro-
quette prison that the venerable Arch
bishop OF Paris, Darboy, was assassinated
during the communist reign Of terror in
May, 1871. Numerous persons. among
them nearly a hundred gendarmes, suf-
fered death there during the same pc
Rod. The latter were slaughtered by
the convicts, whom the communists lib
Grated and armed. The approach of
the Versailles troops saved the lives of
many others who would otherwise
have fallen victims to the fiendish spirit
OF revenge.
pere-Lachaise, the largest and most in
teres,ing of the three great Partisan
buying grounds (the others being those
of Montma,re and Montparnosse). now
covers an area of ITO acres. Some $1,000
people lie buried there, and the number
OF monuments is about 10000, many of
them exceedingly interesting as memo
rails OF people distinguished in arms, lit
erature. the arts, the sciences. etc, etc.
II would almost seem as though the chief
object OF a Frenchman in seeking fame
was TO ind tomb, suitably inscribed, in
/ lere- Lachaise.
1t is supposed 10 be the right thing for
all strangers, on entering the cemetery,
to proceed at once to the tomb of \ belard
and Heloise. They were loving but
unfortunate couple, not personally known
to any one now living, for they flourished
IN the fore part of the twelfth century.
Abelard, as some may remember, was a
theological professor in a French acad-
envy. He had pupil named Heloise. to
whom he made love as relief from the
somewhat dry and monotonous investi-
CATION orthodoxy, and whom he married.
without the formality of consulting her
parents. Her family. who had higher
aspirations for her, were enraged at this
and resenged themselves upon the bride
groom in a cruel manner. He died soon
after and his sorrowing bride quickly
followed him 10 the silent tomb. there
being apparently nothing lief, to live for.
They were buried a, the Convent of
Paraclet, on the river Seine, which
Abelard founded. The monument at
Pere-Lachaise is reconstructed from rem
nants OF an old monument that was itself
made from fragments of the ancient con-
vent. 1t was long preserved in the Pal
ace OF Fine Arts, from whence it was
transferred to its present position in 1917.
The sareophagus with reeumbent statutes
OF the lovers side by side are portions of
the original tomb. The iron railing sur
rounding the tomb is continually hung
with wreaths made Of beads strung upon
wires, mournful tributes of people who
are disappointed in love. Abelard and
Heloise look very peaceful and quiet
lying there. They have remained side
by side for hundreds Of years, and not a
cross word has ever passed between
them. Abelard doesn't run around
nights. and Heloise refrains from gossip
ing about her neighbors. They are a
model couple in some respects. have
been shown the spot where their city
residence stood. It is on the island
known as The Cite, the oldest portion of
Paris, on the river south Of Notre Dame
The street is known as Quai Aux Fleurs
According to the inscription on the mar
bic slab set in the wall, Abelard and
Heloise had their residence there in Ills,
and it was rebuilt in ISlo. The oldes,
street in Paris, narrow alley much be-
low the present grade, is in the immedi-
ate vicinity.
In the Jewish section is the tomb Of
rNaeHCi, inc idtnouS actress, VINO 0leQ IN
1858. The chapel of the rich Rothschilds
IS very unpre,entious affair, hardly in
keeping with the wealth of the greatest
money lenders in the world. The chapel
OF the Epstein family is one Of the rich
est in the cemetery. don't know who
the Epsteins are, but imagine they deal
in "clodings."
There are numerous celebrated COM
posers in Pere-Lachaise, composed to
their final sleep, and tender requiems
may be murmured among the shadow
ing leaves for ought know. There rests
Chopin, equally celebrated as composer
and violinist. He died in iS4o, and
there are living people who speak with
the greatest enthusiasm of having heard |
him perform his own matches produc-
tons. ] saw the tomb of Bellini, who |
gave to the operate stage Norma. La |