The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-05-15

How Paris Newspaper Teiis - Dramatic
etory-The Crype IN the Madeleine.

tTranslated from lie GAulois.
Every morning about III O'clock for the
patt three years. n woman closely yelled aid
cisd In severest black. giidsd like half ia
hidden In the walls OF the church at the
Madeleine, and which introduced the swing
who visited the dead into the eombre crypts
OF the holy basilice.
Punctusl as II 1t was a meeting of honor
or love. this shadow, so familiar to the old
airy where the collins are waiting Gas IL at q
travelling station for the mysterious train to
eternity) passed through with o noiseless
ard rapid step. This door is unknown 10
the msjority of the faithful and Is acces
sible only TO the initiated. IL is closed
is sacred, 10 those who mourn their
dead. How many pious mourners. with
fearful eyes and prayerful lips. land hearts
filled with hope of meeting the dear de
parted in a brighter and better world. have
passed through that portal OF sorrow As
you enter. leaving behind you the busy.
crowded street, with it's surging throngs and
jostling vehicles. the little pas-- leading
10 the crypts of the dead turns to the left,
near the main altar. The number of these
subterranean guests varies; sometimes more,
sometimes less, according to the number of
branches detached from the parish tree and
whose last resting place is not rs yet pre-.
pared. All the dead do not pass on at the
same PACE. Though the cid ballad says they
do. The vaults prepared for some OF those
dear departed oftentime1 require as much
time in building as q palace hotel. Some
are waiting to be translated to the old spot
OF their childhood, or to friends now living
far away. And again, the love of father or
mother husband or wife, brother or sister,
often seek 10 retain the coffin as long az d.
sibls, as il in committing it to the bosom Of
the earth the dead are a second time torn
from their tenderness and love.
This elegant woman, veiled and clad in
black. that glIdes through the door of the
Madeleine every morning is a mother.
A mother who lost her only daughter ere
she had attained her twentieth year, and VINO
was hardly ever ont of that mothers sight
till death tore her rudely away.
How old was that mother who seemed
now only to live for the dead? Those who
saw her could not guess. Her mien was
simple, but Involuntary retiring. Her step
was light, and her carriage easy and grace.
full, even amid the gravity of her daily pill
erimage. She descended with familiar step
The dark and narrow stairway that led to the
corridor opening into the chamber OF the
dead, half lit up with few struggling rays
OF light. There she stopped at least an hour
sometimes three hours-and very often
three
A pIie6ieu was awaiting her. She kuelt
on IL, and prayed and wept and wept and
prayed before little chapel the only lnmin-
Gus point amid the dark Surroundings.
From time TO time she w3uld interrupt her
devotlons to arrange o. rearrange the How
ers on the little altar, or renew the boouets
and faded crowDs aud the vases adorned
with their white symbols
On white bed, resting on foar square co.,
umns. in the style of the bsds of the six.
tenth century, covered with white draper
les. embroidered with silver. Teposed coffin,
uhi~h oil drepcc in Uhifo fha
four corners of the bed were four large silver
candelabYa and white flowers in boquets,
crowns. pots everywhere on the bed-at its
foot and around il. There reposed the re
mains of that lovely virgin. torn from
mothers tenderness and there that mothsr
came to visit her child, and in this asylum
of the dead to battle her soul in the joys of
living over again with her child the haDpi.
nese Of former days.
One day this week this lady clad in black
failed to pay her morning visit to the dead,
and the old sexton muttered as he stumbled
by: What mu. t have happened to her?
This is the first morning in three years tina
she has not spent the morning with her
daughter. She must be sick, and very sick
indeed" And he muttered his uneasines,
and forebodings to the servants of tn ,
church.
Soon the rumor spreads that chastity muir.
der had been committed All the vicinity
is stirred and soon all Paris is moved. A
woman has been found with her throat cut
dead in her bed in the Rue de Seze.
The name of the victim is on every lip. 1t
is that or the mourning mother, who that
day for The first time failed to come to pray
beside her daughters coffin. 1t is Nine.
Cannot.
TIE next morning the spoilt child. spoilt
even in death, awaited the mothers visit
The mother was at the Morgue.
Two collins, one white, the other black
now lie side by side in the dark cavern of the
Madeleine, and soon both will be on shsir
journey. to the Cemetery OF Passy and moth
or and daughter will be separated no more.