Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-10-16

he keeps himself hidden now is not roman
tic He is growing so fat he is ashamed to
show himself Fancy fat Lohengrin!"
~ don't believe it," said Beatrice indig-
nantly. ''Most ladies look upon King Ludwig
as possessed of the beauty of Greek god"
otis quite true. The other night he sent
for one of the singers from the opera. She
had to sit in a punt on the lake and sing to
him. Fancy a prima donna in punt sing
ing to an invisible king. Well the punt
was small and the lady stout. Just in the
middle of grand cadenza over went the
boat What do you think the king didg'
Naturally, pulled her out"
Mot a bit of it. He rang a bell and
walked away, leaving the poor thing to
plash. Makes one feel republi can to
hear such things"
So Frank talked but all his fooling waa
forced. They had been walking about aim.
essly, and scarcely noticing where Shall
we go any where-to one of the galleriesg
asked Beatrice.
s'No," said Frank ats too fine for pic
lures Let us go and look at the statue o.
Bavaria" The statue being long way off,
they took one of those delightful littla
fiacres, hired, including coachman with
broad silver band round his hat, for some.
thing like sixpence the half hour One, al
most the only one, relic of bygone cheap
living in Munich,
They ms pected the colossal statue, but did
not yield to the temptation of going up into
It's head via the leg. They walked through
the Hall of Fame at the back Of the statue
But sightseeing did them no more good than
Franks forced gayety. They were both sad
at heart
''Where shall we go nowg' asked Frank
4l,o1- Iea1 10 he tTc tho1o
any hing else to- see about here?' He couched
this question in curious German, and adj
dressed tie driver. The driver said the
great south cemetery was not far off.
II don't like cemeteries" said Frank
doubtfully.
Il do,'' said Beatrice. So they drove &C
cording to her wish.
They passed under the great arched en-
trance to the place of tombs. Beatrice, who
was now deep in sad thoughts, looked
neither to the right nor left-and Frank was
looking only at Beatrice. They walked
straight into the great open space, and for
awhile, with the bright May sun shining
down on them, wandered about the forest
of tombs, which, after the manner Of all
continental memorial stones, looked untidy
from the withered or tawdry wreaths which
had been placed on them last All Souls Day,
and left to decay at ease. CaTuthers was
somewhat disappointed in the cemetery.
Although this was his first visit to Munich
he fancied he had read or heard that this
cemetery was one of the finest in Europe
He told Beatrice he was disappointed.
"Perhaps the finest monuments are under
the piazza" she said.
They walked across to the broad piazza
which runs round the center space. As
Beatrice had suspected, the finest end most
costly and artistic monuments were against
the wall. Some of them were magnificent
works of art, but Carruthers paid them
scant attention. Whether it was the mel
ancholv surroundings or the strain which
at Beatrice's wish he had put upon himself
to keep their conversation away from the
subject ever uppermost in their hearts, he
could not tell, but it seemed to him that at
this moment his sorrow was more unen-
durable, more abiding than ever.
"Thism he muttered. ''To this it all
comes. The end Of love, the end of ambi-
| ton, of wealth, of poverty, of pain, of joy
| All come to it, and other men and women
walk over our graves and wonder who we
We're. Beatrice Beatricew he cried, in a
voice of exquisite agony. 1--WE can live but
once and our life is wastedr'
Bravely as he had borne himself, Carruth-
| GIS uftu du ldSU DlOhtu uOWu
Beatrice started. These words were the
| first which had been wrung from him which
implied the slightest reproach 1t only
| wanted this to complete her misery She
bent her head and the tears ran from her
| ewes. Then she looked at Frank with pitt
! full, appealing gaze which went straight to
| his heart.
II was a fonl-a weak FOOL" he said
Forgive met
no you are wise. Oh, why was I ever
bornr'
'iLet us CO." said Frank 81 hate this
abode Of dead mortality"
So with heavy hearts they walked along
the broad piazza toward the entrance to the
| cemetery Somehow their hands met, and
they went hand in hand.
| Neither spoke, Carruthers was telling
himself that he was weaker than he thought,
| that he could not bear the situation longer
He would see Beatrice safe in England. He
would see this man and insure her future
peace. Then he would--he must leave her,
To see her, hear her voice, touch her hand
vet know she could not be his was more
than he could ask himself to bear
| So as they walked down that piazza they
felt that they were bidding each other
| farewell WHICH might well be eternal No
|
As they drew near to the entrance they
passed what was to all appearance a shop
with plate glass front opening on the piaz-
a. In front of it were two or three men
and women and several children: the last
named on tip-toe, and fiattening their flat
Teutonic noses against the glass. Frank
also glanced that way and saw such curious
sight that in spite of his preoccupation, he
stopped.
A lutte way inside the glass was arranged
on banks of evergreens and flowers what
seemed to be dozen dolls, of various sizes,
but all large for dolls Each was dressed in
smart long robes with tinsel and other deco
rations, and each doll bore large number
A cuIious sight! Carruthers drew near and
then the truth flashed upon him They were
| dead babiesl There, each in its little nest of
leaves and flowers, they lay awaiting the
day Of burial
S'They are deadr said Frank, turning to
| Beatrice.
eyes. I remember hearing it was the
custom here to let them wait like this; but
I forgot all about it. A horrible CUSTOM is
1T notF'
Is it a horrible custom2 If startling to
strangers, is it more horrible than the Eng
lish custom of letting the poor dead thing
lie for DAYS in an upper chamber, lie there
often until the last sight one carries away
of the loved one is sight to be forgottens
! who has not known those fearful days
which precede an English funeral? The
fearful room with its boxed-up odor OF
death striving with those of sweet scented
flowers. eau de Cologne and carbolic acid.
It may seem harsh to bear away the paar
dead clay at once, but not SO harsh as the
custom which jeopards health for the sake
| of sentiment
Is it a horrible custom to think of loved
one exposed to the eyes of the public? Hor-
rible at first sight to watch women bring
ing children and lifting them up to see what
lies behind the glass. But why should the
dead fear to face their fellow creatures
gaze more than the living? Why should the
living be taught that the sight of death is so
to be dreadedi
But if the sight is horrible to stranger it
is fascinating Notice all who visit the
Munich cemetery for the first time If they
peep IN at one window of the wartsaal they
will peep in at all; Reatrice AMI Frank
formed no exception to this rule,
There are several of these windows. In
| tho ona 1nyt FIJI, bohias thew saw tho lodv