Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-04-16

By HUGH CONWAY.

the piazza" she said.
They walked across to the broad piazza
which runs round the center space. As
Beatrice had suspected. the finest and most
costly and artistic monuments were against
the wall Some Of thsm were magnificent
works Of art, bnt Carrutkers paid them
scapt attention. Whether it was the mel
ancholy surroundings CT the strain which
st BeatTice'S wish he had put upon himself
TO keep their conversation away from the
subject ever uppermost ii their hearts, he
could not tell, but it seemed 10 him that at
this moment his sorrow was more uneu-
durable. more abiding than ever.
''Th;stH he muttered. TO this it all
comes. The end Of love, the end of smbi-
ton, OF wealth, Of poverty, of pain. OF joy
All come 10 il, and other men and women
walk over cur graves and wonder who We
were. Beatrice. Beatr:cer' he cried, in a
voice Of exquisite agony, I'VE can live but
once and cur life is wastedr'
Bravely SIS lie had borne himself Carrutlr-
ers had at last broken down.
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
eyes Then she looked at Frank with a piti-
ful, appealing gaze which went straight to
his heart.
Il was a fcol-a weak fool." he said.
Forgive me-"
NO, you are wise. Oh, why was I ever
| bornln
Let us co. said Frank 4 hate this
abode OF dead mortality
So with heavy hearts they walkel along
the broad piazza toward the entrance 10 the
cemetery. Somehow their hands met, and
they went band 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 riazza they
felt that they were bidding each other a
farewell which might we'll be eternal No
wonder their hands refused to part.
! 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 ana several children; the last
named on tip-toe, and flattening their flat
| Teutonic noses against the glass Frank
also glanced that way and saw such a curious
| sight that, in spite of his preoccupation. he
| stopped
| A little 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 a large number.
A curious sight, Carruthers drew near and
| then the truth flashed upon HIN. They We're
dead babies! There, each in its little nest of
leaves and flowers, they lay awaiting the
dav of burial.
''They are deadr' said Frank turning to
Beatrice.
| "Yes. | remember hearing it was the
custom here to let them wait like this: but
l forgot all about it. A horrible custom, is
| it not9'
! Is it a horrible custom! If startling tc
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 forgotten
Who has not known those fearful days
which precede an English funerall The
| fearful room with its boxed-up odor o.
death striving with those of sweet scented
| flowers, eau de Cologne and carbolic acid
1t may seem harsh to bear away the pool
dead clay at once, but not so harsh as tn,
custom which jeopards health for the sakt
| of sentiment.
Is it horrible custom to think of loves
one exposed to the eyes of the public7 Hor
rible at first sight TO watch women bring
ing children and lifting them up to see wha
lies behind the glass. But why should tht
dead fear to face their fellow creatures
gaze more than the living? Why should tn,
living be taught that the sight of death is S,
| to be dreaded.
But if the sight is horrible to stranger i
is fascinating. Notice all who visit tn
Munich cemetery for the first time. If the,
peep in at one window of the wartsaal they
| will peep in at all. Beatrice and Franz
formed no exception to this rule.
| There are several of these windows. Il
| the ono next tn, babies they saw the bod,
of all old priest. He lay on his slantin,
bier of evergreens, dressed in his bes
| clothes his cold hands holding the crucifi,
! written on his sweet waxen face. Was thi
horrible!
And SO to the end. With reverent eve
Frank and Beatrice saw them all, the poo
dead things, lying on their green bier
awaiting Interment, lying there with wir
fastened to the hand so that if life was b,
| any chance to return, whether by night O
by day, a bell must ring and bring aid
But they never ring for aid, these poor deac
things
Frank and Beatrice turned away l
| seemed to Frank, at least, that the spec
| tacle they had seen was a fitting ending t.
their excursion. They walked away SLOWLY
and in silence But they had not seen all
In a room at the very entrance, so tina
corners and goers might the more readily
notice it, lay the body of man. Not Oh
fragrant boughs, but on plain slate bier
for there was no one to authorize the ex
penditure necessary to give it a bed of ever
greens A black cloth was thrown acros.
the body and the white face was turnet
toward the window.
And Frank saw that white face and knew
it--and Beatrice saw that white face anC
knew. She grasped Franks arm, strove t
speak gave a sharp cry and fell senseless OF
the stones. Carruthers lifted her and Dor,
her to the fiacre. He bade the man dI1v'
| home at once
Beatrice revived. She looked az Frank il
dazed way. II dreamei-it was dream!
Il.