The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-10-25
KNIGHT OF the GRIPS !
Last Letter From the City
OF Paris.
He Visits the MOrgue and Be.
comes Quite Pathetic.
The Pantheon -Notre Dame Cathedral
Social Customs OF the French.
PARIS, June 20, 1883.

A visit to Paris would be incomplete
without seeing the Pantheon. This
large and imposing structure, which
stands on the highest ground in the city
south Of the Seine, was designed by
Soufflot aud began by Louis XIV in 1854.
The walls of the lower floor are covered
with very fine paintings. usually repre-
senting scenes from the lives Of the
saints. The martyr, St. Dennis, is rep
resented on the left OF the entrance as
picking up his own head, which, accord.
ing to tradition, was severed from his
body, but this good saint had power over
death and Immediately put it back in
place, and, as our rather sacrilegious
guide said, "asked the boys to come and
have drink with him." Above the
entrance is beautiful group OF statuary
representing France distributing gifts
to her illustrious children. In the crypts
below may be found the tombs of a
number Of celebrated people, among
them Laplace, Mirabeau, Cuvier, Lafay-
cite, Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo
and others Of note.
The ashes OF Voltaire remained in his
vault until few years ago, when the
priests deeming them unholy scattered
them to the four winds of the earth. At
least they were removed, and rs no one
knows what was done with them it was
supposed that they were thrown away.
His effigy is placed above his sarcopha.
gus and a guardian angel hovers over it.
The life and teachings OF this talented
man makes the angel seem out Of place.
But, infidel as he was, Voltaire has done
much to improve and elevate the litera-
ture OF France. He was fearless in his
attacks on royal rottenness and was often
obliged to flee for his life on account Of
bis repeated expositions of the frauds
and injustices of the reigning sovereign.
He was popular with the people and had
many warm friends and admirers among
the literary and scientific classes OF all
the world. Frederick the Great was his
personal friend and admirer. The COM
plete works of Voltaire fill seventy vol
umes of svo size and range over almost
every subject ever written upon. He
died in the heighth Of popularity during
q triumphal visit to Paris. Worn and
exhausted by the great excitement he
took an opiate to induce sleep and died
from the effects Of it.
Victor Hugo, who died few years
ago is inferred in vault near by. The
number who attended the last burial
rites OF this great man is said to exceed
any public gathering that has for years
in Paris. The wreaths and
floral offerings aggregated many tons.
Even yet his tomb is covered with
wreaths and crosses OF immortal flowers.
The reverberating gallery, a semi.cir.
cular archway in the basement, possesses
wonderful echo powers. The guide
placed us in proper position and then |
gently clapped his hands together. The |
report was deafening and traversed the |
gallery from end to end in rapid success |
lion till finally it died away like the roll |
)f distant thunder.
Like most public buildings in Paris
he Pantheon was held by the Com.
munes in 1871, and Milliere, one of the
principal leaders, was shot upon the |
'front.' steps. The building, however,
was but very little damaged by the mob. |
During the siege of Paris the dome was
pierced by several Shells
The morbid curiosity of some of the
party led them to request visit TO the
Morgue. As we were in the immediate |
vicinity Of this place the request was
granted and we alighted in front Of low
stone structure and entered. Here are |
exposed all the bodies OF the unknown |
dead who died from accident, homicide
Or otherwise suddenly. The bodies are |
exposed upon marble slabs for three |
days, unless previously claimed and car.
rried away by their friends. The bodies |
are kept frozen by modern process of
refrigeration and are exposed to view |
through heavy plate glass, which
forms one side OF the refrigerator. The
worn at the time of death is
placed on the corpses and every mark
Of recognition is exposed to view. There
are usually at least two or three un-
claimed bodies in this dead house. A
great number are women who are fished
from ont the river Seine. Suicide is not
an uncommon thing in Paris. The
French being an impulsive, hot.headed
people are subject not only to great hi
larity and gaiety, but the reaction often
plunges them into the depths of de-
spondency and melancholy, which often
verges into insanity. In this fit OF de-
preston the Seine offers means to put
an end to their miserable lives. One
plunge often ends all and the
next morning the dredgers fish up the
body of a young woman, perhaps, and
carelessly toss it into the mOrgue cart.
It is said that only coward will take
his life. / doubt it. 1t is often the
coward who is afraid to die. While sui
eide is undoubtedly dishonorable and
sinful act in most cases, yet who dares
sc0f at the body of that young woman
who lies yonder in the morgde? Who
knows the grief, the anguish that she
endured? Who knows but that she has
acted the part of martyr? Who
knows but that she has died rather than
disgrace her friends and family? Look |