, 1889-08-22
In THE CATACOMBS.
Bill Nye Gets Lost Among the
Tombs Under the Pan
theon.
The Guides Lantern Goes out
and the Ciammy Stiffness
Scares Him.
[From tho Sew York World.

the four, viii get my large and growing
trade. Last week, on tho occasion OF
the colored illumination ofthe fountains
and Tower, | took dinner there in order
to see the wonderful picture of color and
light from the Tower while engaged in
the pleasing occupation of astonishing
the inner man.
Time rolled on, that being its sole bust
ness, at last came the coffee and tho bill,
II was good broad -shouldcrcd bill
a little above tho medium height.
] went down in my pocket, after rInsing
of my fingers on the corner of n cloud
and discovered that had left my purse
at home on the coliteur. In other words
had dincd in some style on tho Tower,
at French restaurant, where the great
people of the earth dine and banquet
each other every day, and had then
found that hadn't the money to pay
for the meal.
NOT A NUMEROUS SITUATION.
The head waiter, Charles" speaks
English. rose to my full height and
told him that had done Il very careless
thing and hoped 1t would be convenient
the next day, as | had forgotten to bring
my golfers with me. lie said. Very
well. DO not let that annoy you. To
morrow or any time | will send my boy
to your house with it, hope YOU have
been well Served, monsieur, and that
your dinner was good
You may believe this or not, but it is
| the gospel truth, for got the bill two
days after and still have it, with the
date OF the difficulty and the date of
payment on it. | do OF know what
this teaches-whether il he that honesty
is the best policy or I at tn fool and
his Money are soon parted, but anyway,
| il illustrates that good, kindly, open
face and II cou Sous air of sincerity are
OF more value than great riches. l do
not say this In q boasttsl way, but Just
| to show that true merit is frequently re-
| warded on the starr. OF course Charles
was duly lubrCutco afterwards, but that
did not account ior his previous urbanity.
This is Il great country for tetes.
There are the extraordinary fctos, like q
week at Long Island, only with many
curious additions ana interests of trade
and inducements for calling forth the
ccntimes and sentiment of tho crowd,
then comes the fetcs champetre and the
| fetcs national. One of the latter Is just
| in full blast, Bunting covers the city
| and extra lights in funcitul designs il
lumine the whole of Paris. The Champs
Elysees is festooned with soft white
globes of light Il few inches apart, for
| miles, 1t looks like the old days of the
| l.ouises of the Roman notation nj the
end oftheir names. Russell B. Harrison
Is here, and there Is really nothing more
to ask for in the way of attractive tea-
| lures
Last week visited the Pantheon for
an afternoon. II is n large building,
larger than the court house of Richmond
/ II. a Il
| the style of Louis NJ. 1t IL OH high
ground and is on the site of the tomb of
| st. Gcnevievo, who died In the year 5l2,
according to the retentiye memory and
| historical accuracy of MIR. BacdeCker,
whose bright red book carry concealed
wherever go. Souiiot designed the
present building and | believe H. buried
in it, In modern architecture this would
happen oftener If the architect would
| visit his building during a strong gale.
Soufiot, however, lies there peacefully
sumberiug, with no fears that his work
will collapse.
Lagrange also has a cool summer tomb
in the Pantheon and many people come
| their to rest their cold, red, curious
Hoses on the stone inclosure and wish
| they could have gone TO his funeral and
| Ia ken their dinner and staid all day.
| Mirabeau was the first man to present
! his remains to the Pantheon with the
| compliments of Charlotte Corday. They
| were afterwards put somewhere else, |
do not know whore they are. cannot
| find out at the morguc and may have to
go without seeing them. Victor Hugo
| Is buried there and his burial case rests
in full view of the visitors and Is covered
with immortcllcs. Many people go
there, some with gentle interest and
curiosity in order that they may spit OH
the hot grocery stove and brag ABOUT 1t
next winter.
/ need not go deeply into the history
Of the Pantheon, for that has been
printed before, but II has been n chapel
owning. the tomb of the patron saint OF
Paris, then church, then something
else then restored TO religious uses in
1906, then temple, then Consccrutcd in
1851 and at lust sealed when Victor
liugo'5 body was cntombed there III
1885. 1t shows how France has been al
teruatcly pious and wicked through
those years. Sometimes peacefully
pious, sometimes piously savage.
The ground plan is that Of Greek
cross, but the dome is what the archi-
tcct really Dragged on. 1t cost less than
tho papier-mache ceiling in the Albany
state house, | presume, and will last
fully as long, if not longer. 1t Is ~.
feet in height and rests on a cylinder
concealed behind beautiful colonnade
of Corinthian pillars. Statues OF illus
trious men of the past are To bc seen
ever and anon, and among them the
peacc-loving Mirabeau, the somewhat
belligcrent Bonaparto and the brillian,
but secular Voltaire.
Going down cellar to visit the graves
of greatness, preceded by man with
linen pantaloons and tin lantern is q
very strange style of dissipation.
think the lantern is supplied with a
short and loud smelling candle of the
time of Marie Antoinette. 1t gives just
light enough to feel certain i'll its own
mind that 1t has not gone out-like the
man who speaks English in Paris.
paused u moment in the darkness TO look
ut very desirable tomb, and while
speaking to New York lady about tht
delay which might occur in the resur
rection here in case Gabriel should refuse
To- fee the guide, the lantern and Other
visitors melted into the darkness,
A cold, lomesick feeling came ovci
me, because 1t was getting late, and the
Pantheon wou .d no doubt close in n few
minutes, and the next day IL was not I,
open to the public. said to myself
"NVas there ever anybody in all til,
world who seemed. 10 show less discre
: tion in the matter of coming in when /
raincd than dor | go through lifi
falling over my own feet, and now | an
10 close my illustrious career by knock
ing out my ill.assortsd brains agains
the underpinning of the Pantheon. |
reader. | hope it Will. That is one o
r make anyone happy, oven ut my owl
) expense will not be too proul TO tel
! IL. | was scared
We could dimlv hear the tlr