Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-07-09

llvlhnlnrArc cArAcoNns.

Heucaih tho Campaign ~ Rome. lies
anofhsr City.-thr ritN ot thr railcnmh.
which was oncs more populous than
thr 90, itsrlf Tho cltncumhs consist
of long narrow rlllrrics ainut eight
frct high anil h,r Wilr. cat oui ~ the
snff r,..k and sxtrnliur into high arrhfgl
chambers 40 Irregular Intervals, Win
riie chapel. nni altar. Thr.r udinic
from Rome in an almost inirrmlnahlc
hhtriuth 20 rnss1gr.. which turn Too Hll
diurstions and are sail to extend twenty
mile. in a hcwilierInc mafe.
IN ihr.c cloumV .uhterranrnn cham
her.. liy,vi. wor.hlpc,l ani died miny ~
the early Christians. hfieen crniuric.
aeo. driven iherr hy persecution anil fear
~ miriyrlom. Along The .ldc. ~ ihrse
narrow galleries. graNcs were construct
a hy following out portions ~ The rock
Cor the rccyptiun ~ ho,lics. ln thrsr
melancholy str,cts In thl. great city ot
the dead. mOrr than siN millions ~ hu-
man isings have hccu laid away in
r.cordless graScs.
However vivid an Imagination one may
have. II l. scarcely pos.ihlc o. picture a
life spent Ia thr.r suhterranean solitude,
AiNll fifsf ENAHlNN rh'NANNr ~ NiAf- fttt -
ani mornlc.s ahode. I'm contemplating
thi. subject. The question naturally arises
Nrv any living In caiacomh. in our
rrn.ationf n NAV h. answered, that
morally. luiellrctuallv, and spiritually,
therr arr many Tho miser. Who hend.
40 hi. energies a. getting aud boarding
money and denies himself all the plcas-
ur,. ani comfort. ~ life. Who qurnche.
aud stamp. oui al hi sympathy fur The
want. anl mi.efie. ~ his race. i It'll
intellectually living IN the caiac"mhs.
surrounded hy the decaying remains ~
an the hearts he.i affections. The
drunkaul. whose appetite for alcohol has
eaten uut his mtnhooi ani trtmplri up-
on ~ hl. Instinct. 81 parental aud con-
iural love. 4. morally living in The cata-
romh.. surrounded hv the Wondering
rrmaius of loV" and hope aud once
glorious minhood. The same can b"
.aM of that great army ~ criminal. i'''-
hind the prison hars, Whose iudgmeni u
turned backward "and iusiicr .tnndcih
aiar ofi." into Who.e doors truth and
equity never enter.
Thcre arr those Who mourn fur de-
partri frisnis with undue iniensity,
Who live spiritually ani essentially la
ths.e rstaeomhs They rrtirc from
GoI's .unshine under the weight ~ con-
.umlnr grief. 90 live on the rrmtlns ~
former los. in these dlsmtl ah0de..
What phihuihropir heart hns not hcen
mo,s4l tn 10. lowest depth. 90 ."r ihrsr
unforiunates cropping in darkness, lost
Goo these mi.iy llhvrinihs ~ impcnriu-
hlr elonm. and attempting to fcrl their
hungry soul. aud Intellect. on the rrmi-
ni.renc,. ~ The dead past; plucklng up
hy The root. their affections for the llN-
Ing. that they NAV live With morr eniir,-
o. ~ purpose in their affection for their
dead drawing heavy curtains over 10"
windows ~ their souls, for fear some
bright .unls-am may disturb The .lumhcr.
of their idoliycd dead; putting strong
hlrricade. around their hearts tor fear a
little rational enjoyment might loosen
the bond ~ LOYALTY that blinds them to
their deads How distressing 90 see warm
hearts leave iov behind and gu down Ia
this charnel house ~ hope ani their live
In darkness. surrounded by the remains
of ruined hope. and hlighted plans. an1
stumbling iu q net work of death where
decay rrigns supreme
4. Il any surprise that down Ia these
dark. dismal caiacomhs, strong Intellect.
and warm hearts 20 a. decay and high
e.t and nOhlest Impulses witherf That
the heart. beat affection. dry up, aud
reason tOtter- on It. throne, until the
fire. of insanity are kindlel and merci-
fully draw the veil ~ oblivion over past
.orrowsf How Il has painel my heart
10 .e- near aud dear friends down In the
dlmlv lighted chambers Of the caia-
combs. irving. with trembling hands, to
disentanglc their tangled web of life. .illl
Ieering for light hat beholding only OBJ
.curiiy. until Il falls from their nerve
les grasp. While some have deliberate
ly made up their minds "a remain,
through life. Ia these dismal abo,les,
others wish "a escape and are CROPPING
In darkness aud "stumhling AZ noon
day. and reach up their appealing hands
to friends for all. u. =. 4.