Omaha daily bee., 1890-05-04
A NEW GUEST AT THE MORCUE
A Grim Bit of Realism From the Pen of Al
tphonse Daudet.
THE GREAT PARIS DEAD HOUSE.
How tho Water Drips CcaselessIy
Among the Broad Slabs aud Marble
Tables-The Tragedy ora
Working Girl.


morgue from the pen of the great French nov
elist, Alphonse Daudet
"B-r-r! What fog!" said the man as h
stepped into the street He quickly turnet
up the collar of his coat and pulled his com
forter over his mouth; then, with his heat
bent down and his hands thrust into his bacl
pockets, he started for the Office whistlng
real fog, indeed. The streets, however
were comparatively clear of ii; in the hear
OF great cities fogs last no longer than snow.
The roofs tear it, the walls absorb it; it loses
itself in the houses as they are opened, max
ing the stairways slippery, the balustradcs
damp. The rush of vehicles, the coming and
going OF pedestrians, so hurried and so poor,
! cut 1t, bear it away, disperse 1t. 1t clings to
the shrunken and thin Office garments, to the
shop-glrls' water proofs, to the loose little
vells and to the huge silk oilcloth-coverod
DandboXes. But upon the yet deserted
| quays, on the bridges, the strand, and on
the river there was heavy, Opaque, mo-
tlonless mist. amid which the sun was as
ccnding back of Notrc ID anne,
GLMMERING LIKE NIGHT LAMP
nlpugh grounn glass shade
Despite the win d, despite the fog, the man
followed he quays, only the quays, to go TO
his Office He might have taken another
route, but the river seemed to possess mys-
terious attraction for hi m 1t was his de-
light to pass along the parapets, to brush
against those stone balustrades worn by
the elbows of the idlers At that hour and
In such weather idlers are rare Neverthe-
less, now and then he met woman with
huged bundle of soiled linen resting against
the parapet, or some poor devil leaning over
on ms elbows toward the water with an air
o1 weariness. The man turned around each
time, looking ut them curiously and after.
ward glancing at the water, as if in his mind
a secret thought connected these people with
the river.
The river had not an inviting appearance
that morning. The fog, which mounted from
among its waves, seemed TO make it leaden
Inc gloomy roofs on the banks all the ir-
regular and leaning chimney shafts. which
were reflected, mingled and smoking in the
midst of the water suggested some lugu-
Drlous manufactory, sending to Paris
from the depths of the Seine all its smoke in
the guise of a fog. The man, however. had
not the air of discovering anything so very |
melancholy about all this. The dampness |
penetrated him at every point and his gar |
ments had not dry thread in them; but he |
went on all the same, whistling, with happy |
smile at the corner of his lips. For such a |
long while he had been accustomed to the |
mists of the Seine.
Then he knew that on reaching his desti-
nation he would find an excellent foot-warmer
well lined with fur, his stove which roared
Tor him and the warm little plate from which
he ate his breakfast every morning. These
are some of the clerks blessings, some of the
prison joys known only to those poor crouch
ing beings whose whole lives are passed in a
corner.
II must not forget to buy some apples,n
said he to himself from time to time and he
and hastened on You never saw
anyone go to his work so gayly.
The quays, still the quays; then a bridge
Now he was behind Notre Dame. At this
point of the isle the fog was
MORE INTENSE THAN EVER.
1t came from three directions simultaneously.
half obliterating the lofty towers and massed
itself at the angle of the bridge as if il
wished to hide something. The man stopped;
he had arrived.
There was confused glimpse of sinister
shadows, of people squatted upon the side
walk, who had the air of waiting and as at
yhe gratings of hospitals and squares of
baskets spread out, displaying rows of bis
'ults, oranges and apples. Oh, the beautiful
ipples so fresh, red, in the mist! He filled
us pockets with them, smiling upon the ven
Ter, who was shivering, her feet on her foot
tove Afterward he pushed open door in
ne log and crossed little courtyard, in
which horse was standing harnessed to a
art.
Have you something for us" asked he as
le passed A carter, dripping with water,
answered:
Yes, monsieur, something very nice.n
He quickly entered his Office
IT was warm there and he felt well salts
ed. The stove roared in a corner The
oot-Warmer was III its place. His little arm
hair awaited him in the full light near the
Tindow. The fog, hanging like curtain I
e1ore the panes OF glass, made the brightness L
inform and soft, and the huge books, with
reen backs were in straight line on their
ises. 1t was like notary's Office
The man drew long breath He was at
ONE. :
Before going to work he opened large
oset, taking from it pair of lustring
eeyes, which he carefully put on, small
lrthenware dish and some humps of sugar
ON cafe; then he began to pare his apples l
oking around him with satisfaction. The |
ict Is that II would have been impossible to |
nd a gayer, lighter or better arranged Office :,
ut what was strange was the noise of water VI
hich one heard from every direction, which
lrrounded and enveloped one as if he were
the cabins of a boat. Below the Seine
ished growing against the arches of the
idge, tearing its foamy food, at this part of :,
e isle always encumbered with planks
axes and ruoDlsh But in the very house,
around the Office there was gushing of
ater as if pitchers Were being violently i,
nptied, the noise of IA vast wash, One could "A
u tell why, but simply
TO HEAR THIS WATER FRozE ONE
ne felt that it struck a hard floor, that it re-
unded from broad slabs from marble ia
es that made 1t appear still colder.
what had they in that strange house that 1
Iucu 'ct So HiuCn washing! Wnat was the I
lelible stain.
AT times, when this gushing ceased below, 90.
the further end of the house drops were DC
ard, falling one by one, as after a thaw or r
avy rain. One might say that the fog \
lssed upon the roofs and walls, was =
,lting in the heat of the stove and dropping
ltinually,
The man paid no attention to this. He was Il
ogether too engrossed by his apples, which l
d begun TO sizzle in the earthenware dish .
tn slight perfume of caramel, and this
city song prevented him from hearing the
se OF the water the sinister noise Of the T
ter. l.
Whenever you are ready, Register" said II
hoarse voice in the further end OF the
lse. He cast a look at his apples and went
ay very mgretiully. Where did he Rol
rough the door, open partially for a mo-
mt came nauseous, cool air, which
elled of reeds and the marsh, and there
S vision of old clothes drying upon cords:
ed blouses, watermens jackets, and a sti
mans calico dress suspended at its fuII 80 30
9Th by the sleeves, which dripped, dripped :
was over. The man returned. He de-
ited on his table some small objects an =
ked with water, and went shiverng To- q
rl the stove a falFa 40