The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-02-27

II Contains $4,000 MausoIeums and Mon
uincn!s-Tte Last Resting Place of Many
Whose Names Live In Eistcry-A Bat
tiefieId In the Days of the Commune.
Pere la Chaisc, so called after Louis
XIV confessor, who had his residence
on the hill long ago, covers 1OG 1-2 acres
and is laid out, like u miniature city,
in nearly 100 streets or avenues and lit
tie paths. Bordering these are 90, 600
mausoleums and monuments of every
description, from the most magnificent
tombs to the most unpretending ulns.
Each little house has its family name
above the door, and few are ever with
out some fresh tokens of loving rcmem-
brancc.
The French may not be deeply re-
ligiOus nation, but they certainly do not
lack personal affection and respect, and
this is strikingly shown in their devo-
ton to the memory of their dead. Orna-
mental wreaths made of beads or tin,
black, white and colored, many of thcIl
with appropriate notices, We're piled or
hung upon the monuments.
Entering one of the main streets and
walking up the hill, we were soon in a
labyrinth of tombs Inside of one little
house, which had glass door, there was
a shelf built of marble, upon which
stood framed photograph of man.
On each side were vases filled with
white lilacs, and underneath was stretch
cd white ribbon, and letters in gold
upon it told that this was an Offering
from his sorrowful schoolmatcs. Three
columns rising from one pedestal and
resembling some fragment of Il Roman
ruin stood to commemorate thrce broth
crS who had wished to be laid together
Many monuments We're like obelisks or
in other Egyptian forms, showing the
influence upon the fashion of the time
OF NapoleOn's eastern campaign. One
large column with broken shaft stood
alone i'll ali open space upon a raised
| platform and attracted our attention be
cause Of the great number of wreaths
and flowers piled high upon it, This
was monument to those whose burial
places were unknown, whose deaths
We're shroudod i'll mystery, and whose
mourners come here to pray and weep.
AS we looked Il poor woman with .
child by one hand added her little spray
of chrySanthcnums to the gay but pa
thctic heap. Soon familiar and world
famous names began to claim our inter
est. Here lay Moliere and further on
Alfred de Musset, the great poets,
Chnpin's last resting place marked by
beautiful figure. Lafontaine, with Il
little fox appropriately browning his
sepulchcr-tUr who can mention him
without thinking of the sly puss THAT
got the crow : Gimner?-I3alZac the nov
"list; Ch"rubini, the composer, and
many other famous painters, authors
and musicians. Then the brave men
who fought Tor Francc-Malshal Noy,
Napolcon's right hand man, who lies i'll
Il little inclOscd lot filled with shrubs
ana flowers, but with 10 monument. for
WHOM he died his enemies Were III power
and would allow none to be erected, and
now its absence and the simple grave
speak more cloQucnrly than could the
finest tomb
Near by lies poor Villencuve, who
lost at trafalgar and i'll consequence of
Napoleon's displcasure received such
harsh rcpulse when he returned to Paris
that he ran II needle through his broken
heart Just across the way from him is
Parmentier, the agriculturist He was
the man who with the utmost difficulty
convinced the dainty French that the
TO,
ing. They say that Marie Antoinotte
helped him to attain this end by wear
ing potato blossoms with her beautiful
ball gowns. However true this may he.
certain it is that the vegetable is planted
every year around the good mans tomb.
There is one tomb which every one is
sure to visit at Pcrc In Chaisc, and this
is the grave of Abelard and Hcloise, the
grave that has been the subject Of so
many songs and verses, and where low
ers come to plight their vows and pledge
their faithfulncss. Very romantic it
must be, too, on Il moonlight evening,
with the pale rays falling on the stone
figures lying peacefully side by side.
with folded hands, under the canopy CT
va - N'''l-iS ~ ~ WIN iIN'l St.IS-bN t'N
at each corner. The story Of the lovers
is we'll known. They had many trials
and tribulations but at last they rest
together, according to Hcloise's last
wish that she might be reunited to her
idol Through the tombs and trees we
went higher and higher, until we came
out upon wide terrace and Paris burst
upon our view. Paris, sparkling in the
sunlight, spread before us III glittering
panorama, an immense expanse of white
buildings with domes, towers. spires
and bridges, and the Eiffcl tower rising
like Il gaunt skeleton amid the feast of
beautiful architecture. No wonder that
the mutinCers of the commune appreci-
ated the fine advantages of position af-
fordcd by Pere la Chaisc. Here they in
trenchcd themselves and Transformed
the quiet cemetery into noisy camp
Here they met the fire from the govern
ment positions, until finally they We're
ovcrpOwcred by troops which scaled the
heights, and the terrible slauc ter took
place when thousands of the communists
fell among the scpulchers. Some poor
wrctchcs tried to hide in the tombs, and
the nlcrciles3 soldiers closed them up
fast so that - this day skeletons of their
victims arc found in their chastity nl.is-