The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-02-13
A CITY OF THE DEAD.
PERE LA CHASE, THE GREAT AND
BEAUTIFUL CEMETERY OF PARIS.
IL Contains 10000 MausoIeums and Mon.
uments-The Last Resting Place of Many
Whose Names Live In History-A Bat

uments-The Last Resting Place of Many
Whose Names Live In History-A Bat.
tleheld In the Days of the Commune.
Pere la Chaise, so called after Louis
XIV's confessor, who had his residence
ON the hill long ago, covers 106 1-2 acres
and is laid out, like a miniature city,
in nearly 100 streets or avenues and lit
tie paths. Bordering these are SO, zoo
mausoleums and monuments of every
description, from the most magnificent
tombs to the most unpretending urns.
Each little house has its family name
above the door, and few are ever with.
out some fresh tokens of loving remem-
brance.
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 them
with appropriate notices, were piled OF
hung upon the monuments.
Entering one of the main streets and
walking up the hill, we were soon in
labyrinth of tombs. Inside of one little
house, which had a glass door, there was
shelf built of marble, upon which
stood a framed photograph of man.
On each side were vases filled with
white lilacs, and underneath was stretch
ed white ribbon, and letters in gold
upon it told that this was an offering
from his sorrowful schoolmates. Three
columns rising from one pedestal and
resembling some fragment of Roman
ruin stood to commemorate three broth
ers who had wished to be laid together. |
Many monuments were 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 in an 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
were shrouded in mystery, and whose
mourners come here to pray and weep.
AS we looked poor woman with
child by one hand added her little spray
of chrysanthemums to the gay but pa
thetic 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,
Chopin's last resting place marked by
beautiful figure. Lafontaine, with
little fox appropriately browning his
sepulcher-for who can mention him
without thinking of the sly puss that
got the crows dinner?-Balzac, the nov
elist; Cherubini, the composer, and
many other famous painters, authors
and musicians. Then the brave men
who fought for France-Marshal Ney,
Napoleon's right hand man, who lies in
little inclosed lot filled with shrubs
and flowers, but with no monument, for
when he died his enemies We're in power
and would allow none to be erected, and
now its absence and the simple grave
speak more eloquently than could the
finest tomb.
Near by lies poor Villeneuve, who
lost at Trafalgar and in consequence of
Napoleon's displeasure received such a
harsh rcpulse when he returned to Paris
that he ran a 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
potato was worth cultiyating and eat
ing They say that Marie Antoinette
helped him to attain this end by wear
ing potato blossoms with her beautiful
ball gowns. However true this may be.
'rtain 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 Pere la Chaise, and this
is the grave of Abelard and Heloise. 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 faithfulness. Very romantic il
must be, too, on moonlight evening,
with the pale rays falling on the stone
figures lying peacefully side by side,
with folded hands, under the canopy of
early Gothic style, with queer gargoyles
at each corner. The story of the lovers
is well known. They had many trials
and tribulations, but at last they rest
eOSN'iSiJ aSSOluiiS W lltIOlst > ldSU |
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 in glittering
panorama, an immense expanse of white
buildings with domes, towers, spires
and bridges, and the Eiffel tower rising
like gaunt skeleton amid the feast of
beautiful architecture No wonder that
the mutineers of the commune appreci-
ated the fine advantages of position af-
forded by Pere la Chaise. Here they in.
trenched themselves and transformed
the quiet cemetery into noisy camp.
Here they met the fire from the govern
ment positions, until finally they were
overpowered by troops which scaled the
heights, and the terrible slaughter took
place when thousands Of the communists
fn1l IL |