Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-05-04
FROM PARIS, MAINE, TO PARIS,
FRANCE.
No. "a.
BURIAL PLACES IN FRANCE.

PARIS, FRANCE
30 Death In Life, the days that are no more"
This chapter will be gruesome one, so
IL you don't want to feel your hair rising
up on end, don't read it.
One OF the burial places Of Paris, and
perhaps the most populous one, Is the
Catacombs. Centuries ago these cata-
combs were Quarries, and that part OF
the city IA entirely undermined. Daring
Revolution In 1883 and the Reign OF
Terror in 1873, that frightful period when
death had come to be normal and life the
exception, the bodies Of the victims were
thrown in here, and probably those OF
the later wars, the lnsurrection, the Siege
of Paris, and the Commune. Afterwards
the bones were arranged in more SEEM
lv manner We have heard of place
that IL paved with human skulls, but
didn't expect 10 find IL quite so soon.
In order 10 visit this place we must
first get permit from the city, so with
the necessary papers and tsllow candle,
we start out with companion, in pour
ing rain, with many admonitions from
friends To keep close TO the guide, and
above all things, not get strayed away
from the crowd, for people had been
known to be lost, and perish, aud their
bones left 10 swell the ranks Of the mul-
titude already there.
Wekpew when the entrance was reach
ed by the crowd that stood waiting with
fac SMILES OF our candles in their hands.
After going down, down, long winding.
narrow, stone staircase, so slippery snd
dark that we dared not step one foot be-
for. the other until we had examined each
spot, fearing We might step OIL into
space, We perceived that the crowd had
gotten ahead Of US, but thinking we
could speedily overtake them, still down
we kept going, II seemed TO the bottom
less pit but at last the foot found rest
on level foundation, and we peered and
peered into the gloom, hoping TO see or
hear soue trace of our companions who
evidently had taken some direction we
did not know, aud disappeared In one OF
the many passsgeways, and we were
alone.
Each wall of the narrow underground
spQce which enclosed us, was composed
OF human bones, heaped up In some
places as YOU have seen the farmer load
his cordwood-the leg bones stacked up
IN the roof. embellished here and there
with row Of skulls. and In other places
with the skull and crossbones. In the
next compartment they would b. arraDg-
ed ~ We used 10 make "cob houses" Ia
our youthful DAYS, and in other enclo
in the wall, ehapels were built In the
most elaborate fashion, with row of
bones from certain part OF the boy,
and the next row from another part, the
whole surmounted by row OF skulls.
After travelling II seemed miles, with
no trace OF the party, the young girl who
was our companion began TO grow fright
eued. airing we were lost, but We ss-
sured her we would be all right IL our
candles did not go out. The words were
scarcely uttered when there came gust
of air. or DIRE damp, and out went our
candles! About Us now, all was the
blackness OF darkness, and the little
girl began To cry and call for Mamma. ~
How natural for that expression TO rise
TO the lips. for we all are but grown-up
babies when danger threatens. She beg
ged TO wait till the people came back,
not daring 10 move for fear OF stepping
In some horrible pitfall or chasm, Of
which the place was full. When we told
her they would not come back that way.
but keep on To another exit. then her
fears redoubled, but she realized that
something must be done, and the best
advice We could give WAS 10 stop crying,
and We would get somewhere, so she
trustingly took the hand that found hers
iu the darkness. and her pilot managed
10 make some headway by feeling for
each step with the foot; but the hands,
whichever way they stretched, could
grasp only human bones. For hours. II
seemed, we CROPPED amid the ghas,ly
tenants of this underground sepulchre,
the horror OF the situation growing more
and more apparent as We advanced and
heard no sound, saw no sign OF light, or
air, or life, aud the trembling child
growing more and more terrified, feeling
sure we were buried alive In this SUBJ
terrsneau tomb.
How long this continued II Is impossible
TO say, for each moment seemed hours,
but at last, oh, welcome sight a glimmer
ahead In the darkness and gloom, told US
there was other life than ours amid this
countless army about us, and II ever our
lungs stood US in good stead IL was then,
for our shouts echoed and re-echoed
through the dark passage-ways. Some
of the more superstitious ones in the
party ahead nearly tainted from fright,
thinking the bones heaped up on each
side Of them had been reincarnated, but
some of the more venturesOme took
their torches and came to meet US, and
we were thenceforth dubbed the Hero
ines of the Catacombs."
1t really seemed that the immense pop
ulat;on of the City Of the Living above