The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-18
A COSTLY TOMB.
rarthia seiantia was dead. Her husba

was inconsolable.
AT least he said to his brother-in-
law, who strove to comfort him for the loss
Of his beautiful young wife, carried sud
denly off after few days of TYPHOID, all
that art can do to make her long sleep
happy one shall be done by my orders.
will go to the finest craftsman of tombs in
ClusiuIn.' -
The maker of monuments was all obse-
quious attention. They called him in at
once. He hastened in his best black suit
to the house of mourning. In the outer
hall Seiantia's two baby boys were playing
with a somewhat chilled mirth, dimly
aware that some terrible thing had hap
pened to mother sfFhat's the man who's
come to make mothers tomb, - Arnth
whispered to Aule. Nurse told me he
was coming Aule said nothing, but
went ON dragging his little cart round the
marble hall, with his doll laid out on it,
''going to mothers funeral. -
81 could model you a very nice tomb
like the one I made for the late Lady
Ramtha, - the sculptor remarked after the
customary civilities in the subdued voice
of conventional sympathy. II was su-
perior sarcophagus of best Tarquinian ala
baster. represented the deceased lady on
the lid in the attitude of FEAST as is now
so fashionable. She had a cup in her hand,
which she was in the act of raising with
dignity to her lips. You must have seen
the design, for don't recOllect you were
one of the guests at the funeralf'
''No, thank you, the Larth answered.
81 would rather not have anything like
that. I wish my dear wife to be repre-
sented as 1 have always seen her, not as
banqueting or feasting. The idea of
dinner party seems to me unsuitable for
SO solemn an occasion" "
"They are very much ordered now,
these monuments, though, the sculptor
went on. ''We have constant commissions
for them. The Volumnii put up nothing
else at all at their fine family vault near
Perugia.'
Fashion doesn't matter to me, the
Larth replied. what I think of is my
poor darling's eternal comfort. A tomb is
not like house-one inhahits it for eter-
nifty. She would not havU wished q cup
herself My beloved Larthia cared very
little for dinner parties, though, to be
sure, she was always perfect hostess.
Everybody in society knows how
charmingly the Larthia used to preside at
her own table, the sculptor answered
deferentially ''She was indeed the model
of high bred Etruscan lady. And the
poor-the poor have lost a generous friend
in her. But what do you say to sar-
cophagus like one recently completed for
an order from COrtonae The deceased lady
was represented IN high relief on the front,
bidding farewell to her sorrowing friends
and family. I took the idea from fine
Athenian marble original, imported for
wealthy patron at Faesulse"
Larth Seians shook his head. 'No, no, -
he replied 81 won't have that either.
don t want to perpetuate the memory of
our last sad parting-that is, as it were,
an accident in her history. want the es-
sential. would rather see my dear wife
when go to offer the yearly gifts at her
grave, dressed in her everyday costume
and reclining as knew her on her couch
with her needlework. Represent her just
so in the very dress will lend you. Put
this cushion beneath her elbow. Lay this
mirror by her side Give her these brace
lets, that necklace, her sewing, her worst
ed, and then I shall feel she goes on in the
tomb living the same placid, affectionate,
domestic life I have always admired in
her.
fCo1ored terra Gotta, I suppose?'' the
sculptor suggested. ''Alabaster or marble
for heroic work, you know. Clay alone
for domestic In that material I could
make her face absolutely lifelike. You
might almost suppose it was the deceased
lady herself if you entered hurriedly.''
$50 make it," the Larth answered,
brushing a tear from his eyes. ''Spare no
expense on the craftsmanship. Let me see
her as she lived-calIn, dignified, courte-
ous-with her jewelry and ornaments, a
lady and mother -
When the tomb was completed, all CIu-
sium wondered at it. ITS every bit as
fine as good Greek work, - old Vipi Serturi
said, and Vipi Serturi was considered a
connoisseur in sculpture. The dead lady
sat half reclining on her sumptuous cush-
ions, in her habit, as she lived, very gra-
cious and gentle, with her work and her
ornaments. They carried her out reyerent-
~ in this noble sarcophagus, stretched out
at full length, clad in the selfsaune robe
that she wore in effigy the lid, and with
her oriental jewelry on her neck and bos-
ON. Just before they closed it down the
mourning husband caught up her favorite
silver mirror engraved with charming
design of Apollo, Bacchus and f5emele,
and laid it by her side. Then Arnth and
Aule were brought in to kiss the b1oodless
lips. Aule touched them mechanically.
Arnth, a year older, shrank away in
vague terror and could hardly be induced
to say goodby to his mother.
At the vault they offered up the custom
ary gifts, and the heartbroken husband
called the solemn farewell. Two carved
serpents by the door served to keep away
evil demons. All was done in the best
style. Sculptor and undertaken were quite
proud of their performance.
"And I must leave her2'' Ilarth Seians
cried at last, drawing a deep breath.
"You must leave her, " the priest an
swered, pointing the way to the door. Il
have commended our dear lady to the
kindly care of Manius and Mania, the god
and goddess who rule the underworld and
to the guardian spirits who protect the
dead. Her tomb is large and wide. You
have fitted it nobly with couches, chairs
and tables for our dear lady's use She
has her servants and her friends, her robes
and her ornaments. There she shall live
| her underground life, unseen of men, but
| in honor and dignity. Seal up the cham
Der, workmenI Once year, Larth Seians,
1 you shall visit her again for the funeral
feast but she herself shall now rest where
| we have laid her till the great resurrec
tion.''
And confess, when drew aside the
! curtains which surround her coffin in
/ room 81 of the Etruscan museum at Flor
| raad the laEal t.sarcn11E-