The Republican journal., 1900-07-19
he governed the world, both

mountain he governed the world, both
old and new, with two inches of paper,
The rooms, which remain just as he
left them, are small and very scantily
furnished, the flooring of common red
brick. The frightful sufferings of the
monster were a fitting termination
of his wretched career. Tormented
for years by the govt, his disease at
length became so desperate that he had
no rest, by day or night. Finally at
his own request he was laid upon the
cold. damp bricks of the floor, and there
he died, for when the attendants wished
to carry him back to his bed, it was
found impossible to do so. During the
last eight weeks of his life, he was fore
ed to lie motionless in one position
raving in delirium. his body covered
with ulcers, his pallet swarmed with
vermin, while the monks. who had
been his chosen associates and We're
now his physicians, applied the only
remedies they knew Of AYES and mass
es, penance and prayers. even ordering
a fresh supply of holy relies from
Rome, including a rib of the blessed St
Adams. But all to no purpose. After
a confession that lasted three long
days. hardly time enough to recount
all his sins-The King gave up the ghost,
lying upon the floor in his sores and
vermin-while the solemn tones of
the organ We're pealing through the
chapel aisles and the choiristors We're
chanting the morning mass.
BY a staircase of variegated jaSpers
and marbles in shades of green and yell
low, we descend to the burial vaults Of
the Kings and Queens of Spain. The
entrance takes up the whole of one side,
and the altar another leaving scant
places for twenty-four sarcophagi.
These are of periphery, exactly alike,
each inscribed with the name of its
occupant. in gilt letters. This Pantheon
is designed solely for monarchs who
have actually sat upon the Spanish
throne, and their mothers-each of
whom, during his or her lifetime, selects
the urn in which the remains are to be
finally deposited. The stern etiquette
and precedence of the Spanish court sur
wives even the grave Thus the late Queen
Mercedes, first wife of the father of AL
fonso MIL, having died without issue,
was placed in one of the chapels to the
left of the altar The royal vault lies
directly under the high altar, so that the
illustrious dead may rest as near as pos
sible to the Host. From the centre of the
dome-like ceiling hangs a rock-crystal
chandelier, which is never lighted except
upon the occasion of a royal burial
They tell us that in 1915. Philip ~.
opened the urn of Charles V. and found
his body to be perfectly preserved
Two hundred and fifteen years later.
the Ministers OF the revolution opened
it again, and a painter, who was present,
made a sketch OF it. Afterwards it was
photographed; and to-day You may buy
the gruesome thing, at the book-stall of
Madrid, i'll the streets of san Geronimo.
for three pesetas-about forty cents i'll
our money.
From this dark. ill-smelling hole, YOU
gladly mount the stairs to life and sun
again At the first break in the stair
way is an iron door. leading to Ell Pan
theon de los IMfantes--the tomb of those
Spanish prlnceSSes who did not attain to
the dignity of the crown. Among them
lie several queens of France, Spain and
Portugal, as we'll as such warriors OF
high degree as Don Juan of Austria:
Emanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy, the
victor at san Quentin: and the Duke of
Y endome, natural son of Louis XIV
who commanded the Spanish armies
during the War OF succession. The
Spaniards speak OF this royal pantheon,
as lei Pudridero: the putrefying place:
a name which you think is we'll APP
piled, as YOU pass the door with fingers
pressed to nostrils: and to its nameless
horrors come at last the proudest OF
SPANS grandees.
FANNIE 3. WARD.