New-York tribune., 1901-08-13
THE LATEST PARIS FAD.
Mu-NMIES OF THAT'S AND SAINT sERA-
PHION THE CENTRE OF
ATTRACTION.
Paris. July p.

,orn6 ,ba, the passions of the village are
on smaller scale those of the great cities and
the peace she sought she never found One day
she said laughingly. You will see that when die
something will 90 wrong with my funeral" The
writer was with her daughter when that day
came The coffin. instead Of arriving at the ap-
pointed time, was sent to the house at the last
moment II half yard too long so that the
poor old woman had go down 10 her grave
propped up and held IN place by numberless piles
Of newspapers
This grimlv humorous incident has always
rained in the mind OF the writer being typical
of the caprices Of destiny which dog some people
from cradle TO grave. It vividly recalled few
days by the interesting collection of Egyptian
mummies discovered in 1900 and 1901 in the excava-
tions Antinoe They have all been forwarded TO
the Musee Guilmet, and are now on exhibition
there pending their distribution among the chief
museums of France.
The Musee Gunet devoted TO the history Of
Mgons, the Avenue and Place dIena, is OF
the most attractive places in Paris, but for some
Unaccounfable reason IL has never been favorite
with the public. From the three floors Of the
great circular open vesbule stretch long galleries
filled with splendid collections OF Oriental porce-
lains and potteries. The main portions especially
devoted to religion. most artistically and in
structiVely filed with sacred statues and emblems
OF all dimensions in gold silver. bronze, brass.
copper. wood and ivory. With the exception, how
ever. OF few savans, yawnng guardians and
occasional pair Of discreet and perambulating low
they have been left Systematically alone in their
glory.
The OLD proverb tells US that everything
10 him who waits and prosperity has at length
oondescended TO visit the Museum Of Religions
For the last fortnight the Place d'Iena has been
blocked with lines of equipages. The sombre
galleries have rung with the unaccustomed SOUNDS
of conversation discussion and laughter. The pref
test faces and gayest toilets in Paris are seen
around these ghastly spoils Of Antinoe ceme-
'tery. Mummies of all sizes and descriptions.
clothed IN robes Of fawn coored silks or linen (ern
broidered IN very much the same colors and de-
signs as those seen upon Egyptian stuffs OF to-
day) grin down and up upon you from glass cases
placed along the walls and upon stands all around
the circular gallery
AN ACTRESS AND A SAINT
To explain anything normal. the contrary. in
this pleasure bazaar called Paris, you must always
seek the In the case Of this present fad
her name is That's the famous actress, courtesan
and saint Of Alexandria. The archaeological in
terest OF the collection alone would not have been
enough TO MI the museum during these days of
tropical heat That's is the real cause OF the eH-
fraordinary craze. It is she who after nearly two
thousand years Of sepulchre is once more attract
ing the elite OF a worlds metropolis TO her side
She and Saint Seraphion zone Of number OF
saints OF this name who tasted and fagellated
themselves in the desert after the relentless exam
PIE Of the much tempted Saint Anthony are
stretched side by side in the same glass case
This particular Saint Seraphion must have had
many sins 10 expiate great difficulty IN keeping
himself within the limits Of saintliness. judging
from the paraphernaia of ironwork with which he
is decked out. Around the neck is great heavy
iron ring with &, huge cross hanging from it. His
arms wrists chest, waist, legs and ankles are en-
circlAd with massive bands Of iron, which 10
have been riveted upon him His sandals carved
hermit's staff. branches Of palms. little wicker
work bread basket and water jug holder. placed
at random around him, form curious conDlfauoP
of pagan and Christian funeral emblems
This heavily laden saint was doubtless most
edifying person in his day. but there is always
something peculiarly irritating about perIecuon'
Most o with relief from II toward the oash
Of lavender so the hermit is soon forgotten in the
contemplation Of That's, whose beauty, talent ana
wealth were once the fable OF Ale1andrla' her
head upon which still 10 be seen locks OF soIt
trovvr hair lightly streaked with gray IS crowned
~ tho green Of a flower wreath; around the neck
IS a string Of colored glass beads. and the suhheh
chest is covered by embroidered linen or SILK
robe From the head falls very long goio en-
broidered pink tulle veil, IN wonderIIl sldIe -
17reservstion. Implements Of plety, long PAIN
brsHches and the traditional provision baskets are
pTFeo 6 6est interesting things of all however are
the small gold incrusted ieatner sahoats otIf5
are 50 small Jhat they might be those OF chiia, ia
although much as one can ~ yuJss fSer a ratber
ian woman Even allowing for the shrlnkage OF
cnT,5 have been anything but dininutive. What
pathos in these little sandals, ana no" eioquTl;S IT,;
been born with pair of good large lat, SUD SUD
Neariy all the visitors Of the comment
eayy sizes o{ their own respective extremes
tribute the tiny feet Of ThaIs For a long h
he weird charms of its uncanny occupants, and
pondering upon the ironies OF destiny
THE STORY OF THAT'S.
Even as a mummy. That's is not easily forgotten
She keeps appearing before you, now she looks
in her last ghastly physical evolution, and again
ayshe is described by Anatole France when. after
II triumphal representation Of Electra, she seeks
rest in the shade of her world famous grottO.
Here reclining upon tortoise shell couch, sur
rounded by the rarest art treasures Of the East,
in an atmosphere cooled by perfumed fountains
and enlivened by the music Of distant flutes she
is found by Paphnuce the fierce Abbe OF Antinoe.
IA ne yision Of her wondrous beauty had
anu tilS Ni9AO4t %
e uie ~ 'es LIMA I 1ortb Wandering FOR weeks over
thirst and death in order 70 save the sweet soul OF
He suddenly ourst upon her, and IN fiery flow OF
words stigmatize her life and the sins OF the
daunted by the fanatic eloquence Of THIS wild
OF the desert, recalls the days Of her childhood,
when she escaped from The loathsome sailors re-
sort kept by her sordid parents 10 listen 10 the
first lessons in Christianity whispered TO her in
slave Ahmes afterward known as St. Theodore
the Nubian. She recalled the starlit night when
Ahmes carried her concealed beneath mis- mantle.
pressed his faithful heart TO the Christian
church where she was hurriedly baptized; ana
Thals who had drunk OF every cup OF pleasure
understood that al the bottom OF each lay the
eIegs 9I saety anu H
She understood that happiness springs from sacrl-
fee and suffering She understood that everything
human passes. and that II Is to live
what you no longer love than TO live near what
you have never loved al all
She ripe for conversion: the light
tered her soul and she adopted the way Of the
Obedient 70 the commands Of Paphnuce, she united
the sacrifice Of all her earthly possessions. Costly
carpets ana tapestries, ivory coners nNed with