The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1908-11-28

of little houses not vaults, but actual miniature
dwellings, with front doors, windows, OCCASION
ally chair visible in the Railways" and for the
most part topped by mansard roofs, although in
the aristocratic quarters of the city iamboyant
gothic and pure classic architecture predomi-
mates. OF course there were hundreds of statues
slabs and shafts, but these were in the minority.
A moment ago, used the hackneyed phrase
"arlstocratic quarter" but perhaps it was well
chosen, for here as in any other city, the dis
tinctions of rank and caste are vigorously OBJ
served, not only preserved but emphasized so
that he who runs may read. In one quarter are
the marble mansions and brownstone fronts of
the nobility and millionaires; in another the re-
spectacle bourgeoise in their neat slate rooted
homes, content to pass without pretense for
what they really are in another section are the
parvenus, the nouveaux riches, and oh how easy
it is to distinguish them by their gaudy and os-
tentatiously expensive habitations.
Over the gateways of this city. as everywhere
in France. appear the bitterly ironic words,
"Liberte, Egalite, ct Fraternite." Monstrous,
mirthless mockery, true nowhere on earth,
either in life or death.
In the northwest corner of the cemetery, in
an isolated byzantine palace, surmounted by
Dubious, gilded domes, dwells-I mean, lies-a
Russian prince of the blood. and in a locality
just to his right the foreign quarter, as it were,
the cross and crucifx disappear, and in their
place is raised the Moslem crescent; passing be-
meath Moorish horseshoe arch, richly carved
with arabesques, entered an avenue reserved
for the Mussellmans, and strove, naturally in
vain. to decipher the inscriptions. A sergeant
de vile told me one of the tombs was that of
Turkish nobleman, uncle Of the reigning Sultan.
As everybody knows. the Pere La Chaise con-
tains such illustrious citizens as Moliere. La
Fontaine. Chopin. Cherubini, Theirs, Cashier
Perier, lie Due de Valmy, Felix Faure, and num-
berless other great men-but the guidebooks
and encyclopedias tell all that.
About some of the tombs there is a frankness,
consistency and sense of the appropriate that is
peculiarly French. Moliere's monument bears
no symbol suggestive of grief, but is decorated
instead by a series of laughing figures in bronze,
embodying the soul of raillery and mirth. The
tomb of notorious alchemist and astrologer of
the early eighteenth century, whose name
have unhappily forgotten, is embellished by
deaths heads, owls, cats and devices suggestive
of the black art More than one sepulchre bears
the candid announcement that it holds the body
of atheist,a sceptic, AN agnostic,a freethinker
or what not contrary to the Christian doctrines
Gus and impressive tomb on the slope below the
Demidoff mausoleum. 1t was erected recently
by the family Guet, and is granite incarnation
of the question of the ages. Above the sarco-
phagus is a female figure with fingers pressed
upon tightly closed lips-the silence and mys-
terry of the grave. On the right and left are two
unshapen. roughly quarried monoliths. From
the rugged surface of the first energies the faint
Of a hr1no form fha II wQr 0u
the point of being transformed into living
flesh, and craven below in Latin the question
whence ?" On the second pillar is an indis-
tinct figure merging back into the rock; the
lower limbs disappear in the unhewn stone !;
only one or two strong lines suggest, or rather
indicate, body, and the face, contorted in
agony, seems about to lose all expression. Be-
meath is the query, "WhitherT"
After a deal of trouble 1 found the resting
place of Heloise and Abelard, but not in the Sc
cluded depths of a sad cypress grove, not sur
rounded by kneeling maidens, not the rendez-
vous of peneive. love-sick hungry poets. In
lieu of lawns and weeping willows. 1 found hard
cobblestone and gravel; instead of the expected
circle of lovelorn damsels and long haired poets,
there was nothing but a rusty iron fence. The
spot was deserted.
If the romantic essayists are worthy of belief
it is favorite French pastime to deposit wreaths
of immortelles upon this tomb. Such is the
particular function commonly assigned to the
spot, Just as the Alps is famous for mountain
climbing, Coney Island for sea- bathing, India
for elephant hunting, Heaven for climate, ETC.,
etc. Little children hearing at their nurses
knees the pretty story of the monk and his
charming pupil, gather huge bouquets of flowers
and hasten toward the cemetery; school girls
suffering from their first attack of puppy love
weave fragrant garlands and fly to this sympa-
thetic spot for consolation; yellow haired gri
settles from the Latin Quarter, abandoned by
their student lovers, deposit here the little pot
of geraniums that bloomed in their garnet win
dows, and then drown themselves in the Seine I;
gray haired couples totter hitherward arm in
arm to drop blossom and tear in memory of
their own departed youth in fact all France,
from the cradle to the grave. spends its idle mo-
ments in sentimental pilgrimage to this hallow-
ed shrine If you don't believe it, pick up at
random any continental novelist and be con-
WINGED.
Judge then my CONSERVATION in beholding the
tomb and its environs dry and barren as Sahara
Not petal, not tear. Was /, perhaps, mista-
ken in the spot? No, the inscription was dis
tinct. 1t flashed across my mind that there
might be two pairs of Heloise and Abelard, just
as there are two brands of Bakers Chocolate in
America, and that might have happened upon
the imitation. decided to "insist on the origi
nal, and called policeman.
NO. he had never heard that there was
competition in the Heloise and Abeard bust
ness, and this tomb was the only one he knew of.
Dissatisfied and disappointed, 1 fingered in the
vicinity and marveled at the mendacity of all
the tribe of scribes and poets. The desolation
palled upon me. Abelard in particular seemed
sad and neglected. Reposing at full length in
granite ef6gy, his disconsolate expression SEEM
ed to reflect the thought that he had loved and
died in vain. A noble emotion stirred within
my breast. 1, a stranger, would lay my humble
tribute at his feet, as an example to his forget
full countrymen. Moved by this lofty resolve.
hurried outside the cemetery gate and sought
an establishment dealing in floral decorations.
"a wreath of immortellesT'
Certainly, for the price of one franc"
"Diable, what had she handed mel"
Blossoms, think you? Bricks A terra Gotta
wreathe. painted yellow and covered with bumps
supposed to represent flowers but really re-
sembling warts on the back of a toad. "a life
preserver suffering from jaundice and small
pox." When power of speech was restored,
protested.
NUT m'sieu asked for wreath of immor-
tellcs d 'est ce pas? Eth bien, cest ca" and this
vender of flowers, this stonemason rather, ex-
planned that such was the species of funeral
ornament universally in vogue. So 1 accepted
the monstrosity and trudged back to find poor
Abelard new difficulty presented itself
namely the iron railing. l recoDnoitred but
found no opening, the gate fast locked, was
rusting on its hinges. While collecting these
discouraging data, l observed detail that had
previously escaped me. Abelard's feet, or rather
the feet of Abelard's effigy. we're encased in
long pointed shoes. with the toes turned upward
and on one foot was dangling a terra Gotta
"wreathe" similar to that which l held. Appa
rently, some admirer had stood Outside the fence
and skillfully launched his token through the
air, like a country lad pitching horse shoes.
This method of rendering homage to the most
famous of all lovers seemed Inappropriate. so
climbed the fence and laid my Offering, with a
stony clang, upon the poor monks breast.
1t was at this moment that the policeman
aforementioned arrived, in a state of perturba.
ton terrible to behold.
"Mon dieu." Didn't know it was against al
,,la n rail