These offerings often accompany the prayers for the recovery of the object represented, or are hung up in grateful commemoration of the event--may not the singular custom be referable to the incident of the Philistines recorded by Samuel, when in order to get rid of the emerods and the plague of mice with which they were afflicted, they were directed by “the priests and diviners” to make five golden emerods and six golden mice according to the number of their cities and their lords, and to offer them for a trespass-offering for having taken the ark captive, “for one plague was upon them and upon their lords.” But the most solemn object in “that ancient oratory” is the huge black flag that closes down the tomb of Charlemagne--it lies under the centre of the gigantic dome, beneath a huge gilded candelabrum, a gift of the Emperor Barbarossa, designed to burn above the grave of the conqueror which, bears the brief but sublime inscription in brazen letters sunk in the solid stone “CAROLO MAGNO.” An extraordinary incident is connected with this impressive sepulchre. The Emperor, Otto III, two hundred years after the death of Charlemagne, caused the stone to be lifted and descended into the sepulchre of the buried monarch--he found him not prostrate in decay, but seated upon a throne of marble, covered with bosses of gold--the crown upon his bony brow--the royal dalmatic robe around his fleshless shoulders--his right hand resting on the sword, which the song of the troubadours has immortalized as the “_irrésistible Joyeuse_,” and in his left the sceptre and the orb, the emblems of a dominion which was co-extensive with the globe itself. The pilgrims pouch which he had borne in life as an emblem of humility was still hanging from his girdle, and on his knees an illuminated transcript of the gospels. The Emperor removed the regalia to Nuremberg, whence they were afterwards transferred to Vienna, and there in the imperial jewel chamber in the Schweitzer-Hof, are still to be seen the royal paraphernalia of Charlemagne, the crown set with rude uncut gems, such as may rarely be referred to a period a thousand years ago. The body was replaced in a sarcophagus of alabaster in the tomb, but, has long since disappeared, and the marble chair on which it was seated, is still shown in one of the alcoves of the gallery above. This striking incident suggested the following lines, which were given to me by a Lady, with whose exquisite productions the public are already familiar--Mrs. Alaric A. Watts. They have not before appeared in type. THE TOMB OF CHARLEMAGNE. Whose is this fair sarcophogus? A hero’s shrine, a Christian’s tomb; Whose sable pall, a banner waves, Whose canopy a minster’s dome,-- What heart reposeth 'neath its shade Whose ashes thus enshrined lie? Ask, of the nations gathered round, For each can make reply!