USA > Ohio > The Western Reserve of Ohio and some of its pioneers, places and women's clubs, Vol. I > Part 27
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At ten the next day three diligences were filled and we rode to Vauvais, over the best of roads. Six horses were attached to one diligence, and three, abreast, to the others. At short inter- vals we passed other tourists in diligences, all with six horses, as they were ascending, while we were descending. A railroad was being built to ascend Mont Blanc, and solid pillars as large as the keep of a castle, and arches for tunnels were already made. After reading of the efforts of Horace de Saussure to stay several days on Mont Blanc to get a correct view of the lo- cation of its various peaks, and of Dr. Jansen, who established an observatory there to get facts regarding meteorological ef- fects, it will not be surprising to know that a railroad is being
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pushed to its icy heights. While a heap of stones that had fallen from an embankment were being removed, that our vehicles might pass on, we could see two men three hundred feet above us. We soon moved on, and suddenly turning a corner saw the village of Vauvais before us.
Geneva, which lies within sight of Mont Blanc, is an old city. It was known to Cæsar and is said to have been founded over 2,000 years ago. Calvin preached there for thirty-six years. We visited his church. Some parts of it were built in the 10th century, and two tiers of seats for monks are now used by the judiciary. Curious old heads are on the pew doors. The church is large and lofty. The pulpit of John Calvin is repro- duced as it originally appeared. There is a statue to Duke Henri de Rohan, in marble, and on his sarcophagus lie a crown and sword presented him by Madame de Vigne. A tablet on the wall is for the grandfather of Madame de Maintenon. There was a pretty chapel restored fifteen years ago, where marriages and deaths are solemnized. We were told that Calvin refused to have a monument erected to himself, as he said the people would remember him without it. This is a city of substantial bridges. One is called Rosseau's Bridge, and leads to his monu- ment. Black swans and white ones sail in the water that sur- rounds it. The Rothchilds' villa is seven miles away, and Madame de Stael's, at Coppet, a half day's journey on Lake Geneva.
The Rhone and the Arve run side by side, but their waters do not mingle. The Rhone is clear and as blue as the sky, while the Arve is muddy and brown. We visited the power-house, where power is generated for the gas works, water works, and for the various business of a city. In the shops colored photo- graphs of Victor Hugo, Lamartine, Rosseau and others were for sale, which we bought.
PARIS, VERSAILLES, THE EXPOSITION
From Geneva to Paris, the first hundred miles is over a very flat country, but farther on the surface becomes rolling, and as we approach the city, hills begin to appear. Our long train sped on at the rate of a mile a minute, causing the cars to rock from side to side and making our views of the wayside land- scape rather fleeting except during the stops that were made. At the boundary line between Switzerland and France, our baggage had to pass the usual examination, and one gentleman, (not of our party) was fined for having some cigars in his pos- session, but the others had nothing contraband. The govern- ment of France, we were told, has a monopoly of the tobacco trade.
"No one can rise in this country," said our guide, "as every hindrance is thrown in the way." Hucksters remain at the city limits to escape the tax on poultry and other things; those who do enter being rigidly searched for anything that might be a violation of the law.
Some say that France is on the eve of another revolution, claiming that the resources of the government are not equal to the outlay in public buildings, monuments, and salaries of the large number of officials. However that may be, the products from the French colonies to be seen in the Exposition fall much short of what one would expect.
We were sent to the St. James and the Albany hotels, within ten minutes walk of the Exposition, which is at Place de la Concorde. The two palaces of Grand and Petit Beaux Arts are to be permanent structures. As we entered at the great gateway, there were two paths, each lined with bronze statues or
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marble monuments, leading to the buildings, and chairs at two cents were on the sides along the way. There were also free seats. The court of the Grand Palace of Beaux Arts is filled with large statuary. We noticed five very large pieces, all of bluish marble, as though made to fill one order, and that especi- ally for the Exposition. Among these were, "Job," by J. Dres- sonelles, Job being in sitting posture, and with wrinkled brow; "The Pardon," by Ernest Du Bois, a father kissing his son on the back his neck as the son kneels before him; "Remorse," a companion piece of "The Pardon," and "The Prodigal Son," given as looking far away, while pigs eat at a trough at his side. "The Roman Marriage," close to the entrance, was a young man and young woman sitting side by side, the man holding the woman's extended hand. There were, also, a girl holding a distaff, Joan of Arc and equestrian statues of all kinds.
In the interior, the fine face of Cuvier made a pleasing im- pression, while that of Cardinal Richelieu had the opposite ef- fect. There were among the many others, Napoleon in costume, by Claude Ramey; Dante; Louis Bonaparte, by P. Gurin; Ma- dame Recaimer, Biuzot, Perrie Jeane David, Mendelsohn and Victor Hugo. There were David and Jonathan in bronze, also Mozart, as a child playing the violin. In paintings, which are, many of them, old and faded, one might look in vain for a strik- ing picture. There were "The Cook," by Dupre; "Interior of a Cathedral at Toledo," "The Chateau of the Barben," "Oxen at Labor," by Rosa Bonheur; Carot's "Hagar and Ishmael," "In- fant Malade," by Millet; a mother holding a child to her bosom, the father offering medicine. There were cartoons and draw- ings, and yet much space unfilled. Some Dresden china vases were in dark halls, where was, also, furniture of various periods of French history.
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We passed out through the court with statuary and saw the statue of "Time," with his wings and hour-glass, then going to the Petit Palace of Beaux Arts. A flight of steps on the out- side brought us into an immense corridor, where we could stop and view the passing throngs. There seemed to be no English spoken. High culture, was, doubtless, represented in the end- less concourse, yet the majority followed their leaders, giving but little thought to the Gobelin tapestries on the walls; the il- luminated books of monks; the carved ivory and the coins of all nations, which had been seen by our party, and probably many others, in cities previously visited.
We crossed over the Seine on the bridge called Pont Alex- andre III. On each corner is a figure of Pegasus and of Fame. The bridge has five hundred electric lamps, and its statuary is gilded. It opens on Champ de Mars, which is lined with highly ornamented buildings, faced with staff, similar to the edifices of the Chicago World's Fair, and from this point was the finest view of the Exposition. Two rows of palaces extended to the right and to the left, with vast halls and double galleries in white-and-gold, and with beautiful frescoes. It was, indeed, a "dream city," and left nothing to be desired, except to see it il- lumined at night, which could be done on Friday and Sunday evenings only.
We entered the first building to the left, which was for Paris, and found it contained on the first floor, crucifixes and emblems of the Catholic church, and was filled with people. Up one flight of stairs, we saw rolls of Axminster carpet; rooms filled with modern furniture; silk embroidered satin bolsters, pillows and comforts; various medallion lamps; beautiful china and all sorts of decorated glassware. On the porch of this building were imitations of the walls of Luxor and statues from Nineveh, also varieties of huge cactus.
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Two rides were to be given us by the Gaze company, and one morning at nine o'clock, we started for Versailles, the palace of Louis XIII, Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette, and Napoleon I and Marie Louise, his second wife. We rode through the Champs Elysees past the Arc de Triomphe, near which is the home of Anna Gould, Countess of Castellane. As we rode along, fan-like jets of water at the edge of the grass borders of the road made rainbow colors in the sunshine, producing a beautiful effect. Count Castellane's residence is of pink stone edged with white, and is surrounded with trees and shrubs, as are all the residences in its vicinity.
A little farther on, we enter the Bois de Boulogne, or woods of Boulogne, which is a park of many hundreds acres in a state of nature, except for the cutting away of the undergrowth near the drive. The trees are large but of second growth, the origi- nal forest having been destroyed. In this woods the Germans encamped and were shelled from Fort Velerian, which stands on a high hill near by. The Communists utterly destroyed the Tuilleries, built by Catherine de Medicis in what are now the Tuilleries Gardens. St. Cloud was also destroyed, but the blackened stones of the ruins have been put into two long ter- races, which are now filled with flowers. Photographs of the place as it appeared after being laid waste are still on sale. We were shown the home of Gambetta, the orator and states- man, at D'Avray, and also that of President Loubet, on Champs Elysees, which is surrounded by large grounds. We saw the race course and the grand stand, made of brick, where he viewed the races with his friends on the 14th of July, their day of Independence. We saw also the wall of Paris, built in 1840, and which it has been proposed to destroy. It is sixteen feet high, with a coping, and looks as strong as though new.
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The palace of Madame de Maintenon is called the Grand Trianon, and is the place where royalty used to come to get rid of pomp. It is one story in height and built to form a hollow square. The interior is painted white, and the gilding is in sil- ver. The first room visited is called the "room of mirrors," there being several mirrors set in the wall. The chairs were up- holstered in pink and white brocade. Next was a bed-room of Napoleon I, afterwards occupied by Louis Philippe, and next to it was the private study of the kings. In this was a table with a vase of platinum in the center. Then came Madame de Main- tenon's private room, caled the "room of columns," which has four columns, painted white. In the private room of Napoleon there was a portrait of Louis XV and his queen. The furniture was of 1840. There was a room with book-cases, and then one called the malachite room, with vases of that mineral, and can- delabra presented by Alexander of Russia, to Henry IV. There was a highly polished inlaid table that once belonged to Empress Josephine, and in the ante-chamber of Napoleon was a marble bust of Marie Louise. The banquet room had chairs upholstered in green velvet-a change from the pink and white brocade of all the other rooms.
We passed on to St. Cloud, and then between rows of large horse-chestnut trees, on foot, to our wagons at the other en- trance and proceeded to the Palace of Versailles. This palace has not been occupied since the times of Louis Philippe. A ter- raced avenue lined with trees leads down to a lake, where once a barge holding a hundred persons afforded pleasure trips for the guests. The front of the palace looks out on four avenues, which, a mile distant, are crossed by a circular drive lined with trees. We saw the state carriages. That of Napoleon I is all in gold color, with a crown on the center of the top. Another,
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used by Empress Josephine after her divorce, is in gold and brown, and the coronation carriage of Charles X, which was also used at the baptism of the late Prince Imperial, is a gor- geous vehicle, with very heavy wheels, and cost over a million francs. Eight horses were required to draw the largest of the carriages.
In fresco, set in the center of the ceiling of the Royal chapel, is the inscription, "The Eternal God in all His Glory." The chapel was dedicated to Louis XVI by Louis XV. The next room is fifty-five by sixty feet in dimension, and is all in gilt, even to the window sashes. In it are brass lion andirons, marble brought from the Alps by Louis XIV, and an ivory carving from the ruins of Pompeii. It is said that Louis destroyed all of the accounts of the building of the palace, so that the people might not know the cost. The room in which Louis XV died is the most central room in the palace. Josephine and Marie Louise's portraits in oil were at each side of the mantel, and there was also a picture of an interview between Louis XV and Philip of Spain. There was a gambling room, where, it is said, none dared refuse to lend money to the king; and in the "room of peace," nineteen princes and princesses were born. In this room was a painting representing Louis XIII presenting the olive branch of peace to the French nation. Louis Philippe sent the statues from Place de la Concorde to ornament the entrance to the Palace of Versailles, and also made the "Gallery of Battles," where, besides the battles of France, are busts of the heroes of France, a statue of Lafayette, and a representation of the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown.
On our return route to Paris, we saw the manufactory for Sevres ware, the clay for which is brought from the province of Savoy.
THE LOUVRE
As we were about to enter the Louvre we were attracted by a new, large monument in the grounds near by. On examina- tion it proved to be that of General Lafayette. On one side was written "Erected by the children of the United States in grateful memory of Lafayette, General and Statesman." On the other side were these words: "From the National Daugh- ters of the American Revolution to the illustrious memory of Lafayette, the friend of America, the soldier of Washington and the patriot of two countries." It was a model, to be copied in stone. It gave me a thrill of pleasure to remember that this statue was the gift of the school children of the United States, and that many exhibitions for it had been held in Cleveland, and also that I was a charter member of the Daugh- ters of the American Revolution.
In the Museum, there are statues of Jupiter, Thesis, Thetis, Venus, Juno, Etrurian sarcophagi and other sarcophagi from Egypt. Among the paintings are portraits of Bossuet, Hya- cinthe, "Moses in the Bulrushes," "The Judgment of Solomon," by Poussin; "Ulyssus and his Father," by Claude Lorraine, and many others. There is a bust of Murillo, and "The Holy Fam- ily," by Van Dyck, and in the Rubens collection there is a history of Marie de Medicis in the various portraits of herself and those connected with her. She is represented as a blonde, tall and of commanding appearance. Henry IV, her husband, is given with gray hair, but not a look of age. From the picture of Henry receiving the portrait of Marie de Medicis, there are paintings representing nearly every phase of their history, in- cluding that of Henry's assassination, up to the last, which is
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called "Felicity of Marie de Medicisi in Heaven." An equestrian statue of Henry IV is near the Lourve, and the tower from which Catherine de Mecidis ordered the beheading of the Huguenots is back of it. One thousand five hundred were guil- lotined, but many fled to the island of Guernsey and thence to all parts of the world; thus turning Catherine de Medicis' at- tempt to stamp cut Protestantism into the very means of scat- tering it broadcast.
We visited La Madeleine, which is certainly one of the finest of churches. Fifty-six pillars support a verandah that surrounds it. The interior is lighted from above, and an altar at one end has above it a marble statue of the Virgin Mary with a guardian angel at either side and twelve wax tapers burning. In niches in the walls outside are the following statues: St. Philip, St. Louis, St. Michael, St. Denis, St. Anne, St. Eliza- beth, St. Ferdinand, St. Christine, St. Jerome, St. Jennie de Valois, St. Gregory, St. Genevieve, St. Chrisostum, St. Mar- guerite de Cosse, The Angel Guardian, St. Mark, St. Luke, St. Raphael, St. Agnes, St. Gregory of Tours, St. Agatha, St. Martin of Tours, St. Adelaide, St. Irene, St. Theresa, St. Cecile, St. Helena, St. Frances de Sales, St. Bernard and St. Gabriel. At the entrance are bronze tablets representing scriptural scenes. The music on Sunday morning was very low, and as we had been told it was the best in the city, was somewhat disappointing.
The cemetery of La Madeleine has an open court with arches on either side decorated in memory of the Swiss guard whose members were slain in the defence of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. This court leads to a large building where their remains were kept for many years before being removed to St. Denis, where they now rest, among those of the kings and queens of France.
PANTHEON, PARIS NAPOLEON'S MAUSOLEUM
INTERIOR OF CASTLE OF CHILLON
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The Hotel des Invalides is a barracks used for the soldiers wounded in Napoleon's battles, and was once a palace. The Monceau Gardens are the gift of a man who gave his home for a museum of antiquities. On July 14, 1900, a fete was held there for the Republic and speeches were made from the forum, which has pillars like the Roman forum. We passed the home of the great chocolate king, Menier, and then on to the Arc de Triomphe. The names of the 400 generals in Napoleon's army are inscribed on the interior. The Arc de Triomphe was begun in 1806 and finished in 1836. It has 376 steps, and from it are seen twelve avenues, which lead in every direction. It was completed to what is called the "first relief" in Napoleon's time, and its total cost was 27,000,000 francs.
Napoleon's tomb is all he could have desired had his life terminated in success. "I hope," said he, "my remains may repose near the waters of the Seine and in the center of Paris among the people I love so well." And his wishes have been carried out.
At the right, after entrance, is the casket, in black and white marble, of Joseph, brother of Napoleon I and King of Spain. At the left, in an enclosure, is the tomb of Jerome, also brother of Napoleon, and that of Josephine Beauharnais. There is also a place left for Empress Eugenia. Napoleon III requested not to be buried here. In the center, as you look down over a balustrade, you see an immense casket on a pedestal, and this is where the ashes of Napoleon I repose. The dome above is beautiful with frescoes, and the numerous arches are brilliant with light. Spiral pillars of black-and-white marble surround a slab on which the last words of Napoleon, before mentioned, are inscribed. From the outside, the tomb might well be taken for a church, and can be seen from some distance on all the avenues leading to it.
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The Column Vendome is made from cannon taken in the battles of Napoleon, and has bronze tablets portraying the battles in which they were captured. A staircase leads to the top of the Column. We next visited Notre Dame, which has two towers similar to Westminster Abbey. This cathedral was begun when Paris was a Roman village, called Letitia, and had a population of 148 persons. Julian was the first king, reign- ing in 585. Charlemagne reigned in 860. After that the town was called Paris. Archbishop Denis, who ministered in this church, defended Louis XIII before the people, and said he hoped his own would be the last blood shed. He would not have his eyes bandaged before execution, and after being be- headed he walked fifty yards with his head in his hand. This is represented at the entrance. His statue shows him as if blessing the people. A horrible piece of statuary is of a man trying to get out of his casket, with death standing be- hind him, and friends pleading with him to accept the in- evitable. The main arch, with two side arches, of the church are very beautiful in effect, and the floor is of smooth white marble.
We visited the morgue and saw three unknown awaiting recognition by friends; then went to The Pantheon, where, in the crypt below, are the tombs of Voltaire, Boussuet, Carnot, Rousseau and others. Frescoes represent St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris, as on her deathbed blessing the people. There is also one of Roman captives, which St. Genevieve pleads for. We visited the Saints' Chapel, erected by Charle- magne. In the basement is a room with many gilded arches, where servants hold their meetings. In the room above, the Diplomatic Corps now hold religious services. The tiled floor is in pale blue and white in regular pattern; the pillars have
GATE OF TUILLERY GARDENS, PARIS
TOMB OF CESTUS, IN A WALL OF ROME
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each an ornament of different design, in red or blue, and the windows are of stained glass with small figures, giving a warm glow to the room. Mass has been said but once a year since the Republic was established; formerly it was said every month. Outside there is a large, airy hall where the Mayor issues his proclamations. It has marble floor and sides, with a ceiling of the same color.
After the two days given our party in carriage rides, with guides, some visited the Catacombs, where are the re- mains taken from old burying grounds that have been torn up as the city has been built. There are twelve miles of bones. The skulls are arranged in rows and the arms and legs are piled in order below them. Madame de Maintenon's remains are in this place, as she finally entered a convent and was buried in its grounds, which were afterwards appropriated to other uses.
Sunday was observed in Paris, although the Exposition was open on that day. The quiet that prevailed was as great as that in any other city on the Sabbath.
From the United States building we were told to go to the department of Social Economics, and from an English speaking officer obtained the monographs on American Social Economics edited by Herbert B. Adams, of Johns Hopkins University, and Richard Waterman. There are nineteen pam- phlets. Richard Waterman states that in 1855 Prince Albert opened the London Exposition to all nations, and found that progress was greatly stimulated by that course. Paris has also gained by her previous expositions. In 1876, William P. Wilson, of Philadelphia, secured as gifts from different nations material for a great museum. Paris offers rewards to institu- tions for preventing improvidence and improving moral and
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mental conditions; bringing about harmony between those working together; stimulating to ownership of homes; in- ducing respect for the character of young girls and mothers of families, and preserving and promoting the health of em- ployees. The main conclusions arrived at in industrial better- ment seem to be that as greater intelligence is required of employees in these days of labor-saving machinery and devices, better opportunities for both physical and mental improvement should be given them.
On Sunday evening we attended Wesleyan Chapel and heard De Witt Talmage, who had been engaged to preach on that night. His text was from Daniel xxx, 2, "If you are with God, you can do exploits." He thought the exploits in battles were about over and that our cannon would soon be spiked. He said that while we could not all be Morses or Fultons or Edisons, the great exploit of all was to save a man or woman or child, and we might do that; then relating several happy instances where this had been done. The con- gregation laughed aloud at times. Three Hindus from India sang "Sweet Bye and Bye," and the pastor of the church, who seemed to be a man of fine perception, closed with a prayer full of excellent thoughts.
Pere Hyacinthe, we learned, had no church, but lectured each Sunday. His son was in Germany preparing to become a journalist.
We attended the church of St. Roche, on St. Honore, famous for its music. By placing cannon on the steps of this church Napoleon dispersed the Royalist mob, Oct. 3rd, 1795. The Palais Legislatif was formerly the palace of the Bourbons, and is where Napoleon signed his final abdication. The tower of St.
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Joseph, on the Rue de Rivoli, is above the vault of Pascal, and is where he made his experiments in atmospheric pressure.
The Champ de Mars had an electric fountain, which was very fascinating, with its artistic setting of iridescent lights, The display of costumes fashioned by Paris modistes was re- flected by large mirrors, and the laces, velvets and satins thus produced a fine effect. Crowds blocked the passage to the room where they were, but glimpses showed that the style of dress is becoming more and more graceful each decade. The telescopic views of the moon made up from photographs were large and genuine, and consequently interesting and instructive.
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