Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1870-08-19
Letter from Paris.

HOTEL DE NoRMANDIE ! PARIS,
256 Rue SAINT. HoNoRE, ! July %, 1870
DEAR FATHER AND MoTuER:-I am
as you see in Paris, the city of the world
for gaity, beauty and magnificence,
where have been since the war was de-
clared, and have witnessed the tumultu-
Gus and intensely excited crowds that
throng the streets day and night, yelling
the long forbidden but now permitted
Marseillaise, like fanatics. One can we'll
imagine as he gazes upon such q wild,
tumultuous mob how easily they might
be excited up to revolutionary pitch,
but that is not possible now the city is |
too well guarded in every quarter by
the military.
| have seen the man Of the world, Ma
poleon III and the Prince Imperial, but
have rot yet seen the Empress.
The Emperor looks like his pictures.
The gardens of the Tuilleries arethrong-
ed every day with people Of all classes,
and especially at 5 o'clock P. M, when the
band OF the imperial guard play patri-
riotic airs, but this week they were all
sent to the trent. Napoleon leads the
army in person, with the Prince Impe-
rial as aid de camp.
The Mitrailleur and Chessepot are
considered here the most effective weap
on in the world, and as the discipline
and morale of the entire army is excel
lent, and they are so eager and clamor-
Gus to be lead against the enemy, it will
not be the soldiers fault if they are not
victorious, and we may soon hear of an
other jena and Wagram. As regiment
after regiment Of soldiers marched past
singing the famed Marseillaise joined by
the crowds OF citizens, while strains OF
martial music filled the air, it recalled
to my mind the scenes | had witnessed
so recently in my own dear native land
and as I felt my veins throb with excite,
ment l would like to have gone too. In
the foreign legion of 1000 there were
two regiments of Americans. During
the week $4,000 men have left Paris
for the front, Zouaves, Turcos, French
and Foreign all clamorous for the com
ing fight. I can now understand why
the French soldiers idolzed the first Ma
poleon, and how under the leadership o
such man his soldiers were invincible
The four paintings in the Pantheon
"Country," death" "Glory" anc
"Justice" are a fine illustration of al
a French soldier thinks Of or cares for.
The entire population seem perfectl'
wild with enthusiasm, men, women an,
children, especially the lower classes, al
shouting the Marsellaise or Hampton
cries of !" a bds la Pratssie." Berlin,
"viva la France" viva la Emperor,
greet your ears from every direction.
But all I am writing you may hav
been forgotten and become old long be
fore my letter reaches you, amid tn
grand and tremendous events that vii
have transpired and of which you vii
have heard "by cable" perhaps the da
after they have occurred-even the En-
pire itself may have passed and cease
. to be,
| have been to Versailles and vsite
the largest collection of paintings in tb
world, (tbere are said to be nine miles {
paintings, sculpture and bronzes,) whic
l have neither time nor space to describe
Among them may be seen portraits G
all the French kings and queens, Wash
z ington, Franklin, jackson, Clay, Wei
; ster, Paul Jones, Hancock, Jay, Warner
t Green, the two Adamses, Pitt, Sheridan
: Geo. III &c.
y The chambers of Louis XIX contain
: ing his bed, cloak and other relics al
!, shown, and are very thrilling objects {
5 interest and history, especially just nov
L nave NlSlJcU Tue
$ nous whispering gallery, Notre Dam
!, Morgue, Hotele de Invalide, where ma
be seen the portraits of the marshals
d Napoleon l, his own portrait and that
IS the present Emperor.
J. / have visited the tomb of Napoleo
/ The sarcophagus in which rest the ash
It Of the great man, with Duroc and Be
h trand on either side, surrounded by re
n les of his battles, and St. Helena, is
n most intensely interesting spectacle. G
. the floor is engraved Mosco, Jena, w
gram, Marengo, RIVAL, Pyramids, &c.
The old soldiers every day bring choi
l. boquets of flowers to lay on his coffi
0 or hang on the iron railing inclosing Il
S space. Over the entrance is the inscri
ton lin French, the words of Napoleon
!, | give the translation as / render it,
5 81 desire that my ashes may repose ne
rs the banks of the Seine, in the midst
8 the French people that | have loved
much" Among the interesting reli