The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1878-05-25

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diamonds were evidently of no com
mon clay. At two precisely -four
ish OF trumpets and a wild rush OF
chassenrs announced the arrival of
the Mareclal President of the Repub.
lie the drums beat,athe braxentram.
pets brayed, but no vivas rentsthe ait
for the ruler of France; the crowd
parted respectfully as he entered,
heads We're uncovered, and many
bowed low; bat the deep p,entlusiasm
which popularity engenders was
wanting, and he passed on TO the
grand pavilion in silence. Caught np
in the wild thrsng that followed in
his wake, ! was hurried along the
corridor; one moment | was in the
midst of the delegation of deputies,
and the next was III the suite of the
Persian Ambassador soon, I found
myself touching elbows with the
crown Prince of Denmark !; another
surge, and l was landed on the grand
stand alongside of the President az
the Republic. At this moment, the
scene was particularly grand and in,
spring. A lovely ampfiteatre deeked
10 the gayest robes OF spring stretclfs
ing In gentle slope across the Seine
iay between you and the main Exhi-
bition. The stand itself was of plr-
pie and gold filled with magnificent
gilded chains for the Royal guests
who had been specially invited, and
PRESIDENT MacMahon and his staff.
| IuImpdiatpIv hnlsif,d an a ra;ca,I sia,;;as
were assembled the princesses lifd
the wives OF the foreign Ambassadors,
aud away in a corner gorgeous in
oaroarlc splendor the Ambassador
and suite from Assam and several
other sayages. In front of tile stand
beautiful cascade poured its waters
into marble lake on the margin of
which q gllded elephant was trum-
peeing MS angry blast, near by a
huge rhinoceros was uttefing his rear
of defiance opposite him a maglifi-
cent bull laslled the air with his
fierce tail; while his neighbor,
proud horse, nndaunted by his looks,
seemed ready to grapple with him in
the embrace of death. !.
Over the buildings of the Eynaei.
tion rose the bright aiIied dome I,ifr If
the Invalides, Under which notilganr
the sacred ashes of the Emnanor.
away i'm the distance was tbe so.ahpe
towers OF Notre, Dame and behind Il
in bold relief against the tl,e
great dome of the Pantheon wIsare a,
the days of the Revolntion thau en-
sllriued the naked goddess of T.ihertv
To the East like some majestic g;.nf
stood the Arc s.es aIarinnn,,has ia
l'Etoile inscribed with its splanaid
battle roll of hundred victories
and on the North rose Montmartre
from whose heights only seven vaa,s
ago the Emperor William. at 4he
head of his conauering army. hooked
down on the starving and belea gnered
CITY. The storm which had bean
threatening all the lpornipg now
busrt npon the assembled thousands
with unrelenting fury the pitiless
rain poured down in torrents. and
the roar of Heavep's artillery drowned
the thunder of the guns that greeted
the President OF the Republic. The
opening ceremonies were n grievons
-
disappointment TO almost every holy
present. There was no music. no
grand anthem by which France and
the world should remember the day.
The entire absence of all enthusiasm
in the most enthusiastic capitai in the
world was as marked as it was
lamentable to those who were natur-
ally expecting one of the most sulen- |
did pageants of ancient or modern
times. As a spectacle it was. the |
deadest of all dead failures, as q pub-
lie celebration to whoever has seen
the Derby or the boat race on lI,e
Thames, the contrast would be most.
/; but for all this, there
are mere gathered together such an
exposition OF the worlds genius and
tie worlds wealth, as has never
oeen Witnessed III any land before.
Strong with the pre]ndlces OF my
own country, glorying in ITS past sue
cesses as dc, atli still compelled to
peak with reverence ana respect OF