Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-11-26
y we did! and !! called the Judges at

tention to the fact. My interest waG
tonly temporarily checked by his repl0t-
that he did not like M. Victor Hugo.
and did not read anything he wrote
However, as we left the place dropped
la franc in the blind-beggar's box, thus
Increasing my aims in the ratio Of my,
interest, my friend being legally coBscis
/ entious, gave nothing more, not feeling
or expecting any interest on the small
principal already invested. After We
had taken our departure from its intefi-'
1 or we stopped, for brief time in the
open space in the front of the grand old
| pile to loek on the two tall towers, the
/ steeple In the rear, and all that familiar
i external SO well known to every visitor
1 to Paris. The next church in imp0f-
tance that we were in the habit of visit.
| Ing was La Madelaine, . very fine, large,
substantial building. Its external pre-
sents the appearance of q Greek temple,
It having been built after such model,
| the entire structure having a broad por-
tico surrounding 1t with huge, tall, fiuted
| columns rom portico to roof. La Mad-
elaine ID comparatively q new church,
having been erected some twenty-five
or thirty years ago. It's interior is very
gorgeous and resplendent in gilt and
pictures, and marble saints. - ,--.j
We once attended high-mass here and
saw President M M'Mahon and lady with
. crowd Of smaller lights, and an i'm.
mense attendance of common people,
This Church witnessed considerable
bloodshed during the brief and awful
reign OF communism In 1872. Among the
closing horrors of that dreadful era was
the dire and complete annihilation of
three 1900 hundred unfortunate COM
munists, who sought protection within
ITS walls from the soldiery who shot
them down like SO many dogs from the
windows, not allowing one to escape.
Under the second empire it was the FASH
ionable church, receiving the special pa
tronage of Louis Napolien and famify:.
also the numerous members of his court
with their families were wont to attend
service quite regularly at Made.aine in
those proud days of Summer prosperity.
La Madelains is happily and prominent
~ situated in the very heart of the city
andi in its most bustling, noisy, fashion
able quarter, in five minutes walk OF the
place de Ia Concord and the Champs Ely
sees. 1t is also only few blocks ffera
the Grand Opera, and near the brilliant
boulevard des Italians. Near this splen-
DID church Is An extensive, and elegant
Flower Market, where there is a fine
display of flowers and plants two days
IN each week. An omnibus terminusis
also near this popular church. Many
ride did the Judge and Myself" take
from this point to the Place De La Bas-
tile and back again and we also rode
IN other directions, making La Made
laine one of our chief land marks, as it
occupied such central position.
Another grand church that we attend
ed was St. Augustine, we boarded near
II Tor few days at Nos. 7, 8 and II Rue
DC 10 Beinfaisance-a sort of American
mead, quarters. or as our landlady called
her hotel THE AMERICAN FAMILY
HOME" st. Augustine was only few
steps distant, a superb church with a
very tall, well proportioned dome, con-
splcously visible from any part of the
city. The Judge admired the style of
It's architecture very much, it being
rather plain, without such asuperabun-
dance OF 0rnamentatiOn on its exterior,
and the interior was rich and tasteful
without being gaudy and overdone.-
La ROCK another famous church, not
noted for its grandeur as an architec-
tural pile, but celebrated rather for its
historical associations with the France of
Revolutionary days, only received one
short visit from US. We found it to be
an old building, erected with view to
strength and durability. A dark and
solemn look seemed to pervade it, and
the dim uncertain light from the tall
tapers around the altar added to the
gloom helping to make us feel too de-
pressed while the MONDAY light was so
bright without, so our stay was brief
one. The marks of bullets and even
cannon shot are shown to strangers, as
evidences of a past when men fought,
bled and died for their ideas; it was
very often the case that these scenes OF
blood originated from the merest ca
prices of violent leaders, when there was
no reason at all embraced in these issues
for which they led men to death. There
are number of noted churches in the
elegant city, too many for US to notice or
comment upon in this sketch, it was on
~ our plan to speak of several visited
by US together. And now dear, patient
readers we have only told you '.some-
thing about our two weeks in Paris."-
For the present we will leave you to
look over and reflect on what we have
said in our humble manner. In part
ing we tender you the kindest regards of
THE JUDGE AND MYSELF.
PARIS, 1873. G. A. r,