The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1878-07-20
Our Letter from Europe.
The Paris Exposition.

The week which has just past hal
been one of continued excitement
fete has succeeded .fete, pageant has
followed pageant, and for time al
least it would seem as if Paris might
be satisfied. Sunday ushered in the
Grand Prtr, or Great Prize race
which is the principal event of the
year There are Saints days, church
festivals and holy feasts, but they all
pale before the Great Prize race,
which generally takes place about the
middle of June. The English Parlia-
ment has often been adjourned for
the Derby; the American Congress
has taken a recess to look at the
Long Branch races, but I don't think
either of them ever adjourned Sun
day, and that is exactly what OH
French cousins did, just one week
ago. For days and days preceding
the race, the busy note of preparation
might be heard all over Paris thou
sands of people who could not have
informed you of the chances of Kaiser
Williams living or dying, knew all
about the qualities of the different
horses in the race. 1t was the alb
sorbing topic in the wine shops and
the cafes chantants. Ali along the
streets you heard of nothing else !;
women talked about it; drcssmakers
and tailors were largely interested in
it, and those natty little nurses in
sweet little caps which you meet
along the streets left their infant
charges under the shady trees of the
Champs Elysees, while they pumped
the reticent coachman ON the chances
of the French horse. Even the priest,
OH top of an omnibus, piously count
ing his beads, stopped in the middle
of a Pater n0Ster to inquire the pedi-
gree of le cheral Aagldis, and why
should he not, when the distinguished
Marechat President de la Repabligae
lent to the imposing occasion. the
sanction of his mighty presence, with
two or three Kings and a half dozen
Princes, not to mention your intelli-
gent correspondent. All Paris was
ont with his family to see the show.
The Grand Pri,r is !; very respectable
Derby. You miss the donkey drivers
and costermongers which disgrace the
English course, but everybody goes to
see the race.
Early in the day the people began
to go out towards Longchamps, and
every vehicle on wheels was turned
towards the race course. From the
Place dc la COncorde to the Afc de
Tri0mphe, was lincd with solid mass
of people to see the grand t0ilettes
and extraordinary turnouts, and they
were not disappointed; all along the
beautiful boulevard of the Bois de
Boulogne, for miles, the bourgeois sat
under the trees and enjoyed Che pass.
ing pageant. 1t was two o'clock
when the Marechal President passed,
in carriage, with six horses. The
State carriage was gorgeous affair
the massive gold mountings of the
harness and the gay dresses of the
postillions added to the striking effect.
All the postilliops wore grey wigs
plated i'll tails behind, with jackets
ofbright scarlet and immaculate knee
two stately coachmen sat
on the box with neither reins nor
whip, most splendid plifcations
of that sinecure Office that l have
been looking for all my life, where
there is lots to get and nothing to
do. One fat woman astonished the
good people with a lively team of
goats, while gay gallant, in bright
blue vest and red necktie, dashed
along behind fonr splendid New
making as lively time as
half the bloaded stock on the course.
Queen Isabella, Notwithstanding her
reported poverty, was also seen on
the road, and | thought to myself if
this means poverty | should like tn
try it for awhile. The Shah of Persia
has made mp his mind to drop q few
francs up the result of the race, and
accepted a place in the Presidents
ealeche, being followed by number
of his suit in four carriages with
postillions. The different
were well represented and
not a foreign Prince in Paris-and
their name is legion-denied us his
presence. The drivers and turnouts
were gorgeous. The Longchamps is
ane of the most beautiful racing fields
in the world. No grayeled course
disfigures its surface, the race being
run on the grassy sward. From the
grand stand the sight was almost daz-
cling. There were q pumber of horses
in the start, the riders all in brilliant
costumes. In and around the course
there were not less than two hundred
and fifty thousand people. Several
minor races were run, and the con-
gliding race was the Grand Prir.
After several false starts the horses
got off, and after magnificent run
The English horse won By head, his
victory being hailed with voieeferons
cheers in which, am sorry to say,
the Shah did not join, as it was
that his Imperial high
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