St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-01-16

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at Culoz to Paris, we traverse a moder-
ately rolling and highly cultivated
country. Orchards, vineyards purple
with ripening clusters, gardens still
green with the later vegetables, mead
ows that looked more like May than
october, and men and women laborino
side by side in the fields, greet the ewes
OF speeding travellers in rapid success
sion. The French outside the cities are
very industrious, thrifty people, They
live frugally and even in bad years
manage to add something to their saw
Rngs. Taxes are high, for the French
have had to pay double for their last
1--WE of lighting; first, the indemnity to
TIE Germans, and, secondly, for home
destruction and war waste. Yet money
is plenty at two per cent interest, and
mich of it fails to find investment.
i No large city of France is at present
a %.aradise for impecunious people
Municipal expenses are everywhere
chiefly betrayed by taxes on the sale OF
food. Not vegetable finds its way
through the gates of the walls of Paris
till i has been appraised and tithed by
the 0ctrei, or revenue officers. More
over the Parisians last year greatly
raised rents, board, etc., because Of the
Exposition, and this year they try to
keep prices at the same high-water
mark. Shopping is cheaper in London
for almost everything, though if one
must have clothing made, it can proba-
bly, be more satisfactorily done in the
French capital.
Bat what of the city itself it may be
asked. Is it not the grandest city of the
coninentq The question does not ad-
NIT of direct, monosyllabic answer.
For one who knows anything of French
history; one who sees before him now
the bare, blackened walls of buildings
wantonly fired by her own citizens,
must walk these streets with conflicting
emotions and may recall, as quite as
applicable to Paris as to the late en-
perOr, what Mrs. Browning wrote of
Napoleon Third-'Strong as ten armies,
wicked as seven DEVILS"
The exterior of many things in Paris
cohpels admiration. Her public build
inss, and parks, and broad boulevards
(een more brilliant by night than by
dag are truly magnificent, but they
ar'Schiefiy modern, not altogether I'M
llks what one may see in American
cites If one comes to Europe to see
the 'Old World, Its medieval or
olCer architecture, it's ruins,
in heir decay,-its quaint and curious
stye of everyday life which has out
lived centuries,-to us more attractive
than almost anything else,-he must
8asEit outside of Paris. Moreover the
city seems somehow out of joint just
now. She has the paraphernalia, the
trappings of royalty, but no one to wear
| them. She has palaces without tenants.
1t may be as well for France, but it is
certainly incongruous. What is suita-
BILE for monarchy does not become re-
publicanism. 1t accords with the very
genius and spirit of the government,
that in Great Britain, and Russia, and
Austria, the treasures of art and science,
the souvenirs of by-gone ages, the op-
Eportunities of special culture, and the
lavish expenditures of national wealth,
should be clustered about the capital.
No matter if Ireland is drained of her
resources to the very teaching of her
ashes, or if the most fertile provinces
on the Black Sea or the Danube yield
but beggarly support to their inbabit-
ants. The capital balances the ac-
count. The people are willing to pay
price for the regal insignia if there is
a real king to worship and to boast of.
So it was with France and Paris. So
day this city is latent volcano,
POLITICALLY, because one quarter of the
people would rejoice in a sovereign to
occupy tne NdcdDC lullefleS, ana De-
suse one-half the remainder believe
il life without law, in society without
basis on which to organize it, in
Universe without God, heaven, or holi-
less. May it be granted to America
1ever to have republicanism like that
Of France, or city like Paris, with
'Irincely outward splendor, but an inner
mvening of wolves. But to hinder,
know of nothing adequate save obedi-
'ence to the two great commandments
on which hang all the law and the
prophets. Yet here are many wise,
earnest, sagaciOus, men and women,
those who are laboring with all their
might to bring something stable and
permanent out of the wrecks of revolu-
tions, and who serve their country and
their God with equal fidelity. May
their efforts not fail of the issues they
seek Yours sincerely,
III. T. FULLER.
CHIT MS MApuUI ORC Eso,n,