St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-03-17
Letter from Paris.


One pleasant afternoon last week
went over to the PaldiS du Luxembourg
to see the pictures. This palace was
built about $50 years ago for Marie de
Medicis, and was used for royal pal
ace until the revolution, when for IL
time it was turned into prison, and
among the many prisoners confined
here were Josephine, her husband
Beauharnais, and Robespierre. Now
the Senate occupies most of the build
ing, but Il few rooms are set aside for
collection of paintings by living ar
fists. OF the 300 pictures now there
| will mention only three or four. A
large one by Jacque occupies promi
nent place and is quite attractive. 1t
is called "a Flock of Sheep" and rep
resents some twenty sheep grazing ON
IA hillside with a young shepherdess
watching them. The grass is bright,
vivid green, and the dingy white backs
of the sheep make fine contrast On
ly the tall trunks of trees without fo-
liage can be seen. The costume of the
shepherdess is picturesque and pretty.
The picture has almost Il bare look,
but still is striking and attractive.
Two of the prettiest pictures in the gal
lery are "MOrning" and Evening" by
Dupre, and are simply landscapes with
rising and setting sun. Rosa Bon
hours picture, ''Husbandry in Niver-
nais," ii copy of which is in the st.
JOhnsbury AthenIum, is here, and
when | came across it felt as if had
met an old friend. There is one pic
ture by an American artist, Henry
MOsler by name, called "Le Retour."
1t represents Il young vagabond re
turning home to find his father dead,
with candles burning about his head
and priest saying masses for his soul.
thrown himself on his knees before the
bed. The cOloring is excellent, and
the picture though small is very i'm
pressive.
The garden surrounding the palace
must be beautiful in summer, as even
on bright afternoon in February it is
most attractive. 1t has terraces with
broad flights of steps leading to them
several large fountains. and many
| niacaS of totuarV onon,r tha,, t,r.I A..
statues of celebrated French women.
The Pantheon is quite near the Lux
embOurg, and also several fine church
es. One of THESE, the st. Germain- des-
Pres, is one of the most ancient church
es in Paris, being over 800 years old
1t was much injured during the Revo-
luton, but has since been repaired
The exterior is very curious and won
derfully well preserved The chic
beauty of the interior is its decorations
The colOring of the walls, pillars anC
arches is soft, rich and beautiful
There is a series of forty paintings
representing scenes from the old ant
new Testaments, over the arches il
the nave. The church is so well light
ed by windows over the pictures tina
they can be clearly seen.
There is Il large agricultural exhibi
tion at the PaIdiS de InduStrie thi
week. The extensive grounds outsid
the building are filed with agricultur
al machines of all kinds and descrip
tions, while bright-colOred windmill
add to the novelty of the scene. In
side the building are stalls of animals
apartments filed with small agricul
tural implements, vegetables, fruits
etc, most of which are for sale. Thi
exhibition is much like an immens
county fair in America.
Last Thursday we had the pleasur
of attending a Sednce at the ChanabT
deS Deputies. Arriving there a littl
before the time, we could examine tn
fine assembly room. 1t is semi-circu
Lar, with twenty large marble pillar
supporting two tiers of galleries. Tn
r floor is raised, and filled with sma
mahogany desks, and in front is til
high tribune with the Presidents chai
and seats for the secretaries and re
porters. Over this is Gobelin tapes
! try, and in gilt letters the words h,
: pnbiigue Franodis. The room is lighte
by glass roof and in the evening b
T electric lights above the roof. I'll
d galleries were well filed before I'll
\ : SeGnee began, and at about thrt
l o'clock the sound of the bugle Wa
heard in the court, and an attendal
announced in loud tones, monsieur