The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-08-26
excellent. :"
CLOSING OF THE SPRINGS.


AT 3 O'Clock in the afternoon the springs
are are again closed, and the business day at
Vichy Is over. The vicinity begins sud-
denly to wear a sabbath-like ASPECT. and
from all the hotels surrounding the park nj
. O'Clock the sound OF the dinncr-gong il
heard. After dinner the visitors Drepare
for the performance at the Theatre Of the
Casino, which Is said to be always good,
consisting OF opera or concerts. On some
nights balls are given in the ballroom, and
then the billiard-saloon, the reading-room.
and the game-r0Om are all thronged with
visitors. There is said to be no gambling
allowed, but rumor says that heavy sums
have been lost and won. Besides the spring,
the Casino and the large bathing establish
ment IN the park, there is large cafe named
the Restauration, the music square, two
kiosks for the sale Of papers, and two kiosks
Tor the orchestra, and several halls for
tradesmen. Then there are two annexes.
one for second and third-class bathers and
another for the manufacture OF pastiles
and the rendering OF Vichy salts. The
large bathing establishment TO supply the
demand for bottled Vichy in all parts OF the
world is located i'm another part OF the
town. The Casino itself Is large and ele-
CANT establishment, and all visitors must
become subscribers to it or they are not
allowed to enter, except TO purchase seats
at the theatre or the concert, and then they
must pay double the price OF subscribers
and their respectability youched for.
DRIVE AROUND vICHY.
Although we generally adopt the rule for
tourists, "When you are in Turkey do az
the turkeys do" rs our stay must be so
brief, we took vote this morning on the
question Of going to the opera this (Sun-
day. evening, when it was unanimously
decided in the negative, and tomorrow
evening substituted. This did not, how
ever, prevent us from taking an afternoon
drive around Vichy, and we can scarcely
express the establishment with which we
viewed its many beauties. Such town
in America would attract thousands
OF visitors daily, and would rival
Saratoga. We found elegant villas en-
bcdded in roses and flowers, large, COM
Portable houses and beautiful grounds sur
rounding them. There were also several
fine parks, small, but elegantly laid out and
cultivated, the largest one bordering on
the river Loire; and we found that Vichy
has Loire cmbankment extending along
the whole city front, just rs London has its
Thames embankment and Paris its Seine
embankment. 1t affords beautiful drive
for q mile and back through the park.
Within a temporary enclosure OF four
or five acres in this park a grand
festival Is in progress in honor OF
Napoleon the First. BOnaparte hav-
ing founded the city and ordered the
laying out Of the park, and the establish
ment OF Fichy rs a great themal resort.
This festival continues for eight days, and
will close with grand demonstrations on
the 11th. The festival-ground is in the
rear Of the City Hall, which is decorated
with flags and the trees hung with hun
dreds OF Chinese lanterns for the grand
ball to take place tonight Sunday. As
we drove past the grounds we could hear
fine band discoursing waltZes and quad
rifles, and the people within seemed to be
having good time generally. Along
the road outside side-shows, harlequins,
and clowns were performing all kinds
OF capers and feats Of sleight-of-
hand, assisted by an immense muscular
woman in tights and trunks. We moved
on with only passing glance at these ra-
ther startling scenes, and on turning into
one Of the business streets an auctioneer
was seen standing on the steps in front OF
his door selling fancy goods by auction to
q crowd OF country people.
4 detachment OF our party may possibly
visit the festival tonight Ton the same prin-
ciple that the Rev. Talmage goes to places
of doubtful propriety) to describe the do
ings of the Old World by gasIight.
Yours, &C., c. c. FULTON.