River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-06-21
THE FRENCH ELYSEE.

VI. OFSFy at 6One-Wn nat w as seen
by a Visitor at the French Elysee.-
President Crews Way OF Life
Famous Occupants ofthe Executive
Mansion.
Paris Correspondent Phil. Press.
A lunatic awoke in the night recently
and, climbing out upon the balcony Of
the house in which lie lives in this city,
lighted sundry Chinese lanterns which
he had carefully prepared during the
day. Then he set up a tremendous
hewling: 'The king has come! the
king has arrivedm His sleepy fellow
tenants, when they put their heads out
at windows, contented themselves with
laughing and applauding. 1t seemed to
them natural that crazy man should
be expecting the arrival of the "king,"
but if sane man should venture to pre-
diet such thing people would lose their
tempers and would have him dragged
off to prison for disturb
ing the public peace. The
discredit into which all royalists and i'm
perialist enterprises have fallen within
the last three months is quite remark
able. The cOmte de Chambord has been
confined to his room for weeks by Sc
we're illness; the duke d. Anmole has
contented himself with luxurious re-
tirement amid his SiscIlian vineyards,
varied now and then bv a trip to Etna
or to some ancient ruin; and no one
seems TO know exactly where the count
of Paris IS presently to be found.
Prince Napoleon gives dinner parties
and gmuses himself in other ways in
the capital without attracting any atten-
ton, save from one or two mild-eyed
spies, who watch him more because
they earn their living by so doing than
because they have the smallest idea
that he can do anything dangerous.
Royalty is an empty dream heAcefOrth
in France
At the Elysee, the presidential resi-
denCe, democratic manners, tempered
by the excellent taste and traditional
p0litenrss Of France, are the rule. NJ.
Grew has long been accustomed to pub
lie life. and the constant publicity to
which his position subjects him does
not appear at all to wear upon his easy
temperament. The Elysee is an old
fashioned, rambling building, full of
ma ROW corridors and diminutive ante
rooms. and parlors hung with tapestries
ami paintings Of merit. 1t looks upon
lovely gardens which opens out on the
serene freshness Olthe Champs Elysees,
and fronts on the noisy and busting
Faubourg Saint Honore. BY a lofty porte
coChera on n side street one enters, if
he has reason for visiting the place, a
modest cOurtya ri, and, passing up
flight Of steps, finds himself in a small
passage. Here are two or three SER
wants in decOrOus black liv ~, and here
uecaF. I1au IaiIty tho bind Of a rrnW6
which gathers to wait upon our presi-
dent at the White House. Over one Of
the servants tables is a white annun-
ciator, with three discs and bells,
one each for the President, the
Secretary and IL Wilson. These
beils nnounce the arrival and depar-
ture of delegations all the morning long,
from the very early hour at which
French public men begin to receive I'M
til half-past twelve. In the passage
ways and tiny rooms opening out of 1t
are seated old and young ladies in black,
deputies and senators who have sent in
their cards, delegations from the prov
inces and literary and artistic Celebrl-
ties. The adroit servants have VERT
able genius for tucking away these widely
different lots of people in separate
rooms, where they await, with such pa
thence as they can SUMMON, the bell
which calls them. The most perfect
courtesy is shown to the humblest Wis
itor. The servants are conslderate anO
faithful, and if you have come by APP
pointment your hour and minute are
registered on little book in the morn
ing and an attendant comes for you just
at the moment agreed on.
II YOU are to see the president, you
are conducted from your ante-room
through Il small labyrinth Of parlors into
one where You are received by two or
three officers in uniform, and these gem
tlemen salute you and generally con-
verse for two or three minutes with you.
Here is General Pittie, who is one of
the officers chosen to represent France
ut the coronation of the Russian Gar at
Moscow; here are other we'll known
functi Dnaries, all of whom step briskly
aside when the door of the presidents
cabinet opens, and he comes forward to
receive you. NJ. Grevy occupies hand
some semi-circular room, well stocked
with books and with comfortable office
furniture. He at once max es his visitor
quite mt home, and listens with marked
attention. Now and then he takes a note
with care and elaboration, and he ex-
presses his opinion slowly and with en-
phasis. He has nice sense of dlgnltles
and that profound knowledge of mems
characters which comes from political
life of more than halt century. So he
never fails to "bring each visitor out, and
make him tell all his story. The presi-
dent looks like man who enjoys life,
and who could readily endure the hard
work of sc cOnd term. He enters with
interest into the discussion of all public
affairs, and is completely informed about
all that is going on in the outside world.
l., Ia Iracsu1 in rNIofn H1rl
clothes, and does not make the slightest
attempt at posing" Ills manners are
unaffected, and his kindness is genuine.
There is singular rese mblance in the
lower part of his face to that of General
Grant. In fact, the French president,
with his hat on, might readily be mis-
taken for our famous general. From the
windows ofthe cabinet you catch gllmpses
OF green lawns and ancient trees; and
not far away is the conservatory, In
which, in breathing spaces of official life
the president and his son-in-law receive
distinguished company at fencing bouts
The Elvsee Palace will, dlubtleSs con-
tinue to be the official residence for a
long time to come 1t is handy TO the
ministries. most of whichare within easy
walking distance of the Palais Bourbon
across the Place de IN ConCorde, on
the bank Of the Seine. The old palace
has many interesting historical associa-
tons, especially as a Persistence" 1t
was there that Louis Napoleon Matched
his conspiracy; there, even, that, In the
very midst OF "A fashionable assembly,
he informed one of tue generals in his
confidence that ''it was to be for that
night" NJ Grevy probably feels GER
tain amount OF honest pride in dwelling
as an iuCorruptIble president in the halls
in which tie Emperor compromised
with his conscience and yielded TO the
temptation TO grasp at supreme power
Some one SAID OF the Elysee that 1t was
the point 81 departure for dynasties, but
this has been said Of nearly all the Iar-
isian palaces. The Bourbons of the
elder branch started from the Louvre;
Bouaparte, the Great, from the Luxem-
bourg; the dOrleans from the Paiais
ROYAL, and Napoleon III, as we have
see., from the Elysee.
The first master of the palace, which
now serves as presidential residence,
was the Count d Evreux, of the house of
B0uillun. He had made what the socie-
~ of his time considered q mesaliance,
in marrying the daughter Of the rich
financier Crozat, and the result was that
he had an immense fortune with which
he liked to astonish those who sneered
mt him. One of his eaprices was the con-
struetion ofthe vast mansion now known
as the Elvsee. When its foundations
were laid, its site was some distance
from Paris; and the Faubourg, which is
to-day one of the busiest streets in Eu-