The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-04-05

ones neighbor, so that it is a constant comfort
to feel that the close Of the day viii bring
return to Nice and to the society of persons
whom one knows and respects. The return is
usually made by train over a single-track road,
tunneled large portion of the way through
rocks over which the diligence road of the
morning climbs. Between the tunnels there are
the same pretty glimpses of the sea and of
orange and lemon groves, with here and there
n square white villa in q very artificial garden
The return journey by steam is tedious, and
almost half as long as the original drive; for a
single-track road in France, especially when
tunneled, involves long and annoying periods
of waiting. When. therefore, one reaches home
and gives an account of the day, the impress
sions of the beautiful surroundings and morbid
inner life of Monte Carlo, with the experiences
of the little journey, are apt to crowd out due
mention of the delicious concert This is
always fine, and comprises selections from
Beethoven, Haydn, Mendeissohn and many
more of the composers of first rank. In view
of the high grade of the Thursday music,
an Englishman recently said, with pride,
after a careful scrutiny of Thursday audi
enee: "Two-thirds English and American"
Another excursion from Nice, in the opposite
direction and with awholly different interest, is
to Cannes and the st. Marguerite This involves
an hours ride by train and then, for those
who like walking, leiSurely stroll up long
hill, with the beautiful EsteFel Mountains in
r
top, where the English colony cherishes with
reyerent care the graves intrusted to it, one
commands view Of the quiet sea, the blue
Esterels and distant inland range of peaks,
crowned at this season with snow. Here a
heavy cross marks the grave of Lord Brougham,
and the stern simplicity of his monument is IN
keeping with everything about it. Texts from
the Scriptures, expressing faith, hope and loving
submission, meet the eye from every direction;
of he inst
to come northward, and the bright freshness
of primroses yi0lets, myrtles, cyclamens, PAN
sizes and shamrocks, with the promise of the
trailing roses now putting forth light green
buds for second season of bIoom-aIl this does
much to destroy the dread of the physical
aspects of death.
THE ISLE ST MARGUERITE.
For the afternoon there are two occupations:
either one can go to the Isle st. Marguerite
or one can mount the observatory and he who
must choose between these two does well, per-
haps, TO follow the stream of tourists and go to
the Isle St. Marguerite This involves sail
of some twenty minutes in a trim little
steamer the Cannos. The views from the
boat rival those from the hill Of the English
cemetery, and the sail is enlivened by race
between the Cannois and a rival vessel the Star
of the North. There is no wharf or dock at the
Isle ST. Marguerite, and the little steamers stop
where their respective captains think best to do
so, the passengers being conveyed to land in
row boats. 1t is, thus, difficult to decide which
steamer wins the race. The matter is more
easily settled III returning, when the two tack
III to the same wharf, and the lateF-c0uer loses
the chance and must wait ANONYMOUSLY until
the winner has discharged her passengers and
moved out On reaching the Isle St. Margue-
rite one sunny afternoon, your correspondent
was suddenly crowded into a corner of an old
fort, and there obliged TO wait with an amused
group of fellow-touri while train of Arabs
in picturesque white costumes filed slowly by.
The fort is used as a French prison, and the
Arabs were followed by single French soldier,
acting, for the time, as gaoler They were a
solemn company, and thrill of compassion
ran through the tourists hearts when it was
whispered that these We're prisoners of war.
This pleasant sentiment was diSpelled q few
minutes later when the company entered a
wide court yard where a group of Arabs sat
comfortably summing themselves and smoking
cigarettes; for the guard then announced that
they were malefactors of various species
| persons of little character" The guard had
slight respect for his charges, and thought
them better of than himself and his COM
rades, who wished to be in the army as little
as the Arabs wished to be in Jail. 1t was a rare
day, sunny and bracing, and as one looked
| over the low wau of the fort TO the blue
Esterel Mountains, and then followed the
| coast line with the eye seeing Cannes IN the
| foreground and the cleaning chain OF snow
/ clad peaks in the distance, one was tempted to
| envy the lazy Arabs and their sojoHrn in so
enchanting a spot. Itwas a curious sight when
/ one of these sad-lookiDg, strangely-dressed
creatures came out of q doorway, gently lead
t ing toddling girl, and, walking across to q
collection of hen coops, stood silently watching
I the little one feed the chickens They seemed
/ fond of children; for later in the afternoon
one was sitting propped against a sunny wall,
/ with a baby quietly sleeping on his knees. The
Isle St, Marguerite has had other prisoners, who
lend curious interest to the fort. 1t was the
home, two centuries ago, Of the famous Iron
Mask aud one may still see the yaulted cells
in which he lived, and the corridor in which
he took daily walk. The cell is roomy and
not cheerlessly dark, and tradition tells that
III those days it was carpeted richly and hung
with velvet and tapestries 1t IS said that The
mask was of black velvet, constructed with
| springs in such manner that the wesrer need
neyer take it off, even while eating. The same
neutrality-suspicious. it that while a
/ prisoner at St. Marguerite, he carved with q
| knife some words ON a silver plate, which ne
| threw from a window upon the shore The
! plate was picked up by fisherman, who
| brought 1T to the governor of the jail. The
/ fisherman was detained to see whether ne had
| shown the plate 10 anyone. When he had
| proved that he had not done 50, and could not
read, he was set at liberty, the governor saying
| TO him: 1t is well for You that you cannot
/ read! Upon anos1er occasion the man with
| the mask had covered a shirt with writing and
/ got it thrown into the water, This was picked
| up by boy and brought in TO the governor. The
| boy denied having read any of the writing he
was, however, found dead III his bed a few days
| afterw&rd." The man with the mask did not,
/ however, die at St. Marguerite, but was re-
/ moved to the Bastile at Paris. 4 more recent
| prisoner at st. Marguerite, and one whose
| history possesses q keener interest for the
| Frenchmen of to-day, was Marshal Bazaine.
a TRENCH MARsHAI.s FRENCH LEAVE.
1t is rot easy to understand why man so
hated was consigned to So agreeable and so
manageable q prison. and his escape seems
| almost matter Of course. 1t is related that
/ his wife, who is renowned for her devotion to
/ her husband secured steamer, which she
/ caused to be anchored at q convenient distance
from the Isle st. Marguerite. Then, embarking
IN rowboat, she approached the rocky side
of the island, down which her husband
clanbered with the aid of ropes fastened to
the walls of the fort. This feat accomplished,
il was the work of few moments to gain the
steamer and start for Genoa, where Marshal
Bazaine's offense being . political one, he was
safe from French pursuit. more prOsaic
version of this romantic escape Is that the rope
| was blind, and that fee purchased easy egress
from the fort. To add piqUaney to the story,
when told To American listeners, it Is often
added that the fee was conveyed TO BaZaine
from his wife by the hands Of two American
orl who seemed IN ha harm faS{v visiting Ip