Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-14

Al Tarrascon an old castle, and be-
side II the spire Of fourteenth-century
church, plainly proclaimed a time long
sn,edsling railways, when sites were
chosen so that people could not get at
the towns and not because they could.
King Rene OF Anjou, the minstrel king
and friend of every singer, was once
lord Of this country, and Tarrascon was
his capital. Every mile makes us
realize we are advancing into the South,
though as yet We are but on the
edge Of it. The country people begin
to have the happy-gO-lucky look Of the
South. They do not wear themselves
out by hurrying up aud down. Their
soft Provencal accent strikes pleasantly
on the ear in spite Of its character for
barbarity having been instilled into US
from a Partisan point of view. The
overwhelming RhoDe. and more and
more olive-trees, trimmed fat on the
top so as to catch all possible sun
light and ripen the fruit early--and
then we come to Marseilles.
From this point the real beauty
OF the journey begins, and after a
short time we see the Mediterranean.
soft and calm, and rocks, islands, and
oliye-groves in profusion. The olive
trees are no longer trimmed to a GER
tain shape as in the country north Of
Marseilles, for here they easily get
sun enough, and are allowed to grow
as they choose. In the sunlight they
look as if they were pale-green snow
clouds enshrouded in a haze of lazy
passivity.
OLIVE-CULTURE.
The systematic olive-pickers gather
the fruit from the tree by hand. Having
assembled by means Of ladder, they
60 leisurely to work either because they
have nothing else to do or because they
enjoy this occupation, and so spin it
out as long as possible. Others let the
fruit fall on the ground, and all along
our Riviera route we saw groups of old
women and girls employed in picking it
up. If the olives are needed for oil
they are left on the tree till they turn
quite black, as in that state they have
more oil in them. Soon we are quite
overcome with the heat, and sud-
denly decide to pack up rugs and
wraps and bid them a cheerful
adieu. After Toulon the Mediter-
ranean, and the Orange-trees are the
constant companions Of our journey,
and bring us to the beginning Of the
Riviera, its endless sheltered bays COW
cred with towns and villages that have
now become the winter homes Of many
natives of northern countries. This
whole coast has been appropriated, and
each year the towns and villages are
/ increasing in size. Cannes, the ariSto-
cratic dame Of them all, is not seen at
her best as we pass her in the railway.
In the bay Of the next stopping-place,
Antilles, eight Of the French fest were
at anchor, but these big war-ships,
though fine to look at, seemed a little
out of character with this quiet, peace
ful sea and health-sought-for shore.
AT NICE.
A few minutes brought us to Nice,
our destination, and summer weather.
Wesat with the windows open most days
and all day long loitered about by the sea
and under the olive and Orange-trees.
One night we went to the theatre, q
very fine one, built within the last few
years and placed at the end of the
court of the Casino. Between the acts
people walk out into the court and
listen to the band and enjoy the fresh
air, or go into the restaurant and take
ices, coffee, &C., and cool themselye
off after being in the heated theatre
We saw the Sphinx" the piece il
which Sara Bernhard made her fame
and it was fairly well given. One after
noon we drove by the lower Corniche
road that skirts the sea to the Bay
OF Villefranca where the Pensacola,
with the stars and stripes flying, lay
at anchor. If she is not the biggest
ship in the world, she is at any rate
popular and much better-looking from
an unprejudiced land point Of view thar
many Of her more warlike and dreaded
foreign cousins.
CANNES.
We made an excursion to Cannes
which presents different appearance
when seen from its streets to what il
does from the railway. Few places
have a larger collection of villas of al
kinds and sizes, some low down on TIT
esplanade close on the sea, others or
the slopes of the hills and half hidden ii
lovely gardens, and some high up anC
commanding wide-sweeping views, bu
necessitating an amount of climbing
that only the active are capable of un
dergoing. There are several large
hotels redeemed from some Of the nui
sances OF their class by having true
Riviera gardens Of palms, orange-trees
and an abundance of flowers, and where
guests can appropriate old hooks anC
corners and not be continuously before
each others eyes. And all the house.
and gardens bathed in sunshine
A PERFECT DAY.
The day was perfect. The Mediter
ranean was deep blue the mountains
at each end of the Bay Of Napoule, OF
which Cannes is situated, and which
protect it, were soft aud hazy, and the
air was pleasantly bracing. We drove
along the shore to a large orange-grove
the so-called garden Of HeSperldes
then we mounted the side OF the hill
went towards Frejus, then back agar
to the Cap de la Croisette, where We
mounted rock to see the view, which
includes long, wavy sea-line, noun
tains. and the Island Of st. Marguerite
once the prison of the Man with the
Iron Mask and of Marshal Bazaine.
We decided afterwards it was
quite right to put up statue
to Lord Brougham, the man who dis
covered Cannes andlntroduced it TO the
English-speaking world, if only with
the utilitarian aim Of encouraging Others
ambitious Of statues to make similar
discoveries. Imagine place where al
the elements combine to show them
selves to the best advantage, and ther
add every comfort of high and refined