The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-04-08

days. 1t is their children and grandchldren
who are driving the reaper and feeding the
thresher.
"You have no idea how they treat the poor
Garth in this hunt for gold" said Bartholdi
as he resumed his work. "How they destroy
stately trees, turn babbling brooks from their
course, and convert green fields into desert
1t is the only unpleasant recollection have
of nv otherwise agreeable travels i'll Cali
fornia."
GLOW many times have you gone to Amer
ica?" asked.
"Thrice," was the reply 81 am just back
from my last visit, you know"
"And did you notice any changes|
ooh, yes; many"
"Any for the betterW
Certainly, all. New York has grown i'm
mensely since l saw it some ten years ago
up town was great surprise to me. Where
there used to be vacant lots and unfrequented
streets, are now fine mansions and hurrylng
crowds. But it was the magnificent Brook
lyn bridge that made the profoundest impress
sion on me. had heard of the mighty struc-
tlre, but had not imagined that it was so
Grand q specimen of American mechanical
genius. And the elevated railroads were also
new tome How elegant and comfortable they
are. know of no mere agreeable mode OF
city locomotion They may be ugly from the
street and they may be nuisance to the UNI
fortunate people who live on either side of
the lines, but to the traveller they are simply
perfection | visited Grants tomb and EN-
loved the beautiful natural scenery OF the
neighborhood. /, of course, went to Bedloes
Island The pedestal is well made and Gen.
Stone deserves my hearty thanks for the way
he has conducted the work. l suppose about
SIS, 900 more will be necessary to complete
the pedestal, and If this is done i'll time the
statue will be inaugurated next September,
on the anniversary of the Treaty of Yer
sailles. shall be present at the ceremony if
nv mothers health will permit ME to be so
long absent from home. She is rather feeble
now, and at her advanced age-she is S6-l
do not feel free to go and come as | used to
do.
"From New York went to Washington.
Congress was not in session, and saw very
few public men. The secretary of war was
the only member Of the cabinet that | met.
| called at the White House, but arrived
few minutes after the presidents reception
hour, and so / just missed shaking hands
with Mr.. Cleveland.
washington has improved immensely
since 1876, when saw it last l was especi-
ally struck by the better pavements. But
the Washington monument does not add to
the beauty of the capital. 1t was an eyesore
to me all the time was there. In former
times the imposing Capitol used to impress
the traveller as he approached the city. But
now you see at a distance this tall, ugly
shaft, and everything else sinks into insignif-
canoe 1t kills the city. Imagine such a
monument set up in Paris Why it would
utterly destroy all the harmony of our
beautiful French capital. Well, it has the
same effect in Washington Yes, it kills the
city.
'While in Washington l visited the Cor
coran gallery of art 1t contains many val
liable works, selected with admirable taste,
and is an excellent nucleus of great art col
lection. America is slowly developing a
taste for the fine arts, although she has still
much to learn in this direction. The Wash
inpton monument discouraged me. But
after had seen Mr.. Corcorans creation l
took new hope and saw the art future Of
America in somewhat brighter colors.
~ have made many good friends in the
limited States, and / always leave your
country with deep regret When my Liberty
i finally erected shall feel that it is Amer
ica that will do the most to keep green my
memory long after my other creations shall
have crumbled away into dust. have put
many wears of my life INTO that work. but l
am sure that will gain thereby the reward
that all true artists seek--the kindly remem-
brance of posterity.' THEODORE STANTON.