Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-26

SNlll EulVS ollt ottS W
his greatness on every side. The great ideas
which he introduced into France, and the
magnificent improvements which marked
his reign have made Paris the finest city in
the world. One can read complete his
tory of Napoleon in bronze and marble and
architecture and painting in Paris. The
very streets bear the names OF his victories,
and the names Of the bridges Austerlitz.
ArcOle, Jena and others will not let the
rising generation of Frenchmen forget the
glories OF the NapOIeonic wars. l was
riding down the Seine the other day in one
of the comfortable little steamboats, which
ply up and down the river. The boat
shot into the shadow Of a
massive stone bridge. looked
up at the bridge and there, sculptured in the
stone of the keystones of the arch, WIS the
simple letter ~ bearing above it an im-
perial crown. The bridge was one OF the
the reign of Napoleon. Wherever possible
all royal arms and memorials Of the kings
and emperOrs of France have been erased
and the motto of the French republic, Lib
erte Egalite Fraternite," substituted. Some
times the erasing has been so imperfectiy
done that the imperial arms show through,
and then one is tempted to moralize on the in
stability of human government The motto
of the republic is not cut in the stone of the
various buildings, brit is, in most places,
81
French republic continue, is the hope of
every American
visited the tomb Of Napoleon the other
day. Every Young man passes through a
his life, and the result is that on days when
the tomb is opened to the public,
the Invalides, under whose gild-
ed dome Napoleon lies, is crowded.
The tomb is arranged with theatrical effect.
Theatrical in life, Napoleon was theatrical
in death as well. The tomb consists of a
noble sarcOphagus OF granite, surrounded
BY marble figures representing the victories
Of Napoleon. The windows Of the lofty
dome, through which the light falls on the
tomb, are covered with some kind of blue
stuff, through which the light Is tinctured
with an ethereal, peariy blue tint as ii falls
two hundred feet on the tomb. The effect
is theatrical in the highest degree. and
everyone inyoluntarily speaks in a faint
whisper and treads OH tiptoe Is soon as he
enters. just back OF the tomb is a lofty
crucifiY and altar. The windows far above
this altar in the dome are covered with
it in mellow floods Of gold OH the altar be-
meath. The contrast OF the two colors of
light is inexpressibIy beautiful. Entering
the hall Of the tomb, you have the cold blue
light falling on the tomb in the foreground,
and the floods of golden sunshine
falling on the crucifix in the background.
have seen Frenchmen weeping over
this tomb. Surrounding it are the battle
flags of the Nspoleonic wars. Here at last
lies the modern Caesar, his proud spirit
hushed in death and the untiring brain at
rest at last. Here lie the ashes of the man
whose name yet sways the French people
with potent spell. Here lies the man
in whose wars blood enough was split to fill
that lofty hall of. the Invalides to the very
top; and TO roll its crimson waves high over
that proud tomb as far as the gilded dome
itself. All well perhaps conquerors are q
necessity. Napoleon taught the French to
be glorious. They are working out the
copies he set for them. These conquerors
are the volcanoes of humanity. There had
to be an upheaving before the dry land and
smiling fields and valleys could appear.
At Versailles there is q vast palace, once
the home of the royalty of France. 1t is
now used as an exposition of the
military glory of France. Its
walls are covered with acres of
superb pictures of the battles of French his
tory. Here one may trace the history of
Napoleon from his first success as boyish
officer, to his coronation. Every one of his
battles is here, sxcept-WaterlOo! You
must 20 to England TO find any traces of
the fact that any such battle was ever
fought.
l saw the palace of Bonanza Mackay, our
American Silver King, the other day. 1t
faces the Arch Of Triumph, and is a yeiy
fine residence of stone.
French is said to be an easy
language. L myself have stud
led French without master" thoroughly,
and can read the language with 81 me fu-
eney. But this is very far from under
standing it when spoken. When laboring
under the least excitement Frenchman
speaks like display of fireworks. Every |
sentence is like pack of fire crackers ex-
ploding under flower pot, and it is treat |
TO watch English-speaking people trying to |
rurl their tongues around the nasal |
French words The most amusing mis-
Iakes occur. l was walking in the flower
market the other day with a young Eng
ishman. Ali old woman was bothering