Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-06-07
PARIS.
By DR.. T. B. Robinson.l

WITH GlIlOIIOll. Inc expectations
hang in a balance. Satisfaction
and disappointment each rule the
mind according to the decision of
the eye as to value Of objects.
Though city may have present
worth as to power, wealth and size
yet its past history and associa-
tons are the most significant AS
one moves over the level plane
that surrounds Paris the mind
awakens and the interest increases
as the rain drops in a coming
storm. Memory is crowded with
historic scenes. The City of Ma
poleon, of La Fayette, of La Place
and Gambette now lies in view, the
proud capitol of the French, the
center of fashion, the field where
men seem to seek the flowers of
pleasure and the garlands of gaity.
Who has not read of gay Paris,
of that city which all the world
longed to see-its science and art
its frivolity and romantic passions?
But one may have pored over its
maps and pictures, listened to the
stories of its troubled history and
blood stained revolutions. Yes
one can read of its great men and
beautiful women, its high life, its
reigns of terror and blood and its
Bastile but the moment one sees
Paris he feels that all previous i'm
pressions have been but faint
shadows of reality abstract Wis
ions without concrete lines. Actual
sight gives life to the idea. As
the picture of a horse exceeds the
definition q thousands fold so the
sight Of living animal dwarfs both
picture and definition.
For its size Paris is one of the
finest and most beautiful cities in
the world It's streets we'll paved
are wide and neat, cleaned with
flowing water often. It's buildings
are grand and handsome. Their
architectural, quality and material
are excellent. Paris is intensely
active. It's traffic is constantly at
a high tension. Its omnibuses
and street cars are full and over
flowing. Buying and selling is
rapid, 1t is a city of display and
strains taste to show itself Daz-
cling shops with tinselled orna-
ments, monstrous glass fronts
with glazing colors and strategy
of appearances marks most of its
streets. Some of the artist shop
men even expose in the windows
pictures of dubious characters.
One of the first impressions re-
ceived in Paris is its forced attempt
to express freedom, suspicious
Prisons, churches and national
buildings have written over their
front arches, liberty, fraternity
and equality" The city is divided
by the river Seine, a narrow stream
navigable for small steamers which
ply vigorously from point to point
Most OF the interesting points o.
Paris lies on the banks of the
Seine. Here lies the Place de Ia
Concorde, the grandest open space
in any city and the climax of the
splendor of Paris. 1t covers some
10 acres and contains in its center
two fountains and the noted Egyp
tan obelisk. This obelisk is {
single piece (monolith) of solid rec
seyenite granite 70 feet high anc
weighs 24O tons. The obelisk was
originally erected at the entrance
of the celebrated temple at Thebes
by Rameses the Great 1850 b. c
1t IS at least 1898 years old. 1t is
crumbling and cracking under the
damp climate of Paris. Here or
the very lap of French luxary the
German conquerors encamped fol
two days in 1871. Emperor vii
liam as he sat in the Bourbar
Palace few minutes walk from
this open space, just across the
Seine, in com pany with Prince
Bismark and Gen. Won Moltkt
dictated terms Of peace to France
who had too cOmpiaCently slept OF
the laurals of Napoleon, the
mighty. Decay is generally sad bu
especially when it recalls to minc
only remnants of a great geniu.
and powerful intellect. But til,
wild mobS OF Paris have only lef
crumbling arch of the palace 0
Napoleon close by this open space
1t looks grand, gloomy and pc
culiar" and in imagination we can
see one of the greatest rulers o
men walking to and fro like
sceptered hermit under this arcl
asking no advice, allowing II,
familiarity. On one end of tn
Place de la Concorde lies the gar
den of the Tuiliers, the Roya
Imperial residences of the mon
archs of France. In ruins becaus
the French build up TO tear dow,
SO as to have something new. Th
garden is very fine yet, it was one
a tile yard, and was bought b,
Francis | in 1918 to improve tn