Wichita eagle., 1888-05-06


by Napoleon III for the private use of
the beautiful Empress Eugene and her
family. we'll remember when it was
so. Under the Republique. however, 1t
is as free to everyone as the public street.
This park extends from the Palace de La
Concorde to the site of the old palace,
burned by the Commune in 1870 and to
the back of that largest art gallery in the
world, the Louvre, about as far as from
the EAGLE office to the Olivet Congrega-
tional church on South Topeka avenue.
Here. then. in this wonderful Place de
la Concorde. one finds himself indeed
in medals res. What wonder that this
point, at which all French history for
centuries seems to eliminate, should
have been chosen by the authorities as
the point where the chef d oeuvre OF the
artist decorators should be wrought.
The effect was truly Understandable.
Exquisite as were the results elsewhere,
this surpassed them all. Numerous as
were the soft lights in other parts OF the
city they were still more so here. IN
deed, whatever was beautiful ana at
tractive, whatever was symbolic OF I'D
erty, of pleasurable sort, whatever was
soft, delicious or seductive that could be
produced by soft and abundant lights, by
any possible combination of decorations
in colors, endless statuary. profusion OF
founts, and many other devices, was GER
tainly here.
If all Paris had seemed like fairy
bower this, the Place de La Concorde and
the adjacent gardens, ETC.. seemed htted
for a trusting. place of fairies, or for the
nuptial celebration itself. By means OF
ingenious devices numerous rows OF gas
lights extended across the great square
in every direction, often interlaclng each
other, all suspended over head, each jet
having globe upon it, all resulting in
perfect multitude of the softest lights
conceivable. and all in the open air. As
has already been intimated, what
was true of the bridges, was
true of the Gardens, and all the
ad iacent territory. The effect as one
stood upon the Point de la Concorde and,
looking either way. took in view of the
famous Eight Bridges, and the multi
tudinous little crafts plying in every
direction underneath was something
never to be forgotten. Everything was
blaze of light, yet not fiaring light, but
always soft and delicious, showing the
bright colors of the profuse decorations
to the best advantage.
OF course the crowds were immense.
All Paris land quarter OF London too,
it was said,) was in the streets, yet the
open spaces throughout this wonderful
city are so vast, and the connecting bou-
leyarde so spacious like the leading
Wichita streets in this latter respect, as
| have often noted that there seemed
much less of a crush than one would
think possible. Still it was evident that
everybody was there, and everybody
was good natured.
AS the evening advanced the dancing
commenced. 1t should be remembered
that the streets of Paris are paved with
cement, as smoothe as a floor mo horse
is allowed to be driven upon them if
shod with ''corked' shoes and scrupu
lousy clean.
The dancing was in the middle of the
streets. and not on the sidewalks. Or
chestras were provided at frequent
intervals-often within sound of
each other. So it was in
all the principal parts of the city. Men
and women of all ages were there
young and old-married and single
boys and girls There were many ex-
guisite toilets, considerable good-natured
familiarity, few professional dancing
girls, here and there, in rather scanty
costumes, performing with their guitars,
tanbourlnes, ETC., ETC., and yet with
very few exceptions, | saw nothing
bOisterous or even indicate during the
whole evening. Yet | noticed that
almost any gentleman would invite
almost any lady(D whom he happened
to be near in the shifting crowds to be his
partner in the dance, and would almost
always be accepted! They would con-
Quoted themselves as lady and gentle
man ordinarily would while thus en-
gagged, and at the close wOald seperate
with perfect propriety. Mirabile dictu.
l am not recording a few isolated
cases, but what | saw in many different
parts of Paris during that memorable
night. Knowing that these people
had been drinking wine all day,
and showed no inclination te discon-
time their custom as the night wore on,
/ confidently expected TO see some street
fight, such as one would be sure to see
in Boston or New York, under similar
or at least to see some
man or woman assaulted by some ruffian
or other. | therefore watched for it
closely-but in vain. The Frenchman
must be polite or he is nothing. Then /
thought | would see what would happen
when the crowds had drank so much
that they could drink no more. AS
everybody seemed to be able to take care
of themselves and an illimitable supply of
wine without being seriously affected by
1t, so far as ability, to dance and smile
was concerned, thought l would stay
out and see what the end would be.
Having taken the ladies of our party
home about II O'Clock, | went out again
for another tour of inspection.
At length as the crowds showed no
signs of dispensing or wearying, or
any change whatever. but
were plainly bent on making a night of
it, just as the illuminated clock in the
great square in front of the most beauti-
full opera house in the word place de /
OPERA pointed to one o'clock in the
/ started for a walk through
the still dense crowds, down the great
Avenue de / Opera, ond so back to nv
hotel. AT daylight the next morning
the street still showed crowds of weary
dancers. only dispersed by the com
traffic of another day. As
iOdc .ihNNSA II4c o1iCcto Iiiat ioituOOu
on my way to Rouen and Lon
don it was with a feeling
Of real gratitude to my friends who had
persuaded me to stop for the Fete
felt that although i had, first and last, |
seen many different things in many diff |
arent countries, had now witnessed the |
most extraordinary spectacle of my life. |
[ felt that whoever would see that always |
curious individual, the Frenchman, at |
MS best, must see him celebrating. / |
,elt that henceforth ! would advise all I
nv friapdo- barafv- xx-c,,ld 4ba ro,5 /