The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1889-03-20

VIC LUZ AuLudl6,Iue pIlnCelJ heRlllmlSI,
who had Just been expstriated. The
General bore himself with dignity and
calmness under this provocstion, but
afterwards challenged the offender, and
fought him with pistols, but (if 1 mistake
not) fired In the air.
The other occasion on which I dis.
covered that Boulsnger, more than any
one else, was the lion of Paris Certainly
of plebeisn Paris), scarcely less than he
was of the province of lie Nord last
summer
Every evening the criers of papers and
broadsides in front of the main awning
of the Gaze de la Paix, just under the
Grand Hotel, had nothing readable that
did not directly concern "Le general
BoI-La1,- ger ~ The catching Boulanger
march was played over and over every
day by every ordinary band in Paris.
On the forenoon of the 18th of July it
began to be bruited about that there had
been duel between Boulanger and Flo.
quet. had not glanced at "le Petit
Journal" or any other French paper
that day, and had taken up the idea that
Boulanger had had rencounter with
some one else for words of studied scorn
which the General had directed, a day or
two before, at Floquet in the Chamber.
The thirteenth was the day of prepare
ton for the great annual observance on
the fourteenth, corresponding to our
Fourth of July, and was, besides, the day
of the unwilling of the Gambetta monu-
ment. Previously and subsequently, the
weather was bleak and rainy. The
morning of the thirteenth was temper
ately warm, and, on the whole, fair.
Large white clouds often covered most
of the sky, but about midday the sun
came out and blazed down on the vast
multitude in the Place du Carrousel,
where amidst the august environment OF
the walls of the Louvre Palace, and con-
fronting the smaller Arc de Triomphe,
the commemorative structure erected to
Gambetta, lifted it's pyramidal summit
towards the blue skies. A broad ex-
panse of white canvas was stretched
across the face of the monument. Paris
was already in her gala robes for the
fourteenth, and needed little special
decoration for the Gambetta pageant.
The tricolor emblems were to be seen
everywhere. | was IN the middle of the
heated throng, which was chiefly made
up of old hats, and blue or gray blouses
Gorgeous cloths of red or purple velvet,
embroidered with gold, hung from stored
windows. On the roofs and battlements,
in every window and balcony, on every
accessible "coigne of vantage" human
beings swarmed like the inmates of an
aviary. The great outlines of the mighty
buildings were dotted all over with
minute hesh-colored circles, few of
which circles were ss large as the end of
a silver lead pencil. At a designated
moment salvo of artillery announced
the arrival of the troops, preceded, in
the case of each separate organization, |
by their drums and trumpets, and at |
tended by their banners. At the first
explosion the canvas fell and revealed
spirited group in marble-Gambetta (in |
modern clothes) and the august genius of
France. The standards Of Alsace and !
Lorraine we're drsped in black. The
President Of the Republic, the members
of the Government, and the orators were
grouped together on platform. The
principal speakers Chat l 8oa0) were
Floquet and Freycinet. recognized the
Preadsnt of the Council at a glance, but |
Woo HOG 1AlOu dWdI = budJ iii 90 VI lOuI
hours earlier he had thrust mis- civilian ra-
pier through the neck of Gen. Boulanger
Freycinet Gone of the foremost men in
Fran3e) is tall, thin, with white hair, and
short side-whiskers; gentleman-like, look
ing the scholar or statesman. He was a
member of Gambettas Cabinet. The
proceedings wound up with the recita
ton of patriotic ode by one of the
famous actors OF the Coincide Franchise
The fourteenth was, in great part,
repetition of the one preceding it, and
then the whole city was gay with flags,
emblems, evergreen wresths, and at
night with electric and every other sort
of lights, and freworks, and resonant
with music and dancing. All public,
and many private, windows were illu-
minated. The usual grand review OF
troops took place at Longchamps By day |
The crowds were divided in the
cries between "Vive Boulanger," and
"UiUe Floquet." At night the whole of |
Paris was on its feet. Every wretched
street band every hurdy-gurdy, every |
crazy fiddle and cracked flute were called
into requistion. Wooden structures
were set mp in open spaces, and hideous
players tortured the oircumambieaut |
mildness under the protecting folds Of
the Theodore, and by the glazing light Of
lamps and torches
II. G. ALEXANDER.