The intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1887-1891, 1889-02-23

feature of the opera house, extends
throughout the whole length OF the
Its about 200 feet long, 81
wide and 60 high, and is lit by severa
gilded lustres and huge candelabra
Opposite the windows are mirrors 20
feet high separated by columns bearing
AT each end of the Foyer is
chimney piece of colored
marbles. Five windows and two doors
lead to the Loggia. Here during the
fifteen minutes interval between acts,
the visitors parade up aud down to
admire themselves in the mirrors, and
here ices, sherbets and refreshments
of every kind are served. There were
four of us occupying balcony dress
circle and it really was dress circle
The opera commences at nine, but the
bon ton does not arrive until about the
third act, which proves that not the
opera, but the show of toilette is the
chief attraction, for numerous grand
old ladies in black and dark red
velvets, and diamonds, with butterfly
daughters would pompously enter
their boxes and seat themselves with
much fuss and splendor, when few
minutes later q number ot dandy swells
would enter the box and lend ell.
chantment to the view, when the
chattering, tanning and flirting would
begin. The gaily dressed ladies, CLEAN.
ing white arms and shoulders and
brilliantly flashing diamonds, together
with the softly rising and falling music
OF the fine orchestra renders this All
enhancing scene. When the opera is
over the visitors generally repair to
the elegant cafes on the Boulevard des
Italienne or Madeleine, where they
have oyster and champagne suppers or
suck iced punches through straws
The Place de la Concorde is the most
beautiful and extensive place in Paris,
and said to be Que of the finest in the
world. Its large asphaIted square,
with fountains, and all along each Side
OF the square are statues much above
life size On the south of it like silver
band winds the ever flowing Seine. On
its west are the Elysean fields aud il
is bounded on the east by the garden
of the Luieries. When viewed by gas
light the scene is very striking. The
lamps ascending the champs Elysees as
tar as the triumphal arch, about ID
miles, forming an apparently inter-
minable avenue. (rhe arch of triumph
is at the end of this avenue, a grand
Old structure. After mounting il one
has an immense view OF entire Paris.
This is the place where the French
commit suicide by jumping off. 1t is q
comfortable feeling in walking under
it to be expecting some one, whose
mother-in law has just arrived Oh a
visit, to light right down on you.
Numerous historical associations are
connected with the Place de la Con
corde. In 1770, during All exhibition ol
fireworks in honor Of the marriage vi
the Dauphin afterwards Louis XVI
with the Archduchess Maria An
toinette, the Place was the scene of 6
terrible calamity. A panic was oc
casioned by the accidental discharg,
of some rockets and no fewer than
1900 persons were crushed to death OF
killed by being thrown into the bitches
(then surrounding the Place) anC
1000 more severely injured. In 179;
the guillotine was erected here anC
began it's bloody work with the
execution of Louis XVI. Charlotte
Carday and the beautiful but i'll fateC
young queen. Maria Antoiuette, were
also beheaded here. Also Marat anC
even Robespierre aud his associate:
met retributive end on the saml
guillotine. Upwards of three thousand
persons perished here on that instru
ment. A proposal afterwards made t.
erect large fountain on the spo
where ii stood was strenuously opposed
by some who aptly observed that al
the water in the world would no
suffice to remove the blood stain
which suliied the Place. The obelisk o
Luxor presented to Louis Philippe b
Mohammed Ali, the Viceroy c
Egypt, now adorns the Place.
The Louvre is the most importan
public building here, both architec
turally and on account of its trea:
ures OF art; it Is palace of vas
extent and ls said to derive its nam
from all ancient hunting chateat
once situated here in the midst of
forest infested by wolves and Gale
Louverie. The building has bee
added to from time to time; the olde
part has been the scene of man
memorable historical events. On Aus
10th, 1872 the marriage of Princes
Margaret of Valois with the king {
Navarro, afterwards Henry Nv {
France) was solemnized here, most (
the Huguenot chiefs being present 0
the occasion. Five days later, on tt
night of August oath, the signal ws
gwen here for the massacre of III
Huguenots. The guards inmediatel
issued from the palace court, whei
they had been assembled, and pre-
ceeded first to The residence of Admir-;
de Coliguy who became the fir.
victim of the fearful night of Sail
Bartholomew. According to trad
ton, repeated by Mirabeau and otht
orators of the Revolution, Charles l.
himself on this occasion fired on h
subjects from one of the south window
of the palace where all inscription
l'infame Charles TX - d'execrab
memoire. tiresur le peuple avecur
carabine) was accordingly engravt
in 1885. Six years later however, Il
words were erased as it was discovere
that, that part of the palace was n
built until long after his reign.
The Louvre collection dates from Il
10th century. To the Revolutio
no owever the collections are chief
indebted for their great extent al
magnifcence. When the French armi
at length returned to Paris from the
victorious campaigns in Italy, Il
. Netherlands and Germans, laden wi
treasures of art of every description
the Louvre collection became n
merely the most important of the kin
in France but par excellence Il
museum of Europe. On the conclusit
of peace many OF these treasures hs
to be restored to their former owner
but the collection can still boast
being the most extensive aud valuab
/ on the continent. The rooms, most
, | xUhich ara cnnnartpd with each othp