The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-12-18

now unOCCupl6u DuI Iull VI dSSoOldolOho
connected with Napoleo and Josephine;
here was the room where the divorce was
granted, and here Josephine lived on
after Napoleon married the Austrian.
The rear Of the building looks out into
a small but very pretty park. st. Ger
main is several miles beyond Malmaison,
the queer old chateau, very large, is now
used as a museum. just beyond it is
the finest terrace in France, two miles
long, very broad, and commanding a
splendid view. Back of it is fine
piece of woodlands; this is also the
property of the State. Some of the
railway stations in Paris are very large,
particularly the St. Lazare, which covers
an immense amount of ground, it is
quite a journey simply to go about
it.
From this great station we left Paris
for Rouen, whicn was reached in about
two hours, ride OF about 10 miles
through rather pretty rolling country,
but without any special features OF
interest. Rouen lies along the Seine
about 40 miles from the sea; very
pretty view is had of it from the railway
Just before the city is reached: the wind
ing river, here running through a deep
narrow valley, and the city built up the
steep hillside. We went first to the
little square where the unfortunate
Joan of Arc was burned by the English,
the spot now marked by monument
surmounted by statues of Joan, the
memorial makes only fair appearance.
At one side, approached through a low
gateway, is the queer old court room
where she was tried and condemned.
Many of the streets are narrow and
lined by the most curious old buildings,
but several were straight and quite
modern in appearance, affording great
contrast to tho rest of the city. One
street is called "Great Clock" street
from very large and exceedingly
curious clock sst in a huge old stone
gateway over the street. The Cathedral
has very handsome front and two fine
stone towers, bnt lately very tall and
exceedingly homely iron spire has been
erected at the centre of the building.
The interior is quite plain, but contains
among other notable tombs that OF
Richard Occur de Lion.
The church of st. Owen near by is
more than hundred feet longer than
the Cathedral, larger and handsomer
everyway, and also has beautiful
facade. The church of st. MaclOu has a
wonderful carved front, the charming
lace-like effect is produced by very
delicate stone screen beautifully carved
just outside the wall Of the building.
One handsome old stone church with a
most peculiar looking but handsome
tower, has been coverted into a hay barn,
a vandalism, not only to church, but to
so fine building.
The Hotel de Vile is wonderfully
beautiful specimen Of Gothic architec'
ture, the prevailing style of most of the
churchs ofRouen, and is very picturesque
the interior contains some rich carvings,
and is very interesting to explore,
especially the old hall,
The railway from Rouen to Dieppe
passes through charming country, the
| Normandy of which we had heard sc
much, succession of pretty valleys
green wooded slopes, clear streams, queer
old mills with great water wheels, ovel
or under which the water tumbled mer
rily, numerous odd looking houses witt
matched roofs, but most of them very
pretty withal, it was succession of the
loveliest of pastoral scenes.
Dieppe is fair sized town possessing
a very good harbor: great basin hai
been excavated and walled in, where yes
sells can lie perfectly secure in any storm
a narrow entrance opens into the Englisl
Channel. The tides are very great, w
found the steamer many feet below tn,
dock; the gang plank to the upper decl
was at such an angle as to be virtually
ladder, few hours later the deck wa
level with the dock the rise must b
more than % feet. The distance acros
to Newhaven being only 70 miles, tn
steamers do not have staterooms, tn
passengers during the four hours tril
sleep on the cushions of the cabin, whicl
are arranged for that purpose on til
night trips, spaced off like the berths o
, sleeping car only without partitions
We sailed out into the channel abou
80 o'clock a. m., the sea moderated
rough, but the nearer we came to til
English coast the higher the waves grew
until the steamer fairly danced the car
, can, to he dismay of most of the passer
gers. The great waves would strike III
der the paddlebox and tip the boat unit
, the decks were at an angle of about
degrees, frequently the water woul
: come over the top of the upper-dec
{ house. Why they persist in using side
wheel boats in such rough waters coul
| not understand, unless it was the usu;
$ English style of having everything jus
/ as it has always been: the boats wei
new, good sized and very swift, but the
q cross the worst piece of water in I'll
, world excepting the Irish Sea, which
I a full match. One gentleman who ha
i sailed thousands of miles on the ocea
n had Dragged in Paris that he had nev'
$ been sea sick, but he was terribly sic
+ crossing here: as was not sick | fe
correspondingly elated, but 1t was anu
4 ing to hear voice after voice in the cabi
4 join the chorus. We were very thankfl
g however to sail up the quiet little harbC
q OF Newhaven, past the strong guardiT
n fort, and set our feet on solid grour
4 again; especially glad we would nj
4 have to cross the channel again.
Q Brighton the famous English waterir
/ place is only few miles along the Goa
r, from Newhaven, the railway followiI
the shore, some distance back from Il
e water, though a bleak looking count
d with many high rolling hills entire
,, bare of trees and with with an occasion
e town. Brighton, viewed from the trai
:: appeared to be wilderness of chimn'
Il tops sticking out of acres OF brick house
e all exactly alike, but vixen we PAST
70 through the older parts OF the city '
&c found many fine buildings, especial
s along the esplanade and In the vicini
It of the aquarium. was surprised to fiji
% a solidly built, busy place of 100000 pc
t. pie, packed so closely together tn
If scarcely any Of the houses had garde
t. OF grounds. The esplanade is four mil
d. long, built up solidly the whole distan
S, facing the water, this broad avenue beil
IS bounded on the sea side by high al
heavy stone wall. Below this is broi
5, walk at the edge of the wide beac
d especially broad when the tide is out,a
a in this wall are all sorts of shops, at Of
10 place was large room where visito
he could sit and look over the sea. ~
70 streets leading up the bill from the wat
le are quite steep. The aquarium is 4
|, best in the world, and occupies a lit
ID open space between the sea wall and t
ly town, a low building, very near the lev
sr of the sea. The great tanks, some
70 them thirty feet wide and ten feet hig
faced with great sheets of heavy pla
il, glass were full of all sorts of fish Of va
s, Gus sizes, some very large; one cou
ID stand and study them and the beautif
n, marine plants as we'll as II a large secti
of the ocean had been DIVIDED off for
especial benefit. Two piers run out in
+ the sea, one on the style of Coney Islal
and Long Branch piers only smaller, I
other built like a suspension bridl
The wind was so strong it was hard
: possible to stand on the esplanade.