Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-07-16
JOY IN FRANCE.
The Anniversary of the Bastile's
Fall Celebrated.
Unvei.ing of Statue to Danton, Free
Entertainments and Fireworks
the Principal Features.
THE DAY IN PARIS.

PARIS, July 15.-The celebration of
the anniversary of the destruction of
the bastile was even more elaborate in
its various details than in previous
years. The decorations of the city were
more than usually profuse and beautiful.
From every window flags or drape-
ries of sumptuous cloths were dis
played, while the streets every
where were ablaze with bunting
and magnificent festoons of flowers
and evergreens. The day was ush-
cred in by salutes of artillery, and
from an early hour the streets were
packed with crowds of enthusiastic
people in holiday attire Prominent
among these were the American tour
lists, who had focled TO the city to
witness the festivities The feature
of the celebration was the UNI
yelling of the statue of Dam
ton, which has been erected on the
boulevard st. German, with elaborate
ceremonies and addresses by prominent
French statesmen. An enormous
throng witnessed the ceremonies and
loudly applauded the speakers refer
ence TO Danton and his place in history,
In the afternoon at 3 o'clock a grand
review of 100000 French troops was
held at Longchamps by President Car
not and brilliant staff. The mag
nificent grounds were packed to
suffocation with spectators. Free
performances were giten at all
the theaters, and the children
of the Paris schools were enter
tanned free Of cost at the hippodrome
and similar places of amusement. The
preparations for the illumination of
the city ut night are extremely elab-
crate. Every public building was out
lined with rows of electric lights,
while the entire length of the Champs
Elysees, from the Are de Triomphe
to the place dc Ia Concorde,
were festooncd with lanterns of various
colors. Every square in the city was
brilliantly lighted, and the symbol Of
the republic was displayed in every
possible quarter, The Eiffel tower
was lighted from top to bottom with
masses of lanterns, superb displays Of
fireworks were given in many quarters
of the city.
PARIS, July 10. Among those who
were decorated by President Carnot in
commemoration of the fall of the Bas-
tile were three Americans They were
Mr.. Van Bergen, DIR. Nachtel and
Mr. Schweitzer, a delegate from the
New York benevolent society The
first two were appointed officers of the
Legion of Honor, and Mr.. Schweitzer
was appointed knight of the Legion Of
Honor.
July H. 1850 the bastile. the dreaded French
prison, was torn stone from stone and that
night the Partisan mob danced over the ruins
That was the beginning Of dark days for France
and the end was not until the revolution
had stained the soil OF the entire land
with French blood And then The people were
free. 1t was Camille dcs Maulins that star ted
the cry Of Down with the bastile" and the mob
followed, Des Maulins "a writer and a
leader Of the people. 'The people" wero
dreaded words TO the nobility Of that tir1e and
twas the people that demonstrated their power
on that fatal day TO royalty
But the bastile Of France was not taken
without struggle Delaunay, the keeper
Of the bastIie, fought hard. The mob hated
him much as his business. and to
yield sure death to him. All hope
gone after struggle Of four hours he
prepared to throw lighted torch into the
ppFfhft HEuastHlit' Una libR tue uAstltt ana All
within its terror stricken walls 10 atoms, but
be was prevented 5y one Of his own officers
once within the walls Of the prison the mob
vented It's fury on Delaunay ana his friend. De
Hesseles, AM carried THEN heads on pixies
through the streets OF Paris.
This was terrible blow to nobility and tho
throne The bastilc was the king own prison.
Prisoners Of state and friends OF the king who
had dared TO express ideas OF their own or who
were known TO entertain thoughts not in unison
with those Of the crown We're east into
the bastie 10 rot Once inside every man went
by a number and his identity was forever lost
King Charles VI. bliit the bastile about 1870
and designed IL for defense against
the English, but IL was soon put to
another use. During the reigns OF Louis XIV.
and LOuis Ky ana under Queen Anne OF Aus.
tria, the b;tstile was dreaded above All other
things. Tne masses whispered the word,
and the me- tinn Of 'bottomless pit"
from which no man ever returned sent a
chill 10 the heart Of nobility. 1t was
against this oppression that the people direct
cd their rage. The frenzied populace hated the
word nobility ana had come to abhor royalty
Down with the bastile,' vas tho battle cry OF
the Partisan mob ana the throne OF France
trembled and later fell
Found "a Snug sum.
NINONA Mimi .IUlv I5-E A