St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-02-16

4 VI lHN CAAOIlh w hAiN l'N'ii'''N'N'N " =
early mentioned, is ST. Germain-en-
Lave, city conspicuous in the an.
nails of France as one of the favored
places of residence of her ..ings
About the year 844-5 and again
in $50 and SCI the Normans ravaged
all the country we now see, and pen
trated soon after to the gates OF
Paris.
Turning southwark we look down
long descent, across meadows, and
up an incline reaching to Mon
tretout and the ridge running out
from the latter toward Malmaison.
Along the crest of this ridge, in
1901, ran a line OF riAe-pits, and
those who defended them were Teu-
tons In the mists OF early morning
Of January 10 of that terrible win
ter, dense masses OF French infantry
were formed in line of battle in the
fields, on the northern face Of Mont
Valerien; and filing to the right
over the ridge where we stand, were
dcployed down there in the mead.
ows.
Under cover OF the heavy guns in
the fortress above us, the French
charged the enemy's position. The
attack was sudden and fierce, and
the Germans were swept clean out OF
their entertainments. The tide of
battle reached the park-wall at St.
Cloud and to the houses of the vii
lagos OF Garches and Montretout,
and there was repealed and beaten
back toward Mont Valerien. Late
in the evening the foied columns of
attack, having suffered enormous
losses, fell back to their positions of
the morning.
Over there on the heights of
Buzenval, at the center of the field of
battle, there tell at sunset of this
dreadful day, struck dead by a rifle
ball, Henri Regnault, brilliant
young artist, perhaps the last victim
of this last battle of the siege. You
shall see, if you like, his masterpiece :
"Automedon with the horses OF
Achilles" in the Museum of Fine
Arts in Boston
The French people were profoundly
touched by this heroic sacrifice, and
knowing well the circumstances of
his life and death, have written his
name high on the list of their i'm
moftals.
Skirtlng now the southern TANKS
of the fortress, we take a position
nearer our point Of departure, and a
scene of unparalleled splendor opens
before us. Looking due south, our
eyes rest upon the spire OF the church
at st. Cloud, and little beyond, the
gray walls Of the palace, destroyed
by shells from this fortress of Mont
Valerien in October, 1870. This
destruction was an accident of war
the intention was simply to shell the
enemy out of the village of st. Cloud.
The Council of Five Hundred, which
Napoleon dissolved by force on the
9th of November, 1890, held its sit
tings in this palace; and here was
signed the second capitulation of
Paris, in 1915. During the I'd
Empire it was the favorite summer
residence OF Napoleon III,
In direct line beyond the church
spire we almost see, hidden ONLY bv
the trees, the roots of the famed
porcelain factories at Sevres; still
beyond on the heights are the great
terrace and the ruins of the palace Of
Meudon. Facing now to the east
over the roofs of Suresne, beyond the
river our eyes rest upon the Wood OF
Boulogne, where in July after Water
loo the British troops under Yelling
ton were encamped and there in the
open space about the race-course o.
Longchamps after the siege of Paris
of 1S70-71, the victorious German
army held grand review on the day
of its march into the city, before
the Emperor William. Beyond the
park we behold, glittering in the
bright rays of the afternoon sun, the
mellow-tinted houses OF Paris. Here
as al st. Cloud, Claimant and Meu
don, we may feast upon the beautie,
OF the beautiful city. How the heart
throbs, the pulse quckens, as we re
call the men and events that hav,
made its renown.
Cesar makes first mention of ;
people living on an island in tn,
Seine, where now are Notre Dam
and the Palais de Justice. The peopl
were the Parish, one of the sixty
four tribes of the Gallo confedera
ton.
In the Gallo revolt of the year S;
B. c, this tribe was involved, an,
Labienus, lieutenant of Caesar. wa
sent to chastise them. BY goo,
fortune he crossed the river witt
three legions, and defeated tn
enemy in the plains of Grenelle with
IN the present walls of Paris. TIL
site of this battle has been place,
to the right of the Eiffel Tower.
A little beyond the tower is tn
gilded dome OF the Invalides an,
beneath it stands the magnifcen
tomb of Napoleon |. Farther O
rise the domes of Valde-Grace. an
the Pantheon; the latter on tina
mount of Genevicve where wa
buried he shenherdess nr Nnn4....