The record-union., 1894-01-20
MISS STUDENTS LETTER.
sights of Paris as Seen by a Sacra-
mento Miss.
Aow the Customs and Scenes Of Eu-
rope Look to the Eyes of the
Young American.

Following is another of the letters of
young Sacramento girl who is studying
IN Paris. 1t is written in childish style
70 her mother, but is interesting as show
Ing how the sights and scenes of a foreign
country strike the mind of young miss
away from home for the first time:
PARIS, December 81, 1898.
My Dear Mother: The old year ends
very well on this side of the water. 1
only hope that it ends as well with you
80 many, many miles away as 1t does
with US. Have been kept in the house
three days with a cold, but to-day being
bright and clear we went out and made
up for past miseries by walking miles.
We commenced the day by attending the
beautiful Russian Church, which Is right
near here. 1t has the most graceful
gilded towers Imaginable. The interior
is very elaborate, with line paintings OF
the Holy Family and of the saints. There
are two very effective, being in alcoVes
and perfect gems. One is 1.-The Miracu-
lous Draught of Fishes" and the other is
beautiful ''Christ Walking on the
Waves"
The high altar was gorgeous in jewels,
many candles and bright gilt The cere--
mony is very imposing and unusual and
the singing was fine. such queer sing
ing, too, more like an Bolian harp than
anything else, for it seems to sob and
sigh, at times loud and then receding to
the faintesC tones. There seem to be
great many syllables in their language,
and they sing it SO fast that It hardly
seems possible for human lips to move so
quickly. They cross themselves differ
emily from the Catholics, sometimes do
ing it twice and sometimes only once,
and they seem to rest on the last touch
of the cross" if I may call it that, longer
than on the others. There is no sermon,
nTo w No m
shurch, so far as / know, everyone stand
ing just where they wish. 1t is very
trying to be near a very deyout person,
because they kneel, bow to the ground
and cross themselves continually. After
the service everyone goes up and kisses
the cross, which a tat, good-natured look
ing priest holds down to them, and some
get little things which look just like Oys-
ter pates with the little covers on. 1t Is so
very interesting that l am going again,
for, although l stood an hour, did not
feel the service was long.
After the service l went to see Nellie
Siddons, but she has not returned from
Vienna yet. She went there with her
friend, Miss Hunt, who sang with great
eclat at some concert there. Then l
called next door on Mrs Porter and
found her little daughter was home from
her boarding school for the holidays, and
that the mother was busy showing her
the pretty street sights.
We saw the Hotel des Invalides this
afternoon, and looked long and hard
at the gorgeous sarcophagus which holds
the remains of that great, great man,
Napoleon. 1t is surely grand and
worthy monument to tnat name, so long
loved and feared all over the world. The
grandeur and solemnity of the place are
heightened by a blueish light that lies
across the crypt and by a yellow light
that is behind handsome altar. l can
give you no idea of the fine statues, the
''Victories," caryatides and columns. 1
can only tell you that they are we'll ex-
ecuted, imposing and most fitting. All
around the sarcophagus are bloody,
dusty flags, which tell stronger story to
me than anything else can possibly.
They are all torn, the sticks are broken
and dull in color. AS the flags hang
limp and low around that silent TOMB
they seem to tell in sign language of their
sad history. Back of the tomb is a fine
chapel, where they still hold services
and the poor, battered soldiers limp in
every Sunday morning. The barracks
for these veterans are just back OF the
chapel around big court. This hotel
was designed by Louis XIV, in 1910, for
1900 veterans; but few stay there now
as they prefer to live on their pensions
elsewhere. It would be very cold, [
should imagine, TO live in those marble
halls" although they seem roomy and
pleasant. Around the court are queer
old paintings that are hardly discernible,
describing the wars Of Charlemagne,
Maximilian, Louis, and Napoleon. On
rereading the above, l find it sounds
"Baedeker-y," but l assure you that
familiar book is in the bottom of my
trunk, and this knowledge is all in my
head
Leaving lies InvaIides,w we dropped
into the Church of st. Clothilde, and
heard begging sermon by a young Bel
gian priest. We wished very much to be
the comfortable, fat priests who sat right
in front Of the young preacher, nodding
and snoring to their hearts content, for
the sermon was very stupid; but we list
ened attentively for the good practice in
French, and we had hard time in under
standing, for his patOis was very terrible.
This church is fine example of the
modern Gothic style, with high arches.
columns and fine windows. The music
was excellent. We went there just as
good many other people DO, to get warm
and for rest. 1t is very cold now; all
the fountains are frozen over.
Last week we went to the TrOcadero,
fine museum lately finished. 1t is right
opposite the Champ de Mars, on a very
elevated piece of ground, commanding
fine view of the Seine, the exposition
building and the Tour Eiffel. 1t is named
after a Spanish fort captured by the
French in the early part of this century,
and is built in the Oriental style, with
two gilded minarets, a fine colonnade and
two wings, containing plaster casts and
an chronological display.
There is a fine sloping garden down to
the Seine, and across the bridge Of Jena
is the Champ de Mars. We walked
through the grounds of the exposition, Sc
Yerely criticising the buildings that still
remain, comparing them with our tine
buildings at Chicago. 1 will admit,
hos II ha6 an
advantage over the Worlds Columbian
Fair, and that was that the exhibit was
right in the center of the city; you neither
had to ride on cattle trains or board at
Salvation Army barracks.
Give me America every time. Pve said
it before, and I will say it many times
again. Oh, let me come back soon, for
am very homesick.
Off For Washington.