Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1895-05-09
ON THE RIVIERA.


Democracy of Distinguished People as 1t
Appears to a Plain American.
Ballard Smith writes to tho New
York World from Boaulieu: This mar
row little strip of Franco miles or
so from Cannes to Mentone and not
above four or five miles wide anywhere
between the blue sea and the practically
impossible mountain chat beyond
might be called during any winter sea-
son tho Republic of the Great From All
Lands.
The democratic fashion Of it is lit
tie startling to the newcomer. You may
sit at tho next table in restaurant to
an ex-president Of tho republic You
may como suddenly in public pathway
upon an emperor and empress walking
arm in arm together; you sit in the next
chair in hotel meeting room to the
great cx-premier of England. Politicians
from all countries, serene highnesses
from every monarchy in the world,
great artists-their faces become as IA
miliar to you as those of the convention
al people whom most of us have the for
tune only to be brought in daily contact
with
1t has happened to me, very plain
American citizen, to havo had the three
experiences mentioned above within tho
space of "a hours, together with some
others as interesting, and tho fortune Of
it all, tho reader being tho judge of what
measure Of fortune it is, may come to
any other plain citizen Of any land who
forms part of this little republic with
in republic.
In former letter described how alb
solutely democratic is tho daily walk
here Of Casimir- Perier, until only the
other day president of France.
In the rotunda of the Hotel Cape Mar
tin we are to SEQ q greater man than
any hereditary king or emperor or po-
tentato of today, of yesterday, Of the
century. Luncheon is just over when
Mr.. and Mrs Gladstone como down
from their rooms and take seats among
the other guests before tho fire, await
ing their carriage. The venerable states
man looks much older and more worn
than when | saw him in London as he
started for tho Riviera
The arduous journey in tho bitter cold
weather which met him in France and
its extraordinary continuance hero in
tho Riviera havo evidently been most
projudicial to him. Ho walked very
foobly to his carriage, escorted on the
ono side by his faithful wife and on the
other by tho hardly less faithful Mr..
George Armistoad-many times mil
lionairo who seems to havo no object
in life beyond this friendship and almost
constant Northumberland now for the
first timo in his adult life looks all his
age.
had como to the hotel hoping that
Mr.. Gladstone might wish to say some
thing moro to tho American public on
tho prospects Of homo rulo in Ireland,
but Mr.. Armistead pleads that the
Statesman is in too feeble condition to
talk upon politics, and that his restora-
ton to health demands absolute rest
from all political concerns for the pres
ont.
The exEmpress Eugenie another
guest at the hotel, except that she &C.
cupies cottage in the grounds, and she,
too, takes her daily walk abroad with
single attendant, or moro often alone.
She also seems very feeble and looks
very old, supporting herself with a
strong crutch stick. She has lost every
trace Of her former beauty ana graceful
CorriaUo