Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1895-06-20
ON THE RIVIERA.
Democracy Of Distinguished People as II
Appears to Plain American.

Democracy Of Distinguished People as Il
Appears to q Plain American.
Ballard Smith writes to tho New
York World from Beaulieu: This mar
row little strip of France-40 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 chain beyond
might be called during any winter sea-
son tho Republic Of the Great From All
Lands.
The democratic fashion Of 1t is q lit.
tie startling to the newcomer. You may
sit at the next table in a restaurant to
an ex.president Of the republic. You
may come 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 ex- 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.
It has happened to me, a very plain
American citizen, to have had tho three
experiences mentioned above within the
space of "a hours, together with some
others as interesting, and the fortune Of
1t 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 q former letter I described how ab-
solutely democratic is the 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 see greater man than
any hereditary king or emperor or po-
tentate Of today, Of yesterday, Of the
century. Luncheon is just over when
Mr.. and Mrs Gladstone come 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 I saw him in London as he
started for the Riviera.
The arduous journey in the bitter cold
weather which met him in France and
its extraordinary continuance here in
the Riviera have evidently been most
prejudicial to him. He walked very
feebly to his carriage, escorted on the
one side by his faithful wife and on the
other by the hardly less faithful Mr..
George Armistead-many times mill
lionaire, who seems to have no object
in life beyond this friendship and almost
constant attendance-and now for the
first time in his adult life looks all his
age.
I had come to the hotel hoping that
Mr.. Gladstone might wish to say some-
thing more to the American public on
the prospects Of home 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
emit.
The ex-Empress Eugene is another
guest at the hotel, except that she oc-
oupies cottage in the grounds, and she,
too, takes her daily walk abroad with
o single attendant, or more often alone.
She also seems very feeble and looks
very old. supporting herself with q
strong orutoh stick. She has lost every
trace Of her former beauty and graceful
oarriara