The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-05

f'eedom as life time spent
at home will not do. Every en-
trance to every public building is guard,
ed. The French soldier does not present
a martial appearance. He is small, as
are the men there generally, and his uni
form does not fit him. He has not the
erect carriage nor the firm tread which
one rarely fails to observe in the British
or American man of arms.
On parade, however, the great mass OF
blue and red uniforms, the fine white
plumes of some regiments, the long
horse tails depending from the caps OF
others, the glittering armies produced
magnificent spectacle as they passed
before the President.
After the review, we saw on the re
turn to Paris, NJ Felix Faure, the Presi-
dent, followed by his Ministers, the
members of the Chamber of Deputies,
those of the Senate, and the foreign Am
bassadors. NJ. Faure is a handsome
man, graceful and gracious in his bear
ing. When he raised his hat to acknoWl-
edge the peoples greeting, | was forcl-
bly, reminded of North Cardinals courtly
ex-senator, our Minister to Mexico.
The cheers for the President were fee
BILE compared with those raised for the
Minister of War. They were more feeble
yet in comparison with those which
would go up for our President upon a
similar occasion. One of our party at
tracted the astonished gaze of silent
crowd around us by his vigorous "vive lie
President y At heart the French are
not such thorough Republicans as we
are. Perhaps it is necessary to take
root in fresh soil to bring forth the
real product of free people.
Upon our return to the city in the
evening the streets looked like
& .lleries of impressionist paint
lngs. The decoration and illumina-
ton of the government buildings were
dazzling. Many of these palaces cluster
around the historic Pont Neuf on both
sides of the Seine. Their architecture
was outlined in many colored lights. Up
and down the river as far as the eye
reaches, the bridges with their red and
white lamps stretch from bank to bank.
There were fire works from Pont Neuf.
These and the myraids of water refec-
tons mid way between the grand piles of
light and color, aided by the gliding to
and fro of the fairy like boats
also Illuminated, created wonderland.
Further on we saw the Grand Opera, a
blaze of light. Its skylight is mighty
crown. This glittered with gems as
does its smaller original, the crown of
Napoleon in the Louvre. Above the
Opera, the sky looked as if filed with
floating stars. These were tiny lighted
balloons sent out from the top of a
neighboring tall building.
The feature of the fete most interest
ing to the stranger and most delightful
to the French is the street ball. We
found one on every open space.
Every one who is light of heart, whose
feet tap TO merry music, joins with the
first partner offering. Two men, two
women, boy and girl, boy with an
old woman, girl with an old man, all
sorts of couples whirl about, glide in and
out, knock down and fall over each other,
scramble up and waltz on in the best
natured way in the world.
We fingered till the little stars fell; the
gems in the big crown disappeared;
the outlines Of the Louvre grew
dim, then were hidden in the
darkness The real stars and the
gas lamps were the only illumi-
nations when we crossed the bridge and
heard the bells ring twelve. We went
home in the Latin Quarter and left the
Parisians laughing and chatting; taking
wine and absinthe, and dancing in the
streets. ANNIE q. RANDALL.