Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-10-08
LETTER FROM A NAPOLEON
BOY TRAVELLING IN
EUROPE.
NUMBER TWO.
FRANKFORT ON THE MAIN, Aug 2s, '96,

FRANKFORT ON THE MAIN, Aug. 2s '96.
IcoNcLUDED.l
next have to tell you of another royal pal
ace which went 81 miles from Paris to see
that of the city of Fountainebleau, once a
royal suburb. hardly think these old resi-
dences of Kings and Emperors would inter-
est you so much. but for me they have an
almost irresistible charm, becausea of the
great beauty of their interiors and tho his
torical events which they recall. TheI little
city of Fountainebleau is situated 1]s miles
from the Railroad station near the centeJilt
the great Forest of Fountainebleau, which is
so miles in circumference. The palace is
huge pile of rather plain looking buildings
enclosing number of courts. in the princi-
pal one of which called the "Cour du Cheval
Blanc" Napoleon after his abdication in 1914
bade farewell to his old guard. Here also
about year later. after his return from Ell
ba, he reviewed his troops before marching
with them to Paris. Near the entrance to
the palace met several ladies and gentle
men who like myself, were bent upon seeing
the inside of it. In a few minutes the custo-
dian-an exceedingly polite Frenchman.
| made his appearance who, upon being in
formed Of our wishes at once opened the
door and ushered us first into the chapel on
the ground floor where Napoleon III was
baptised in 1910, and in which Louis XIV and
| the Duke of Orleans were married-the for
| mer in 1725 and the latter in 1887. Ascending
stairway we reached the apartments of Ma
poleon Lone of them containing BILE
upon which he signed his abdication. Then
we passed through the rooms of Marie An
toinette and Madame Maintenon, several re-
spective salons, the large ball room, the Ii.
brary with $4,000 volumes, picture gallery
and the rooms of Pope Plus II who was a
prisoner here from June 1912, to June 1914
the same suite having at one time been oc-
cupied by Catherine de Medicis and after
wards by Anne of Austria, mother of Louis
XIV. The furnishings of some of the rooms
are of dazzling splendor and the finest have
yet seen. In this palace in 1909 the sentence
of divorce was pronounced against the EN-
press Josephine and in 1886 Louis XIV here
signed the revocation of the Edict of Nantes
in which Henry " in 1898 had granted toler.
alton to the protestants In the nice grounds
about the palace is large fish pond filled
with carp, where l spent some time in watch
ing the fish-some over a foot long fight fol
pieces of bread thrown out upon the water
Some of the larger ones would jump cleal
out of the water and over one another il
their mad efforts to secure the prize, all the
time making a peculiar indescrible noise
As it was getting late in the afternoon
started for the station on foot. l walked
through the forest for nearly an hour ant
still no station In sight. 1 surely took the
right road from the town but must. have
turned at the wrong point. Reaching TIKI
intersection of two roads l sat downiuponys q
rock pulled map of the forest out of my
pocket and studied it closely to try and fine
out where was at" but it was a cheap
botched up affair and the French names O
the roads quite indistinet, were too much fol
me. took the road to the right, on ven
ture, and after another hours walk, luckil!
came to an elevation upon which is towe
marked -Four Denicourt'' which was plain
| ly marked on the map. 1t stands at the ent
of one of the main roads, and from here
easily found my way to the depot over mill
distant, in time to catch the 8 o'clock trail
for Paris, quite tired out by the long jaunt.
We intended to leave Paris on the 10Th, bu
in order to witness the festivities attending
the annual celebration of the fall of the Bas
tile on the l4th, we concluded to remain
couple of days longer. On the eve Of tn
| fete went to the Boulevard Clichy, one o
the gayest of what are termed the exterio
Boulevards. The street, very wide one
presented the appearance of a county fai
b,,rr Ia nf oh, fDn :
width, in the center its entire length beins
taken up by merry-go-rounds with larg'
boat carriages each holding about dozeI
people, rocking up and down and going at
terrific rate of speed, side-shows and hund
.Ereds of fakirs stalls and catch-penny con
leerns. Near the Maulin Range variety
Etheater conspicuous because of the wind
mill over its entrance, is the Cabaret dl
Neaut linn of deathl. which / recognized b!
the two green lights above the door. sa!
(which recognized" because 1 had read al
article In St Louis paper about it in which
its location and the green lights were men
toned. A performance is given here whiel
for novelty of its main features, certainl!
takes the palm. My only excuse for HAVING
witnessed it is because it is probably the onl!
exhibition of Its kind in the world, and in or
der to form better estimate of the genera
character of the people. to see as much al
possible Of Partisan life and amusements-
not alone those which instruct and elevate
but something of those which degrade ant
carry with them degenerating influences
Entering the door draped with black, wa
greeted by long, lank. lean cadaverou
looking individual wearing long blacl
lcoat and high hat covered with crepe, VIII
beckoned me to seat at one Of number 0
coffins which served as tables. He thel
drought me a small glass of something re
sembling beer in color and taste. all tn
while saying something, in mournful tone
i which an Englishman. who understoo,
IFrench and seated at the same coffin. inter
lpreted as follows Here is something tina
will make worm food Of you, something +
poison you and make you rot quickly. b
-Enaxtp.aeed a lighted taper on the coffin Il