Evening star., 1897-05-29

uLln CHOSEN as ne moves so that 1t is done
orderly and decently, puts down his offer
ing and retires Then there come ever
others
b That broken column is 1.-The Column of
the Common Cause" Touching, the idea
is beyond all tears, according to the COM
mon verdict of the nations. Immense ad-
miration has been drawn frorrf the sur
rout ding peoples by this speculative
French sentimental abstractionYin its ev-
cry day concreteness, to the pra36e of Gaul-
ish piety. And ii is just. Has this wretch
ed little draggled servant girl, fpretty and
hun cry. and yet good. ugly andsneglected
yet patient. has she, maybe. dsad father
to mourn away down in the fgBt hills of
Provence? Let her bring 6er wreath OF
black end white and purple beads-the
handiwork Of wretched little cYiminaloids
at the Petite Roquette-and place 1t in the
midst. 1t lies among the thousands all
around the Column of the Common Cause
beside the soldiers wreath. who mourns in
Partisan barracks for his sisters grave
in Brittany; beside the students wreath
whose uncle's legacy supports him while
he makes his law beside the lost girls
wreath who dare not VISIT the paternal
vault on such a public day. for seemliness
And You and l. expatriated. within hour men,
cries though unbidden, may here pay, our
dues at this al-mystic spiritual clearing
house, on the French decoration day. The
Column of the Common Cause. AK
Paris Loves Peace.
Another common cause. and altogether
as dramatic in its manifestation, has a
more uncommon bond of sympathy and is
maintained at fever heat not without ef-
fort, at times even half visible Must a
friend and admirer of France, a lover of
her generous abandon and her proved self
sacrificing ardor, turn now in these last
days to discover to q criticising world the
| 10 mere than humanity of the modern
everyday Partisan? 1t is a secret, yet it
shall be told. The Partisan loves his peace,
| to acquire wealth and dispense it in lux
| ury, and to lead his middle age along the
| tranquil waters of bourgeoise security.
| In word, he does not wish to fight the
| hated PrGssian, whom he hates less than
| he thinks he does. Is it not, then. a sight
| with Its full element of pitifulness not un-
tinotrred with humor to behold the Stras-
| boLrg monument on the French Decoration
| day? Ah. the fair, proud lady looks NO
less sad as year succeeds to year.
| The Strnsbourg Monument.
In the noble, spacious Place de Ia Con.
corde, the very center of that Paris-Bril-
liant which you and I and all the world
| so easily can reconstruct in our imagina
tions. there sit on fitting white stone bases
something like mans height from the
ground, eight giant female figures, carved
with simple dignity and grace. to watch IL
a great square this center of the capita
of France. They are the geniuses Of eigh
| pTOuu CltleS, anu SIle VI unhappy StIdS
bourg, taken by the enemy and still held
still lamenting. sits still with her sisters
| Some protest they can see on her face
look of questioning, with certain stern
ness, that will cast itself upon the othe
seven. Certainly she is not mournful bu
sits coldly, very silent, 1 assure you, neve
moving. Does she question:? Is there re
proach in her regard? Do her sisters 81
there with averted eyes? 1 do not know
But Frenchmen, and Lorrainers and Alsa
tians in great numbers, bearing banners
badges and the coupons of reduced-pric,
return tickets, prudently buttoned ava!
/ against the cupidity of those of the meane
sort though brothers, doubly brothers, com,
before her in procession on the 14th O
! July to- make obeisance and renew thei
promises. That day, the Independence da,
| Of the republic. the Strasbourg statue
| fiaunts much red. There is too much hats
and threatening around about her, dec
Grated though she be, to call UP a remem
brance of the brotherly wreath-layings o
the blue and gray which mark the day fol
| far happier republic. The Strasbourt
statue is best seen in the blue mists, thougl
cold and somber. of All Souls when al
her wreaths are of poor beads, black, pur
pie, white.
Around the strasbourg static, on this tru
Decoration day of France lie wreAths from
the whole country's heart, the gretIt Frencl
heart that mourns her sons who salorousl,
died-as ours. STERLING EEILIG.
&.