Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-05-18
FROM PARIS, MAINE, TO PARIS,
FRANCE.
No. 20.
THE PALACES OF KINGS.

4 IAkIs, FhANCEs
| "Thc cottage leaves the palace far behind"
Il Burns.
That Paris has q peculiar influence
over people, you will be ready to believe.
IL they reach It In the winter season,
they have to undergo several stages be-
fore they see 1t through a halo-but the
halo is sure to come when at last the sun
shines on Paris. and they are ready to
take back all the wicked things they
ever said about 1t. There Is something
about the atmosphere that captivates
aud enthralls people, and you can under
stand why every one is enchanted with
Partisan life, and never wants to leave
Ii. IL was such charming aud delight
full day that we began our tour OF the
Palaces OF Kings, some of which contain
still the grandeur and sumptuousness OF
yore.
The first one we visit Is st. Cloud,
seven miles from Paris, and 10 reach this
place we board little steamer that
plies up and down the Seine, passing
under many picturesque and elegant
bridges adorned with figures and statues
In relief, that of Napoleon being most
conspicuous.
The little steamer lands US at Sevres,
one of the most ancient places In France,
and the place where is situated the world
renowned porcelain msnufactory OF
Sevres china, the property of the gov
ernment. la front Of the entrance Is y
statute Of Bernard Palissy, died 1880.
the re-discoverer Of the lost art OF enam-
elling, done by the ancient Etruscans,
before Christ. For years he worked at
his experiments until he became so poor
that he no longer had the wherewith 10
procure fuel TO replenish the fires nee
esssry in his experiments, so he burned
up everything In his room-chairs, bed,
table and all, and the last spark had
died out, when 10, the work was done,
and the art lost WAS the art regained.
No one Ia allowed TO visit the work
shops where the painting aud enamelling
is done, for fear the secret will be dis
covered, but we see the progress OF
molding, which is done by hsnd; and
some of the tiny cups, even In this stage
of the process, are so delicate that the
touch Of an unfamiliar hand will break
them in pieces. The workman gave us
one 10 hold. which In his hand seemed
firm and strong, but at our daintiest
touch IL fell in pieces.
One tiny cup and saucer was marked
la5 francs (s25), aud some OF the large
vases of gold enamel aud exquisite paint
ing we're 5000 francs (s5,00O.) They
copy many Of the celebrated paintings
on porcelain, and you have observed
how delicate and smooth and beautiful
even an inferior painting looks done on
china. so YOU can msgine how some Of
these marvellous works Of the old mas
ters must look, when copied on this ex-
quisite material. The copy OF Raphaels
81. Cecilia is valued at $4,000. We see
here plate belonging TO the service OF
Queen Victoria, which Is most exquisite
"A blue ground with gold decorations,
aud In the centre the crown, and mono-
gram V. Il. in gold. Here also we see
the china and gold milk-pail, made for
Marie Antoinette, which she used when
PLAYING milkmaid at her little farm call
ed the Trisnon, which We are shortly to
visit.
Our walk TO ST. Cloud takes us through
what they call forest. here, but what
we would call a park, for we traverse
well kept avenues, streets and paths,
and whichever way we look, can see
through TO the sky, and on one side the
Seine, that shadow OF river-for
at no point Ia it so wide. but when rock
ed upon its bosom, we can almost touch
each shore with outstretched hands, but
IL nevertheless carries on vast amount
OF commerce.
They evidently do not know what
"virgin forest" is here, as we do 10 the
state OF Maine, where, as the lrishman
said, The hand Of man never set fut,
but II Is very beautiful, and though only
the 10th day of March, we pick blue
violets, and the tiny English daisy with
its pink rim around the edge OF the
flower, and a slender, graceful, green
leaf, with spstters that look like blood
spots upon Ii, aud IL makes US think OF
that pure white dove we have just seen
at one of the show gardens OF Paris,
which has stain like blood nj It's throat,
exactly as II IL had been pierced with a
dagger. One can scarce help but weep,
TO look at these beautiful, pathetic
creatures, though we know the red spot
Is only the natural mark OF this rare
species, which legendary tradition says
is the one that had its breast pierced by
a thorn, as il lighted upon that Crown OF
Thorns.
We soon arrive at the site OF the palace,
which was demolished by the German
soldiers at the Siege OF Paris in 1870.
The gardens are still kept up, and the
fountains and seats intact, but all that
remains of the exquisite statuary, are
the pedestals from which the troops
knocked of and destroyed the figures,
doing all In their power TO lay proud
France low. This was favOrite home
of Marie Antoinette, and Bonaparte low
ed il for three reasons-first, because
here began his political power; second,
because 1t was SO much loved by Jose
phine: and third, because it looked
down on his loved Paris. 1t was into
the assembly room Of this palace, that
the conqueror strode, on his return from
his victorious battles, and demanded OF
the powers there convened, that they put
him at the head of the Nation, which at
the time had no monarch, after the
bloody hand Of the Revolution had be-
headed their last King and Queen, Louis
XVI, and the beautiful but Ill fated
Marie Antoinette.
We sat down on one OF the seats, and