Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1898-09-09
Our Paris Letter.

.
lowing to the fact that We 20 to press week
earlier than We anticipated the regular letter
promised by "Our correspondent could not
reach us in time Ia the placs we publish one
written 10 her mother which. though ueccssar-
| ily of a more personal nature We trust will be
iIere sting To our readers.-ED.l
AUG. s, 1895.
Ny DEAR MOTHER
1t is late at night and | am very tired
but do not want the next steamer To
leave without letter for you. Since
last wrote we have made several pleas
Pnt excursions, among others, one TO
| Fontainbleau, almost the only suburb
of Paris with which | was not familiar.
i never can decide which | would rather
do, revisit the places l have already seen
or 90 TO new ones, which argues well for
the pleasure | have had in sightseeing
Do you remember Madame Rouvieres
saying that she would rather see the
large trees of California than any thing
else in America that she had never seen
anything TO compare them with but the
forest at Fontainbleau. Well, naturally,
III the matter of size the Redwoods have
great advantage, but they lack the
| historical associations of FOntainbleau
which constitutes its greatest charm.
The trees are really fine however, bear
|
! specimens that abound in France, whose
branches are cut back every half dozen
years for firewood The forest is beau
tifully laid out in walks and drives,
while statuary, fountains and flowers
abound.
The palace is certainly magnificent,
| but why shouldn't il be where so many
millions and so much labor have been
expended upon it during the last thous-
and years? We took luncheon at the
fine restaurant, picked coquelicots and
corn flowers in the fields and visited
| Barbizon, where we saw the house of
Millet, who painted the Angelus.
In returning to Paris we retraversed
the forest, this time by rail, and upon
| arriving III the city took drive on the
| Boulevard, lunched at n cafe, and reach
| ed home late IN the evening, after long
and pleasant day,
Madame Hay has been to see Us and
took us to luncheon. We also went
with her to Courbe-voie to visit her
daughter and bad delightful time.
Monsieur Gorge's was not at home. He
has added 20 his domain and all the sur
roundiDgs indicate great prosperity.
Armaudines marriage turned out
happily and jeanne has grown into a
very pretty girl.
We had e breakfast and half"
commencing with sardines and radisheS,
followed by muskmelon (can any thing
he more delicious than these luscious
French melons?) then egg prepared In Il
new way, then gigot salad and peas,
with the greatest variety of cakes and
fruits for dessert Three kinds of wine
and champagne were served, black cof-
fee Of course, and later, we had tea in
the garden.
Bessie learned more French during
this visit than ever before. There is
nothing like hearing it spoken by the
French among themselves TO interest
one in the language. All inquired with
great interest after you and the other
members of the family The other day
Baron Salvador, Mr.. Youngers, Bessie
and went 10 St Cloud Madame Sal
vador was i'll and could not go with us
We went III an automobile. These
| horseless carriages are used great deal
in Paris, but it was my first ride i'll one
eff the uncanny things. They are great
| FUN however, and | think Paris, the So
called Paradise of Men. the Purgatory
of W omen, and the He'll of Horses, the
| very place VI All OlncIS NHtTt IUtN
should be used. We wandered through
the park, whose decayiug beauty is made
all the more desolate by the ruins of its
palace.
The most vivid impression that |
brought away with me from this visit
came as stood looking through the long
green vistas of the small forest where
the trees were set out in regular rows,
Ii 10 ho nf A ha
avenues converge to the spot where the
spectator stands. wherever that may be.
With this view before him no one can
doubt that "the groves were Gods first
temples" for no groined arch DER dim
cathedral aisle was more perfect in its
proportion than these green vaults. /
never realized before that the column
and arch in architecture must certainly
have been suggested by the trunk and
branches of tree, their exact prOto-
types.
Yesterday the Baron's Spanish cousin,
Baron Fonsaca, took breakfast with us
He is a great friend of Don Carlos and
had Just been with him in Switzerland.
/ He Is very interesting and we were
friendly enough in spite OF the little I'M
OlcasautneSS between our governments.
Before ! left home some people express
I'd the fear that it would not be pleasant
tor an American 10 travel in France on
account Of the war. | have not only
never met with the slightest diScOurteSy
ON that account, but have never been
unpleasantly reminded of the fact that
war exists.
/ was sorry we could not accept our
invitation to the Countess de LessepS'
reception, but we had no evening
dresses good enough for the occasion.
You know our wardrobeS were at low
ebb. as we wanted chance TO replenish
them in Paris.
The Salvadors have done everything
possible to make me enjoy my stay with
them and il has been ever SO pleasant To
meet again, SO many of our old acquain-
tances, but feel that my visit is already
drawing to close, for we plan to leave
here the first of September and spend "a
week in England. sailing so as TO reach
home about the twentieth of the month.
shall be delighted to be with you
once more.
Your tired and sleepy daughter.