Mexico weekly ledger., 1900-09-27
CELEBRATED VERSAILLES.
Dr.. b. K. HInde Writes Of the Palace
Which Was Once the Home Of
Marie Antoinette = Other
Things Seen.

Dr. d. K. Hinde, in writing to ths
kED9EE, from Paris, France, said:
Thisf7sy was spent in a TiEi 70 ~
celebratsd city Of VsrsAIlss. CprO.
uouucsd b. the French, FsE sal
about foarteen miles from Paris
The history Of Versailles, since TIT
days of Louis XIV, Is q part and par.
Gel OF the history of Paris. Its nos
. CITY OF $1,000 inhabitants; bot be.
fore the days Of sThe Great Mon
archp was q small village, to the
neighborhood of which Louis XIII
frequently went for the purpose oil
hunting in the adjacent forests. The
great palace built here by Louis XIV
occupied eleven years in lite con-
structIon aud was completed in 1872.
The cost Of this palace lie said to
have been not less than forty mil
lions sterling.
Before entering the great palace we
visited the two small palaces or
villas, called the great and little
Trianons, on the northwestern part of
the park and not far apart. The great
Trianons was built by Louis XIV for
Madame de Maintenon. 1t is very
well preserved, and Is Of the Italian
style; and consists OF a single story
with two wings united by a gallery.
The front is ornsmented with ionic
columns. We were admitted to all
apartments, and found many ine
paintings and pieces OF statuary.
Much Of the furniture used by Louis
XIV and Madame Maintenon is stiil
preserved and shown TO visitors.
On the way from the great TO the
little Trianon we we're shown the
magnificent coaches used by Charles
x and Napoleon /.
Tho little Trianon lie a simple square
pavilion OF email size, and was built
by Louis XIV for Madame du Barry.
This was the favorits homeof Marie
Antoinette; and have not seer a
place In all OF Europe that so nearly
comes up to my ideal Of a happy
country home place. There lie very.
little Of the artificial about the whole
place, and, as we wandered down the
walk through the woods, toward the
'sswiss VILLAGE and by the "Temple
Of Love-" and sat on q rustic bench
and ate our lunch near the little mill
and dairy, l did not wonder that the
charming little queen 60 loved to
spend her leisure hours there with
her charming little children. The
French have committed no greater
crime than the beheading Of this
lovely woman.
The walk from the little Trlsnon
back to the great palace Of Yer
saIIIes can never be forgotten by those
taking it. We entered the great pal
see from the rear, which brought rs
through the flower garden, the most
lovely my eyes have ever beheld. In
front of the palace lie the Grsnde
Cour, in the center Of which Ii an
equestrian statue Of Louis XIV, and
on the sides colossal statues Of fifteen
of the great men Of France. To give
an idea Of the immensely Of the
palace, when Louis XIV was at the
heighth Of bis glory, there were as
many as 10000 people entertained
here. At this time the city Of VeE-
sailles had a population Of 10000. The
interior of the palace lie reached by q
door 9 5 the chapel, by which we
entered the historical museum. l did
jearn the number OF roome, but
seemed endless as we wandered
}ough this, one Of the largest pala-
8 In the world. The walls Of the
boms sre ornamented with paintings
BY the best artists OF the history Of
France, especially in the days OF
fou3a and Ronauarfa Ruue of tina