Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-14
3. WITH ROYALTY.
An Experience Of Our Amer
-, leans at Paris.
United States Display at Exposition
Much Scattered.
z va
Lavish Display Of Color Not So Charming as
ctisase's white City.
E,S!.l ,Nxl;
Paris, June 8th, 1901

-" Paris, June 9Th, 1900.
"Ah COmtesse, we gave each other
an imperceptible but significant pres
sure. Pardon Duchesse," we gasped;
but when the words. Ma chere Prin-
cesse!" fell upon our ears, We confess
our manners utterly forsook us, and we
turned bodily to feast our eyes upon the
lovely Princess Henry Of Pless, gowned
in gray, and wearing the simplest of
hats wreathed in marguerites. How
did it come about that two extremely
unpretentious Americans, in Repub-
lcan France. were in the midst of so
much titled aristocracy?" 1t happened
in this wise. Many years ago, the good
and gracious Duchesse de Tallyrand ct
Sagan, feeling keenly the misery of the
poor, determined for their benefit to
open to the public each year her man.
sion and garden, the most beautiful in
all Paris. Formerly, four dollars was
the price to enter this earthly paradise
but this year, please note on account of
"fExposition," for a paltry one dollar,
rich and poor could meet. not on COM
mon ground by any means, but on turf
and gravelled walks trodden by dead
dllQ utlHS AIu6S-ulu We IiOt STE Usual
of Sweden pass and drink his cup of
tea, every inch a king? We realized he
was the opportunity of our lives and
with outward calm but inward trepida-
ton, clad in our best, We told "cocher"
to drive to 81 Rue St. Dominique. Pos
sibly our voice may not have been
clear; We know our French was not.
for to our CONSERVATION he drew rein
before a most disreputable corner cafe.
In tone which we are convinced
gravely reproved. and at the same time
indicated familiarity with the great,
we said: La Duchesse de Tallyrand ct
Sagan." The effect was magical. In
the funniest of French fashions, did that
cocher beat his breast and head, pro-
fusely apologiZing and calling himself
''bete-imbecile," but by making swift
and dexterous turns he soon landed us
before the iron gateway of a plain stone
building; this time Enthusiastically right
for the street was thronged with pri-
vate victorias in which We're elegantly
gowned women. Innumerable lackays
lined the entrance: one major domo
more resplendant than the others in
scarlet and gold, vigorously pounded
the floor with his staff of office at each
new arrival-wherefore We knew not.
We followed the multitude up the broad
marble steps, through rooms glistening
with immense glass chandeliers. the
walls covered with priceless tapestries,
the ceilings with exquisite paintings.
We paused at the windows and looked
down upon bewildering scene of
beauty in the garden-booths and buff
fets We're arranged at the side, while in
the. center of the grass plot was a
maypole wreathed in flowers, round
which lovely girls danced to the music
of the Hungarian band. Garlands of
roses were stretched across the tree
lined paths, and statuary cleaned here
and there through the shrubbery.
Women in trailing gowns of lace
strolled about, little children clapped
their hands at Punch and Judy" to
us irresistibly droll in French, while
one young man. frantically gesticulat-
ing. vainly tried to raise a bid Of three
dollars on a blue vase monstrosity,
proving that auction sales for charity
are hard labor the world over. Can
it be-" We cried breathlessly. as a
blonde woman looking not day over
thirty brushed past us, her white gown
covered with long, dark. red silk coat
Enthusiastically Parisian-"Sarah Bern
hardt," unwittingly finished petite
French woman near us. will you not
enter the salon where is the theatre?'
politely queried the little lady in most
enjoyable broken English. Gladly we
followed her lead. 'Mounet Sully." she
whispered, as a brOad-shOuldered, be-
whiskered man appeared on the stage.
followed in quick succession by Rejane
Coquelin, Madame Bartet in character
istic recitations, interspersed with
songs by Madame Litvinne. All too
soon this most unusual of afternoons
was ended, adding still another red
letter day to our calendar.
Necessarily the Exposition fills the
greater part of our time and thought;
the one question we ask ourselves re-
peatedly at the close of each visit is
how does ii compare with the Worlds
Fair at Chicago?" Womanlike We cling
to first impressions, and still feel that
nothing we have seen in Paris can
equal in beauty and peculiar charm the
dazzling whitenesS of Americas En-
position. Aside from the Alexander
bridge and the Marble Art palaces, we
object to the lavish display of color
the mixture of pink and mauve, with
super-abundance Of light blue, cannot
fail to remind an American of Old Or
chard or Coney Island, which places
the most loyal of citizens could not up
hold as examples of the best taste in
decoration. We have found it extreme
ly difficult to gain even limited idea
Of the United States display, every
thing is so scattered, To discover ex-
hibits from. each country in each build
ing is labor before which Hercules
would quail. We We're overwhelmed
with joy while wandering through the
Horticultural palace to come suddenly
without warning. upon pile of
oranges from California and read with
pride the placard. first prize" We
looked about eagerly for their COM
petitors. but not one was visible. Cal
ifornia held undisputed sway. We
chased each other past flour. wheat and
grain products in the Agricultural
building and without realizing the con-
nection. found ourselves in the sale
DIES aFetes'' the largest room in the
world without center support. Here
are given the different musical enter
tainments, and this opens up another
subject of grievance. We have sought