The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-10-13
FIVE WEEKS ABROAD.

read of the concentration of wealth in
the hands of a few men, the Morgans,
Vanderbilts and Rothchilds. yet here is
an instance where the ordinary man
may clasp, in one hand, the value
named.
The most beautiful room in this
Partisan art gallery and said to be one
of the finest halls in the world, is the
Gallery of Apollo. In the ceiling lies
a mass of wealth, represented. by paint
ings of great price. but what interested
US most was the Regent diamond, not
so large as a small hens egg, estimated
to be worth fifteen million francs, one
fifth as many dollars, and yet an in
verted teacup would conceal it. In the
same case is the mazarin, or rose dia-
mend, smaller, but valued at a fab
uious figure. By it's side are the
dragon ruby, wonderful watch be-
longing to one of the Louis and
jeweIed sword. made upon the order of
Napoleon, with a hilt studded with
gems, which would command nearly
one half million dollars.
This diamond is one of only three of
the thousand treasures and objects i'm
terest in the Louvre. to which this ar
ticle will undertake to direct attention.
One of the other two is Murillo's fam
Gus Immaculate Conception" This
painting, Que hundred years ago, was at
Madrid, in the native country of the
artist During an expe dition, directed
by Napoleon, into Spain. Marshal Soult
captured two monks. They were con-
demned to be hung as spies, but secured
pardon by the SURF snder of this can
vas as a ransom The marshal held it
as private property. After his death, in
1851. for he lived eig hty- three years, it
was put up for sale sat auction. Various
nations were bidders. France secured
it for $4,000. The picture looks to be
one of thousands, but its value in dol
lars is hard to comprehend.
The third object, which attracted our
special interest. is the armless statue
of Venus of Milo, representing a beau
tifuI woman and is a, celebrated treas
ure of this gallery, discovered and dug
out of the earth in 1920 in an island
off the Grecian coast, from which the
statue derives its name. The piece was
bought by the French government for
81, 500. There are scores of Nenuses in
stone and marble here. but this one
ranks them all.
The student. or the visitor, could
spend days and weeks in the Louvre.
The buildings cover a space of ground
more than twice the size of the state
house square and the rooms are so nu-
merous that to merely go through
them, without stopping, would mean
walk of five or six miles and two hours
time. Many of the celebrated works of
Rubens, Rembrandt and scores of other
famous artists, representing all schools,
are hung here. The building is quoted
as the great art gallery. the magnifi
cent palace OF the world. Its construc-
ton covered several centuries. Portions
of it are three hundred and fifty years
old. The admission to everything is
free and the rooms are open every day
but Monday, which is probably clean
ing day. We were at the Louvre twice,
but did not attempt to -fsee it ALL
An entire Sunday was put in at Yer
sailles. a dozen miles out. a place
which no visitor to Paris should fail
to include in his itinerary. 1t is acces-
sible by a suburban train, of double
deck cars: the fare seventy-five cents
for the round trip. One walks, or rides,
quickly through the city ITSELF which is
somewhat larger than Topeka, out to
the suburbs to the spot made beautiful
only by the lavish authorizing of
wealth.
We passed a busy market, crowded
with buyers and sellers, the latter large
ly women, their wares spread out upon
the ground, were chiefly vegetables,
many like artichokes, not familiar to
Kansans.
Louis XIV, two hundred and fifty
years ago, expended a hundred million
dollars to construct the palace. arrange
the gardens and supply the fountains
finding little except hill and a forest
provided by nature. to make the place
of beauty into which he turned it. AT
one time there were as many as thirty
six thousand men and six thousand
horses working to this end.
The place. long the polite court head
quarters, for more than a hundred
years, since the Revolution has been
used, with few exceptions. as an EXPOSE
ton of works of art, royal furniture and
apartments and pleasure grounds for the
French and their guests. It was here
the formalities We're drawn covering
England's recognition of the Independ-
ence of the United States. The Ger
mans quartered themselves in the pal
ace for short time. while their con-
quered but not crushed enemy was sour
rying around for the indemnity, and the
Partisan government for few years
was located here.
The buildings and grounds were we'll
filed with people on the day of this
visit; the Parisians themselves far out
numbering foreigners. The approach to
! the palace does not give one faint idea
of the beautiful works of art and won
derful paintings within. for the build
ings have a somewhat dingy appearance
and remind one of some large public in
stitution not particularly well kept up.
A mammoth equestrian statue of Louis.
the founder of the town. stands in a
large areaway, paved with granite
blocks There are so many rooms here
filed with paintings and sculpture that