Fergus County argus., 1905-09-08
the death throes of the powerful poi
son.
Goino Throiirh The 0aiace

open and the sightseers were admit
ted in little groups for guidance by
corps of guides through it's historic
chambers. The American in France
is impressed by the Jvershadowing
influence of Napoleon and the ill-fat-
ed Marie Antoinette. With almost
reverential awe these French sight
seers pass through the apartments
where once dwelt these tragic actors
in French history. The rooms stand
today almost without alteration as
they stood a century or more ago.
Here is the table where Napoleon
! twice signed his agreement of abdi.
cation--Once before his Punishment
to Elba, and later before his exile to
ST Helena. Here also are these his
toric documents under glass. Here
/ is the little bathtub. scarcely more
than yard in length, where he found
his mornings refreshment; here are
the beds of these royal personages,
| here stands the throne with all its an
| cient magnificence, a melancholy re-
mnder of the days that were and
conditions that may never come again.
| For il is inconceivable that the
/ French nation, the most democratic
perhaps on earth. having once tested
( the glory of firmly established re-
publican government, and having
/ come into the real possession of all
/ the treasures that were once the ex-
elusive property of selfish monarchs,
could turn face on all their dignity
of self government and march back
into the old-time servitude.
Luncheon in Quaint Inn.
One might linger for pleasant hours
amid these historic scenes: but time
flies and there is much to be seen
in one day. We find our way back TO
the main street of the quaint old city
in search of luncheon. A neatly dress
ed and modest looking girl of IS or
90 is standing at the edge of the
main stree distributing little adver-
tisements for quiet restaurant few
steps aside on thoroughfare. We
permitted her to lead us into the
modest old inn and up a winding stair
way of stone into a pleasant little
dining room that fronts upon the
street. Asking for a place where we
may wash away the dust of travel
! we are directed into an open. stone
/ paved court with great pump in
/ the center. Others have found the
= pldtt dllcuu vi US, III several NHtef
men have just come in from Paris,
80 miles away. and are enjoying the
cool water.
In the little dining room above.
family or possibly party of two
or three families. have the main ia
Bile. The women are tanning them
selves vigorously with little fans pro-
vided by the house. The men have
Lot ,ciI ~
negligee, and there is battle of
conversation and whirl of gesticu.
lation that may be seen nowhere else
outside of France. A modest course
, luncheon is served by neatly dressed
Mattresses at fixed price of two
francs, which includes a small bot
tie of wine for each dinner.
After luncheon an important busi-
ness undertaking requires our atten-
/ tlon. We are to engage a carriage
for an afternoon drive in the great
forest Before luncheon l had made
a little investigation along that line,
and the three or four carriage drivers
| had approached were ready with ac-
commodations for the uniform price
OF % francs for the afternoons ser.
vice. Then Madame ~ volunteered
her good offices. going from driver to
driver and getting quotations, which
ranged all the way from 20 francs
down to Is. This latter price, she
said. was moderate enough and as
the cocher was rather a prepossess-
I ing fellow whose carriage had an air
of luxurious comfort we closed with
him and started FOR the forest drive.
A Drive Through the Forest.
Fontainebeau forest has an area of
GA square miles and is 81 miles
around. 1t has beauty of it's own
but on the whole, l have seen many
a forest on the Pacific coast with
greater charms. FOntainebleau is
dry. | believe there are one or two
little lakes somewhere within It's
depths, but these we did not see nor
dld we see one running stream not
even tiny rill. At one place we
We're shown poor looking spring of
water which bore an inscription said
TO have been written originally 700
years ago by a complaining monk
VINO testified that this spring was
neither fair to behold nor sweet 10
drlhk. There is, however, consider
able diversity of scenery in the for
, est. At one place we We're allowed
to dlsmount and take a winding path
, along some rugged cliffs while the
urlNer drove to a meeting place near
, ~ mile away. Another point of in.
terest are two or three small caves
. SAID once 10 have been the abode of
bandits. Still another was deer
well. A young girl came Out from
the stone lodge nearby lit a sheet
OF paper and dropped it into the dark
depths. II went whirling down and
down, seemingly for two or three min
utes until it found a little disk OF
, water something like 400 feet below
they point with awe to the Oldest
tree IN the forest, an oak with a well
, attested life of 700 years A very
respectable age no doubt for oaks. hui
relatively modern when compared with
the far greater age of the venerable
big trees of California.
p Driven in by Rain.
. Unfortunately. our drive was cut
. short after three hours pleasant wan
derfngs by a drenching rain. which
followed severe electrical storm
ms drove nearly everyone out of the
e forest and into the old town. and then
{ business began TO brisk up in the pub
2 nc houses. II was new spectacle lC
see, in public barroom. family
r groups of evident responsibility gath
} cred around the tables. drinking wine
= and beer. for the Parisan with al