The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-07-14
WYE LA LIBERTE!
Monsieur Perreard Races the
Bastille Once More.
RAGTIME, THEN MARSEILLAISE
Seven American Flags Struggle TO
Maintain Their Traditions Amid
Thirty FIauntIng ia CoIOrS, Emo
ton Triumphs over GastrOnOmic
Cravings, and Revolution Reigns.

Monsieur Perreard celebrated the fall Of
the Bastille last night in his chateau on
ID street She was one krande affaire,
you cannot find beat for IT, Monsieur
Perreard was grand, Nine. Pearreard was
tres grand. the other lovers of egalite.
&C, were sacre grand.
Everybody called the good monsieur
count" and he enjoyed his title. but
some Of his newest friends could not I'M
derstand how such a loyal son of the re-
public came 10 possess the hated title Of
the royalists or why the descendant Of
the kings should haunt the tricolor with
such misunderstanding vehemence. The
count did not explan-he was content
with being grand.
In the garden behind the salon the
revoluuonisis gathered. Overhead cling
ing grape-arbor shut out the starlight and
restrained the neighboring cats from peer
ing over the back fence. Underfoot a red
brick sidewalk, combined with the white
table cloth. would have assisted the blue
sky to form the colors of France If the
grape-arbor had not been in the way Of
the heavens.
Under foot. too. there was a plank
walk on which the chairs were placed
and there were splinters in the boards,
and nails Towering on the back fence.
their colors Haunting in the breeze that
swept up the alley, were myriads Of
cheesecloth American flags.
Nive les Etats-Unisi
just Seven American Flags.
There were seven flags, TO be specific.
On the long table besides the cloth. were
thirty napkins, and each napkin held a
small tricolor Al the head Of the ban
quet board sat the smiling monsieur. the
count. le maitre du hospitallte. He was
ties 2miable, tres Jou, tres everything. On
his right was Samuel Gompers; on his
left the Incompatible Madame lie Com
Jesse Perreard, vivacious, chic, lie rose
du jardin du paridise." The other guests
were ranged in the order OF their distinc-
ton down the long table. Monsieur was
careful OF this; he did not wish 90 offend
his guests
~ Nllf tAi4tA fti4 "a At4t Aahflf-AtaF Gnu
opposite the radiant host-stoOd the Bas-
tile. which was doomed 10 fall 1t was
made of boxes, painted black, 10 look Ike
heavy prison stones crumbled with age.
wet with the tears OF martyrs. gray with
ED. symbols Of despotism "a bas despot-
ismD, the lifebloOd Of the citizens. and
The stones did look something like it.
In the center, behind heavy bars and a
"a nj.
Corday, the SLAYER Of Marat, the martyr.
Before her shrine everybody bowed. OF
was looked al darkly by the genial host
II he didn't Opposite the fence was the
brick wall Of the house, and the windows
were open into the kitchen so that all
could see what was coming. There was
no regular bill Of fare. but things came
along in the usual way. However, the
people had not come to eat; it was no
time Cor eating.
Emotion Before Appetite.
It was "Vive Ia France and emotion
superseded appetite.
The count. holding a flag in one hand
and speaking with the other, rose at the
beginning Of the celebration. and said;
MY fr'n's, mon cher amis, you have did
me the kin'ess 10 come together with me
tonight. l am gratitude 10 you. and I
have take this opportunitie 20 tell how l
feel my patriotism, my love, my kin ness
10 you. We have hear ~ ole stan by,
Sam Gompers Chere the bourgeoise yelled
speech but the count had the floor and
was in no mood to give it up, so planting
his feet more firmly on the bricks ne
!.
and they subsidized.
NO. no, No speeding yet, it is not op-
perfume: I have yet TO tell you Of my
gratitude.
And he told il in many different ways,
and then bade the viands come, During
the dinner, the orchestra played and the
diners sang. No Marseilles; 1t was not
yet time" 1t was too quick to sing that
yet" but Waiting at the Church., and
other connections We're served up.
Toward the end of the dinner patriotism
became more evident as the bottles be-
came more numerous. In the midst of the
festivities an armed gendarme marched
into the garden, dressed after the fash
ion of the Swiss guards, and began to
patrol He was greeted with cheers, and
at a signal from the count took up his
breaking the boxes and even displaeing
the adorable Charlotte,
And TheH-the DeIUge.
With this the national song OF liberty
broke out and ragged rampant in every
throat The count waved the flag as he
screamed his tenor. the madame con-
tributed a sweet soprano, the rest sang
in strange vibrations and stranger words.
for only the revolutionists knew the
French.
Then the fireworks failed to go of,
but Samuel Gompers spoke. and somebody
read an account Of the fall of the Bas-
tile Others spoke then everybody spoke.
They sang some more and congratulated
each other, and then they went home
But before he allowed his guests TO de-
part the genial host. the liege du hospi-
talitie, presented TO each of his guests a
petite papier' bearing some signs which
bade them deliver 80 cents in argent to
the man at the desk
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