Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-10-15
A Maine Girl In Europe VII.

Possibly fruitful subject would be
| the description Of a trip by swift NOV
| ing bateau, along the Seine. where, as
we go, we may observe the Outset
door life, to the porcelain worksSsof
| Sevres. which are now the propert4so
| the government. The ckquisitef&hsh-
es. large vases and urns. also, a0She-
| what of a novelty to us, the porcelain
| stoves and the interest Of seeing show
| it is DONE are all pleasure blessEmem-
| O,ics. ~ IL -,
TIE famous churches would keep us
busy solne time should we attempt to
| speak of them all. We surely rohgi1t
| to refer to famous Notre DanessWfIose
| familiar twin towers we climbed to
| find snug little postcard business in
stalled i'll the place where Victor
Hugo's Hunchback lived! Sainte
Chapelle, with its beautiful windows,
| the historic Madcaide. and many 9TH
ers call to us. as we think over our
visits TO them. The Russiana. church
was perhaps the most mystic Of amy
! service attended The room hatl4ap,
| seats for the faithful they stood or
knelt. There was no organ, and the
occasionally from the distance, had a
strangely weird effect. The numerous
long candles. which the worshiprseey
brought in their hands and lighted.
were placed before on the several affairs
One tall portly man, to whom my
sympathy went out as he sank labori-
ously to his knees. had about dozen
Waxy sticks under his arm. Whether
these indicated the number Of sins, Or
his devotion to the saints. I was I'm.
able to inquire. There was warmth
! Of color about the whole service which
one is more accustomed to associate
with the Orient than with cold Russia.
Maybe it's the effect of Paris
Art lovers would surely wish to hear
of our visits to the Louvre that treas
ure house of paintings and statuary.
where many masterpieces greet the
eye, familiar to US through copies:
where Venus Ge Milo. in her grand
serenity. soothes and rests us with her
strength and calmness: where Winged
Victory inspires us with endurance
and courage: where Murillo's sanity
faces; Corot. with his marvellous out
of-dOOr scenes; Millet. Titan, Raphael
and numberless others thrill us with
their wonderful productions. . is Il
place to which one wishes to 60 again
and yet again to soothe and calm the
spirit in the atmosphere Of culture.
This brief reference To one of the
grandest art galleries in the world re-
minds me of 4 story told Of one OF the
tourist parties which "see Europe in
a marvellously short time or do. art
rro1 ~ CT r~,l,
of twenty or more came rushing into
tire Louvre one day. with plentyO OF
noise. headed by an energetic nah, who
herded them in the center of one OF
the rooms. He said in a voice which
echoed through the quiet halls. add
made every rapt occupant look up in
surprise: This. ladies and gentlemen, is
the noted Louvre There are many,
THOUSAND masterpieces here. 1t takes
two hours simply to walk through ALI
the rooms. We have now fifteen nina
utes III which to reach Notre Dance;
And off they CATERED,
AS we do not wish to meet this party,
perhaps We might hasten to the Sem
ut" and later to the Chamber of Depu-
ties and contrast their sessions with
the British Parliament. the excita-
blity and rapidity of speech Of
the French members. with the
sorority and deliberation Of the
English: the large bell on the Presi-
dents desk. instead Of a gavcl which
was rung with vigOr when the mem
bcr% became too 'recalcitrant' and
shouted tires bions" too Justify. We
would also notice the theatre-iikc in
terror of the chambers, with their
raised seats in scmi-circIe: the mc'n-
bor addressing the house. who stands
Ton platform in front, where all may
see him. and we would surely remark
on the strange sensation Of hec ring
Tany energetic speeches in a foreign
language, accompanied by frequent
and expressive gestures
Perhaps there might he something Of
intefest in our evenings of sight seeing
in company with two transplanted
Americans. when we looked upon Vau-
ity Fair from one of the attractive out
OF door cafcs-the Cafe de la Paix per-
hars-W here the row after row of little
tables filing the space on the pave
ment in front. under the awnings. were
gay with merry parties. Or possibly
as observed in some Of the music gar
dtns. where strings Of varied-colored
elactriC lights amid the trees. the
swing of the orchestras in different
places. with the moving throng, added
to the life Of the scene.
The evening at Grand Opera is a
subject to which some would turn, per
haps. held in the most magnificent
building of its kind in the world, with
VIDE corridors, and broad marble stair
ways. which between acts are filled
with beautifully gowned ladies' and
their escorts walking back and fort,,
till summoned to their seats by the