The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-07-14

best effects in the Place de la Bastile
The simplicity of the design of the
French national flag, with it's three
alternate stripes of red, white and
blue. lends itself admirably to deco
ration. and on every building in the
city, public or private, the republican
emblem was to be seen during the
three days of the fetes.
All shops being closed by act of par
lament, with the exception of wine
Eand food shops, a host of little booths
psprang up, giving the city an air OF
zone gigantic fair. All the principal
tl1oroughfares were adorned with gar
lands of roses and green foliage
among which were cunningly concel-
ed the electric lamps which at night
will glow with charming effect.
And in the midst of this fairy set
ting, all Paris danced. The polka, the
quadrille and the mazourka are to Pa
risian celebrators of the Fourteenth
what the firecracker, the toy pistol
and the cannon are to American. pa
triots on the Fourth
Hop! See them dance the polka
the big butcher with the widow of the
flower store; the maid, Louise and the
bakers first man; the janitor's pretty
wife with the laundry proprietor; the
sporty autgarager and his lady; and
the jewelers. son with his fair cousin
Boum! Boum See the smart clerks
from Sinegot's whirling seven of the
prettiest girls of the Rue Deves
through the hot mazourka. There's
the hunchback and the butchers wife
There's Monsieur Kicken mazourking
his daughter Who are those three
elegant ladies'? One is dancing with
her butler, one with our senator, and
the third with a young man from the
Polytechnique!
rifle, the democrat of dances!
Can you find healthier mixing than
the set between the band stand and
the curb? Two soldiers-commOn SOL
diers, yet rich sons Of family doing
the compulsory two years service;
one valet de- chambre; one mayors
adiutant; one janitress Nine Durand,
who owns the creamery; Mile. Bap-
tiste, whose papa has a large book
bindery, and Nine. Jane Hading's
cooks lovely daughter. going through
the Conservative for an actress.
Crash. Bang! 1t is the american
quadrille'-the merry go round the
basket" the bakers wife"-what do
I know?
Crash. Bang, Between each dance
they lead their partners to their moth
ers or their husbands, at the little
cafe terrace tables Amicable glasses
clinking! Light words lightly spoken.
''Vive la republique!'
They say it just as Americans
would say, Furrah for the United
States."
give la republiquei''
1t does not come into their heads to
think of any other form Of govern
ment!
What do these dancing French folks
know Of kings CIR emperors?
But ii is in the small country dis
tricts that the Fourteenth of July is
the most interesting-in some little
hamlets in the fertile Beauce, for in
stance, where the foreigner is I'M
known and the people are fiercely re-
publican and as frankly pagan as
their may or will allow them to be.
There is the handsome chateau of the
grand seigneur" of pre-revolutionary
days; and in the valley there runs the
placid river where the frogs every
night sit on lily leaves and sing their
love songs. A hundred and fifty years
ago TIE peasants had to take it in
turns to fog the stream to keep the
frogs quiet and insure unbroken sleep
to their lords. The occupants of the
chateau today live their own lives
within their park fence, and the peas
ants hardly notice when the family
arrive or when they depart. They
son of their mayor, for the organiza-
ton of their national holidays, and all
where the Tree Of Liberty rears a
Ia ndS0rna cent ria head