Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-08-17

shore was trod by the feet of the
Forty sImmortals, who then only be-
longed to the Orleans party, and by
deposed statesmen. The imperial
court had abandoned Dieppe and gone
to Biarritz, but that was too far from
Paris for the lesser officials and the
busy men of the party to follow. And,
Trouville offered a bathing place with
in six hours Of Paris. So 1t came
about that villas were built and a
square foot of sand soon cost as much
as a square foot of building ground
in Paris itself. Very soon 1t was the
favorite resort of the monde and the
demi-monde.
The real life of Trouville, of course.
is closed to the merely passing visitor,
just as is the case at Cowes and at
Newport. The passing caller has not
the entree to the salons and the vii
las. But he may see that the people
change their toilets every hour, he
may walk the promenade and the
beach. firm and smooth, which slopes
so slowly into the sea that the bather
must wade far to get into water to
his neck, even at hign tide, and he
may visit the Casino, SO close to the
sea that the great tide of 1876 almost
swept it away.
Dieppe shows seascape that is
called "inexpressibly grand" The WIS.,
itor seats himself upon the terrace
and looks seaward over a glorious
and far-stretching expanse. Some
times 1t is as calm as mirror. But
the tide never creeps in. 1t brings
waves and foam with It. Often II Is
turbulent. Sometimes 1t comes in as
raging plain that lifts itself at last
mountain high and thunderously
dashes itself upon the shore and filings
Its salt showers over the spectators.
1t is splendid for the eye and 1t
gives vigor to the body.
Napoleon played with Josephine,
pushing her into the water, and hiding
her bathing slippers, to the lamuse-
ment of the boatmen and the onlook-
ing staff, in their bathing expeditions
in 1908 from Bayonnei to Biarritz, that
bright little corner Of France. nest
ling at the foot Of the Pyrenees. over
looking the Bay of Biscay and ad-
joining the Basque provinces of Spain.
There are memories here of the
Empress Eugene also. On the slope
| and overhanging the great rocks at
the head Of the bay are the>ruins of
the bathing villa, where she and
Louis Napoleon spent many happy
hours. 1t was sold, then enlarged and
burned in 1908. There are many his.
torical memories here. Gladstone
spent weeks here each year. Many
battles were fought in the vicinity in
the Wellington campaigns and the
Spanish provinces adjacent are full oil
"reminiscences of Loyola and Xavier.
Ostend-to the initiated that means
the most beautiful strand to be con
| ceived, as smooth as billiard table
and stretching away many league
1t means also in the summer months
a most diverting spectacle, where
dandies mince and f1irt even with the
waves, where bathing, dancing, ga
1 mug anu uluoiC OSCupy tuS ldSulOu
able world, and where the vast
throngs present a gay and cheerful
miscellany of faces and costumes.
This most important seaside town
on the continent of Europe has its
palatial villas. including the summer
residence of the king; its sports, polo
golf, tennis, racing, its great annual
"bataille de fleurs," it's promenades
and around all Its beach, a paradise
for children, and It's bath houses, sc
great novelty for Americans. Above
all. 1t has its kursall, the center Of
all the gaieties of the season, which
gives the visitor who sees 1t for the
first time most confused impression
of marbles and mosaics, brass, copper
and gliding, rich hangings, palms and
mirrors. The dixie or "digue" which Is
built along the beach is three-mile
promenade. and at night the spectacle
seen upon 1t justifies the saying thai
Ostend is "the maddest. merriest" city
in Europe.
Every country has its seashore re
sorts. some of them as famous al
Biarritz and Brighton. Bray, II
County Wicklow. is the Brighton O