The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-05-26
H. 2. CARSON
Ii FRANCE.

In FRANCE.
The last stop of our snip on the
shores Of the Mediterranean was ia
q charmingly beautiful little bay in
France called Villefranche. The
small town spread around its
shores and up the mountain sides
faces the sea southwark and has
the Maritime Alps behind it, The
sun was shining brightly as our
ship anchored in front. The green
of the trees and vegetation, semi
tropical, interspersed with the white
buildings more or less pretentious
and in some cases grandly sur
mounting points of eminence, made
under the blue sky a scene that oc-
casioned enthusiastic admiration
and reminded us of our impress
sions in front of Funchal. Madeira.
The winter palace of the Prince of
Bulgaria especially attracted our
attention. We promptly agreed
the scene grander than Funchal
and eagerly went ashore, though
the going was in row boats. The
air was calm and like May-time.
HAaE.
We were Don in carriages, treb-
lie or quadruple seated and drawn
by three good strong horseH. save
in a few cases only two horses, a
guide, so called, in almost every
carriage. Our drive began ascent
Immediately, then lead through
Nice, two miles from Villefranche,
and passed enroute the palace oc-
cupied many winters by Queen Vic
toria. The palace is situated above
the road, overlooks the bay. the
sea and the surrounding region
and has near it a hospital founded
by the Queen. From Nice our
climbing of the Maritime Alps be-
gan in earnest, our horses painted
and the perspiration ran off them
in almost a stream. But we were
devoting ourselves to the scenery,
unparalleled unless in Switzerland.
High mountains enclosing the riv-
or Paillon with it's muddy but very
small stream and it's tributaries,
then dry villas and gardens along
the way, such as eclipsed in luxu-
rance any we had yet seen. The
road splendidly macadamized and
quite perfect for motor cars, was
marked by tablets in the wall of
the mountain side wherever motor
car occupants had met death. But
still they whirled past us easily
upward as we'll as downward.
They made the journey of fifteen
miles upwards and down to the sea
again at the famous Monte Carlo
by the time we had reached our
first resting place, a mountain-si side
inn, small but with cement pave
ment covering the small front yard
by the door was a piano that play
ed itself when would up and a no.
tice on the posts of the open gate
way read, "Wine. If you ask for
it, you pay" While our horses
rested the piano was set going and
several couples danced in the yard
to the music, even those who had
walked some of the way up.
The next two miles upward we're
walked by the men and the young
er women. As We breathed the
mountain air, felt the cheer and
exhileration of the bright sun and
the inspiration of the magnificent
scenery, we began to realize the
reason for the fame of the Riviera
of southern France and why it is
so much visited for longer or short
or sojourns. 1t is to Europe what
- .g- .nH u
Southern California is to the Unit.
cd States, only grander in that the
mountains are higher at the sea-
coast. Our drive gave us the most
varied and beautiful views of the
Mediterranean.
The season at Monte Carlo was
at its height, throngs on the streets
and the flowers in the luxurious
| pardena in fresh hloom Inst ho