The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-07-14
FRANCE DANCES IN # CELEBRATION OF THE
 BASTILE'S FALL TO-DAY


 A wild, infuriated, blood -splashed, howling mob of men, women and chil- dren danced around the ruins of that Infamous French prisons the Bastile, just a century and quarter ago to- day.
 Paris and all France will celebrate the anniversary of that "glorius four teenth of Juay'' in 178e by dancing in. the streets today.
 To those ssmadmen'' of 1789 drunk with wine and patriotism. the destr1c- ton of the Bastile &vas symbolic of the overthrow of the throne, the wtpfng of monarchy the downfall of tyranny, the foundation of la republiQues the trf- urnph of lfberte, fraternite ct egaIite. So they believed, so they acted. Those who had been serfs and slaves became masters of France. and the head of the king toppled into the basket and his royal blood added it's quota to the ghastIy we1ter that flowed from the foot of the guillotine.
 On the succeeding glorious Four .teenthss, throughout the bloody history Of the first republic. Frenchmen cele- brate by dancingI They danced through the brief reigns of the Nation al Convention. the Directory and the Consulate. Then came Napoleon and they danced no more on the Four teer1th of July. Then came the. Bourbon. back to the throne of France. When Louis Phillips of Orleans called Bgal- fte. ascending the throne in 1880 the Fourteenth again was celebrated.
 There was a glorious observance of the day in ls4s, but the second repub- lie soon gave way to. the second ern-
 when the third republic was set up in 1871 the Fourteenth of July again became the great national holiday of France, and 1t has so been celebrated since.
 : vSsi,z ea,-o.31,4s uas that firaf dance around the ruins of the Bastfle on the first celebration of the Four teenth The blood crazed popd1ace danced in the streets Of Paris holding aloft on bikes the heads of the guver- or and other officers of the prison.
 Today the street dancing on the Four teenth Is characterized by innocence and joy and pure patriotism and ext1- berant merrirnent and gayefty and kind1iness. It is the unwrtften law that any strange girl may dance with anyman and be assured of protection from any kind of Insult The ferocious Apache becomes on this day a model of correctness with whom any girl will dance in. supreme trust and sim pie confidence. The aged and vener- able and leaned s'immortals'' of the Academy and the highest of the nifty to the wind, and go forth into the streets to be merry as children as children are merry.
 It is radiant and innocent child Of that grim and terrible old Revolu- ton, this modern Fourteenth.
 It is the greatest holiday in the world, for 1t transforms beasts into tender and considerate ga11ants, and ! it makes children of spectacled and dfgnined graybeards and 1t sets "a whole nation to dancing and prancing with pure joy of living
 All France is glad to-day-a1l ex- 3cept the royalists and the irnperiaIists They suIk and glower. A little while ago they saw ministries topple, and they were filled with joy and revtvi- flied by hope. To-day they will see all France dancing. and they will hear the tramp of feet as the republics ar my passes in review before the Pres ident. and the stirring challenge of the Marseil1aise sung by millions, and the deep-throated roar Of cannens f1r- l ing a sunrise salute to 1iberte frater- mite and egalite; and seeing and hear ing this: the foes of la republique will be plunged into the depths of despair Let the royalists and the Bonapartists plot. Mile. Idberte should worry.