Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-06
Where the Paris of History
and Romance Clasp Hands

+ OVERS OF Paris, and they are L.
gion, regard with horror the proba.
Bile razing of many OF her beautiful
suburbs to fit her to withstand siege.
But fortunate 1t Is that the Paris which
skirts the Seine lies within the inner for
tidcations and escapes the stern necessity
OF destruction at the hands of her
frtends-that she may be equally fortu-
nate In escaping the ravages of her foes
Is the prayer of all Paris lovers.
The Seine Is great artery of the city;
upon its banks modern Paris and the
Paris Of history and romance meet and
clasp hands. It cleaves the city like a
knife, separating the Paris OF the boule-
wards, the city Of pleasure and luxury
from the old Paris of the Latin quarter:
and midway between its banks Is the Isle
de la Cite, the very heart OF the age-old
city of Saint Genevieve. where the Palais
de Justice rubs elbows with the grand
old Cathedral Of Notre Dame, scene of
Victor Hugo's famous beggars' siege: and
were stands the Hotel Dieu, the great
hospital OF the town. the headquarters
for all the relief work and work among
the wounded.
Hospitals have sprung up all over the
city. the rows of hotels skirting the Rue
de Rivoh and the gardens Of the Tuil-
leries are all making preparations for the
care of the wounded: many, indeed. have
already done yeoman service. Mrs. JON
athan Bourne, wife of former Senator
Bourne, who has been spending some
time in the French capital, writes home
that she has decided to stay and see the
thing through, that she has volunteered
her services and is a full-fledged nurse,
in charge OF one Of tho wards in the Ho-
tel st. Petersburg. long since given over
to the stern realities OF hospital work.
Under Mrs. Bourne are a corps of ten
American girls, detained in France for
one reason or another and seeking to do
their share to alleviate the general suf-
fering. It Is hard and trying work, but
letters say that the worst experience of
all is the daily trip to the main hospital
for instructions, the walk through tho
streets, full Of weeping women. with
crowds thronging about the bulletin
boards. and where the atmosphere is
tense to the verge Of swapping.
In happier days the banks Of the Seine
are an ever changing delight. Houses
and buildings Of all kinds are kept back
by broad and handsome Quays: the river
is spa pam by series Of splendid bridges
tory-the Point d'Austerlitz, the Point de
Jena, tho Pont de Bercy, the Pont Neuf-
with the statue of Henri Nv. the peoples
king" and host of others. The ship
Gus stream of traffic crosses and recrosses
the numerous bridges. while the streets
are gay with pedestrians. the merry
population Of the merriest Of cities.
Along the right bank Of the river
stretches the garden spot OF Paris, the
Palais du Louvre, the Tuilleries gardens.
the Place de la Concorde. with the stat
ues of the French provinces, that of Al
sace-Lorraine usually draped in mourn
ing: and branching or from the water
little the Champs Elysees. with its ave-
nue. leading, broad and straight, to the
Place de rEtoile and the splendid Arc
de Triomphe. Hard It is-well-niah Inn
possible-to find a more glorious vista In
any Of the capitals of the world.
There, too, is the Paris of the Rue de
la Paix and the Rue de Rivoli, the shop
ping district de luxe of the world-the
place where the styles are made for half
the world. and where the tourist delights
to indulge in the pleasures of window
shopping at small cost Queer little shops
they are from an American point of
view-mere booths with gorgeous displays
In the windows.
Of course. department stores are
numerous in Paris. but 1t is in the little
store with its entire
stock on exhibition that the great charm
lies. print shops full Of delights, tiny
places with nothing but embrofderies on
sale. but such delectable embroidexies.