New Britain herald., 1914-08-25
p0ber French in C0ntrast 10
 Highly Excited Americans
Watson House of This City Describes Scenes in Paris on Declaration of War-He Has Praise
 for Genuine Patriotism.

An interesting account of the scenes h Paris during the hours that lunged France into the present uropean struggle, is told in special correspondence to the Herald from he French capital by w.. Watson louse, son of MT. and Mrs. William !. House of Lenox place. Young MT. [ouse went abroad early in the sum- Der to represent the Stanley Rule &s level company. He had just taken p quarters with a German firm in (aris when the dark shadow of the broadening war cloud began to creep yer the city that is noted as center the worlds gayety.
 Mr. House roamed through the rowded boulevards and avenues hen the French were anxiously wait hg to find out whether the long reelected war had actually arrived. It the request of the Herald he has Fritten the following impressions of he French attitude at the beginning the war:
 Paris, August 8, 1914.
 After a week of fast increasing nxiety and uncertainty as to the out ome of the unusually black war loud threatening Europe, Paris woke D Saturday morning, August 1, to cad in all the papers that Germany ad sent her famous twelve hour ul- matum to Russia to cease her mob- ization or receive declaration of Tar from the Kaiser. Although trough all that trying week French hen had been working to avert the wful catastrophe of war, the gay life If Paris had been going on as usual. Tow over night the whole city was hanged. q All that morning business kas at standstill, men and women like were all serious, talking of noth- hg but the impending conflict quiet- Y, almost fearfully. Instead of wait hg until o'clock the stores all closed It 12 or before, and the men parted flently for their homes. Near tho opera in contrast to the depressed rrenchmen were groups of excited Americans. The banks had all closed 't 12 and also the American Express ompany, while rumors that gold was lready withdrawn from circulation yere numerous.
 How the Rumors Flew.
 The steamship offices were closed the nervous groups peering into he windows: moreover it was stated hat the German Saturday boats had | ot sailed. It was Saturday noon, kith no opportunity of obtaining honey or information as to passage ome until Monday. Would they be ble to obtain either then? Rumor aid no! Wouldn't it be better to go D England at once? gya Rumor was Doubtful. Where could definite in ormation be found? Would there war anyway? The few optimistic Americans were ir the minority. The 'nore people one talked with. the lacker the situation looked. Even he resigned, depressing sadness of he French was preferable to the Inxious and worried questioning of he Americans. ..
 By o'clock in the afternoon an- $ther complete change had taken Slace. Proclamations had just been kosted for the general mobilization of lll the French troops; boys with extras kere dashing here and there; the side walks were filled with crowds read |ng the papers and walking rapidly; he streets were damned with taxis Ind cabs loaded with people and bag sage, the first of the great mass of foreigners to leave the capital. Mo-