Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-08-30

famous promenade of the Champs Ely
sees. In the center of the great square
rises the Egyptian obelisk. which for
more than 1900 years had stood in Luxor,
before it was brought. during the reign
of Louis Philippe. to Paris to adorn the
spot long graced by the marble statue of
King Louis XIV. which the mob had torn
down and demolished. raising in its place
plaster figure of Liberty and close be-
side it the terrible guillotine-
But much more interesting than even
the beautiful fountains or the ancient
nlonolith between them are the eight CO.
lossal seated female figures ranged round
the square, representing the principal
cities of France-Lille. Bordeaux, Nantes,
Rouen. Brest. Marseille. Lyon and
strassburg. The figures are grouped at
intervals, each seated upon a massive
door, at least ten feet in height; and
while the monuments are all of interest,
one in particular is the cynosure of every
cye-the statue OF Strassburg, that lost
t.'rms as one of the spoils of the victori-
'.us Germans after the Franco-Prussian
war
Almost twenty years ago the writer re-
members, on first visit to Paris. wit
rcssing with interest the members of
ore of the French patriotic societies who
happened to be in the Place de la Con-
erde in the act of renewing the wreaths
OF immortelles and other mourning deco
-ations which have decked the figure
since that fatal day-May 10. 1S71-when,
by the treaty of Frankfort, France, with
bleeding heart was forced to deliver
Strassburg, her beloved daughter, into
the hands of the conqueror.
After lapse of some five or six years,
on a second visit to the Place de la Con-
eorde. the statue was seen to be still en-
bellished with what looked almost to be
the self-same wreaths and flags. For
forty-four long years. in summer heat and
winter snow. in sunshine and rain. many
changes have come to Paris, but the
mourning ernblems have never been lack
, ing on the statue of lost Strassburg.
But today change has come. Only a
week or ago the crepe festoons, the
wreaths of purple irnmortelles and all the
other insignia Of woe were removed.
Any one having seen that little band OF
mournful patriots sadly and reverentiy
laying their fresh tokens of grief for a
never-forgotten loss can easily picture in
their minds eye the scene SO recently
enacted in Paris.
When 1900 joyous members of the Al
satan societies of the city. with bands
playing the inspiring music of La Mar
seillaise'' and with the tricolor of France
waving over their heads and a vast
crowd enthusiastically cheering, tore
down the old habiliments of grief amid
forms OF huzzahs and cries of "A Strass-
StrassDurgr and 'sVive la
France one can see NJ. Joseph Cans
boeuf. the mayor of the eighth arron-
basement, with tears of joy streaming
flushed cheeks, as he tenderiy
.ays an immense garland of fresh flowers
~ the feet of the statue. while the ex-
y tied populace stamp upon the discarded
funeral enblems.
One can picture him putting the bou-
Duet of lilies of France upon her breast
and placing palms of victory in her hand,
and see him, after fastening the silken
tiicolor about her. clasp the figure to his
breast. 1t is reported that. in voice
trembling with emotion. the mayor adj
dressed the crowd, saying: "Alsatians
and men of France. the hour of revenge,
Cor which we have prayed increasingly
for forty-four years. has at last struck.
The French army is in Alsacei The red
trousers are again seen on our plains
and mountains. The gay bugies of La
Belle France sounded the charge at
Altkirch and Mulhausen."
There were few dry eyes when the
.ayor finished his address, and with a
eslvo of cheers for the allies. brave little
Belgium, Russia and England, singing
he IlxrE Nrop oh