Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1919-03-13


interesting descriptions OF France
that has been written by local boy
overseas. The letter is from Felix
ROusset, well known young man 70
relatives in Bogalusa.
January 1922, 1919
1 left my post by the 2:3O train
in the morning for Paris( arriving at
the Austerlitz station at about $3.50
that morning. We began our visit OF
Paris on foot. We went down to the
Place de la Republique along the IA
nous boulevards which stretch from
the Place de la Bastille to the Arc
de Triomphe., We trod, among 9th
ers, the boulevards st. Martin, st.
Denis, des Italiens, des Capucines,
des Madelines, visiting several places
of interest, and noting the things OF
interest which we did not have time
to visit. We had map of Paris and
had decided to see Paris without a
guide, replying upon the map we had,
and it may be added, we were entire7
" successful. The Grand Opera and
Madeline Church were visited, and,
although they were very beautiful
for architecture, age and history at
tached thereto, there was nothing
very remarkable about them-the tall
buildings of New York inspiring more
awe and wonder than these. FROM
the Madeline Church we strolled
down to the Obelisque. a present
from Egypt to France, hewed from
-one large stone and engraved with
curious symbolistic and grotesque
figures, From there, the JaFdin des
: Tuileries was visited with the play
ing fountain and the exhibit Of cap
tured trophies, once the pride of the
Huns. There were tanks, cannOns,
airplanes, machine guns, anti-air-
craft guns, trench mortars, ETC., ga
lore. ra
We then went down the Champs
Elysees, by the Petit Palais and
Grand Palais, which is in the most
aristocratic part Of Paris, and stopped
at the Palais des Glaces, where We
had lunch with the American Red
Cross or Y. NJ. C. A., with real music
and regular scenery, for a very rea.
sonable price-two francs-and q
very good meal at that. We returned
on the Champs Elysees and walked
up to the large Arc de Triomphe
built in memory of Napoleon's great
victories; rested there a while, tax
ing our bearings on the map. W.
were VEN pear the Bots de Bologne
winter season they offer little at.
traction, and also our time was lin.
tied, SO we had to hustle. We went
south along the Avenue Kleber,
named after the French general, saw
the fashionable promenades and the
Palace Of the Dukes, and bought
roasted chestnuts which are sold in
Paris as peanuts are sold in the
United States. At the end of the
avenue was the Trocadero palace,
and the Palais des Jardins, minus the
jardins, it being winter, and it was
here about the most impressive sight,
as before US was the fountains of tile
palace with its bronze animals, be.
fore us also the River Seine, and
looming up across the river, the Elf
fel Tower, which the Germans had
long cherished to claim for their own,
but now that's ancient history. We
crossed the river, which was very
high at the time-so much so as to
prevent navigation and cause mum
dations-and saw the Eiffel Tower at
close proximity. We tried to go up
to the tower, but it is forbidden by
the French military authorities, and
guards are placed all around it. Ac-
cess to the tower is prohibited except
70 the operators Of the most power
full wireless station in the world on
the summit thereof. From thence we
went to the Big Wheel, went on it
and saw Paris at our feet. The
wheel is more than 800 feet high, so
they say, and it took fifteen minutes
% 20 around. We then passed the
Champ de Mars and went to the In
vaIides, where we saw the large mu-
scum, or rather part thereof, has
tily; saw the military exhibit, the air.
plane Of Capitaine Guwnemer, the
French ace of aces, and then the
tomb Of Napoleon Bonaparte, which
was covered with sand bags. The
French soldiers were removing the
bags at the time Of our visit, which
had been placed on the tomb as q
protection against the long range
guns and air raids.
After visiting the Invalides, we
went along the Seine River, passed