Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-22

~ the gallery OF mirrors OF
~ Versailles palace stood abso-
lutely empty but for three oil
paintings, without frames. which
stood on easels in the silent empti-
ness, ... a-a
As II waiting. waiting. ,,..
Three isolated paintings. not hung
on walls, but standing about on the
floor in a forbidden palace. can have
n very ghostly look of waiting.
They were put there, evidently. by
the Versailles curator on orders OF the
French government when he caused
the palace to be buttressed and emp
tied of its treasures against the Ger
man onrush in 1914. They might
take Versailles again. but they would
and only these three paintings,
without frames. in the gallery of
mirrors, where they had crowned
their new made kaiser in 1871.
1t Is not certain who painted the
three pictures. though obviously the
work of a master and dating from
AosS' amy DS"s nv I'D "oNN' ~
Doubtless their author will be pro-
claimed. but all that is known is
that the French government kept
them out of public sight from 1873
to 1914. They were never permitted
to be exhibited. for fear of causing
An incident" Such fear had France
to stir up the dangerous neighbor.
Painted in 1873. they represent the
German occupation Of France from
1871 to 1873. which the world too
often forgets. Waiting for the cash
gold payment of their Indemnity
the German armies occupied seven
teen French cities. which they pro-
excessively evacuated as payments
were made.
The first painting shows, amid bags
OF gold and wagons loaded with
household booty. the new kaiser and
Bismarck seated at the tribute table.
Behind Bismarck's chair stands Won
Noltke. while the Crown Prince Fred
erick. father Of the recent kaiser, pre-
sents a bill of expenses. On the
ground. in prominent view, stands
the ornamental gilt clock which Bis
marck took as keepsake from his
Versailles villa. Nearby stand two
weeping sisters, Alsace and Lor-
Taine. And on the clouds of the
background glow the mysterious old
words. Meme, .mene. tekei. upharsin"
Tho writing on the wall of Bel
shaxzar's feast, which you will find in
the Holy Bible. in the fifth chapter
OF the book Of Daniel.
Meme God hath numbered thy king
dom. and finished it.
Tekel: Thou art weighed in the
balances. and art found wanting.
Peres: Thy kingdom is divided and
given to the Modes and Persians.
The second painting shows the lib
GRAFTON Of the territory by THEIRS
the gigantic effort by which France,
astonishing the world, paid on the
entire indemnity equivalent. in
those days, to ten times the bill
lions present valued in three years.
In setting of bombarded houses.
weeping widows and cursing arti-
sans the Genius Of Liberty warns the
German armies Of occupation off the
soil: ,i 80 fowl.
"YOu have been paid your money
Co! ,.t ..-,
The third painting shows old Presi-
dent Theirs seated after his 'labors,
crowned by Peace, with his feet on
the Dragon of Internal Discord-the
Commune, boishevism OF the day.
And Agriculture, Commerce, Industry
and The Family resume the tenor of
their lives in liberated France.
These paintings, / say, waited alone
all through the present war in the
gallery of mirrors, where Bismarck
had staged the browning humiliation
of France. Here. where the. French
sun king had received ambassadors
in giittering state, Bismarck had his
King of Prussia acclaimed German
kaiser by the confederated princes.
All came gayly to that baptism of the
modern Germany-in the French
kings palace OF VersaillesT
The date was january IS, 1871
Filled with dignitaries, Its polished
floors clinking under the spurs of
ofFizieren swelled with victory and
champagne. the gallery Of mirrors
saw the pomp Of the invader. The