The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-12-20

FEy HE boulevardS of Paris, which
z extend for length of four kilO-
q meters and Il half from the
Madeleine tn the BaStile in a
Semi-circumference.a are the rendezvous
of the world; picturesque crowd,
composed of the most heterogeneous
types of humanity, prOmenadeS cease
lessly the wide sidewalks. where the
terraces of innumerabe cafes lend an
air of gOOd-humOred if rather vulgar
familiarity TO the whole scene.
The Paris boulevards may be said
To have originated in the deep muddy
trenches which were hastily dug
around the city in 1886. To repulSe
the much-drpaded attacks of the Eng
liSh who, having devastated Picardy,
were now threatening the capital, says
the Christian Science Monitor. The
first trees We're planted in 1888. and
have been continually replaced since
then. although they have not ceased TO
struggle bravely to live and thrive in
spite of the scarcity of light, air, and
sun.
Entrance to the 8oulevards.
The starting point of the bOule-
wards can be located at the BaStille
before the eighteenth century they be
gan at the entrance of the Rue St
Antoine, so that the attention of the
stranger who entered Paris by the
Porte st. Antoine was at once at
tracted by the looming mass of the
state prison. and by the beautiful resi-
dence of BeaumarchaiS. which played
part in the Revolutionary drama.
One soon reaches the Boulevard dU
Temple. today so calm, and essential
" commercial with its numerous
baker, butcher, and grocer shops
Once upon a time, however, and not Sc
very long ago, ii was called 1.-THE beau
tiful boulevard" for ii was then the
favorite meeting place of courtier'
and rich bourgeois of the Tout Paris
which even then was dOcile in obey
ing the dictates of fashion. lnnumer
able theaterS and shows lined botl
sides of the roadway, giving the boule
ward the appearance of Il perpetual
fair in which gay. laughing crow'
paused to listen to the songs of COLI
and Piron-sung by the lovely Fan
chon In Veilleuse-and amused itsel
with the antics of NicOlet's eXtraor
binary monkey.
After the Place de la Repuhl'Qu
has been safely crossed, one Saunter
up the Boulevard st. Martin, the road
way of which is encased between higl
sidewalks reached by mounting sew
eral steps. 1t extends to the Port
st. Martin. erected in 1914 by tn
municipal corps Of Paris TO the glOr
of Louis XIV. At nightfall the BOu'e
ward st. Martin acquires n certain AM
nation when the public presse
around the doors of the Ambig
Comique, the Renaissance and tn
Porte st. Martin theaterS. The Port
s.. Martin was built in 90 days by 1t
moine. at the Cud of the reign q
Louis XVI, to serve as a tempOrar
opera house.
But the sidewalks suddenly ceaS
to be terraced and slope gently dOwr
ward until they reach their norma
height, and the noisy Boulevard :
Denis extends between the two mont
mental gateways, the beautiful ba'
reliefs of which remind the paSserb
. of the taking of Limburg and the de
,, feat of the Germans, as well as of tn
. passing of the Rhine and the takin
of the provinces by Louis NlV-el
plOits of which the "Sun King" wa
justly proud. 1t must be remarke
that the escutcheOn of the Porte 5
Denis with its fleur-de-lys is the onl
royal emblem which was respecte
by the Revolution of 1913.
Landmarks Along the Way.
The Boulevard Bonnie Nouvelle hi
preserved number of old-fashione
houses presenting strong contra'