The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-05-17
The Hall Of Mirrors
The Famous Room in the Cha
teau of Versailles Where the
Peace Treaty VIII Be Sign
ed

Versailles, France, April e tCofre-
sOonaence Of the Associated freSs =
That much discussed and still pro
iected peace treaty has already beeh
signed sealed and delivered in spirit
scores of times from the historic cha-
,eau here f. indeed. the good m
ren1ions of hundreds Of energetic
voune American soldiers count for
ANYTHING. 1t would be difficult to hnd
a Yankee warrior who. having got as
near as Paris. has not come to YER
sailles TO express his approval or dls-
approval OF the place where the real
treaty will be signed and to subscribe
his name TO {. peace document Oh MS
own for the folk back home. Having
sought out the wonderful Hall OF Mlr-
rors. doughboy and officer alike in
variably make their way to the table
upon which it is said the treaty Will
be signed. and With much linking OF
fingers from leaky pens indite post
card memorials which begin.
This is being written in the fam
Gus Hall of Mirrors in the Chateau Of
Versailles, upon the very table etc.
ETC.
The doughboy is by no means alone
in his desire TO see the renowned
palace in which the world peace will
he concluded. Thousands Of French
people have been 1locking TO Nersall-
les for many days on sightseeing tours,
In fact Versailles has become a sort
Of Mecca which is drawing the ma
tionalities Of the world who wish 10
worship at the shrine of peace.
All the pre-war splendors are rap
idly returning TO the palace under the
practiced hands Of expert workmen
who are renovating the vast halls
and replacing the priceless relics Tor
the advent of the peac" delegates.
When the Germans were threatening
pa.:s the Chateau was stripped OF all
uorta::,e vaiuailes which We're taken
70 Bordeaux and other places for
sale Keeping During the past few
davs ancient tapestries Of untold
value and furniture worth ransom o1
! King have been rcappearin& III
their accustomed places, and the dust
OIL MANY lllOIliuS llslS i'ttlI ,''ii "
away from walls and floors.
Today beng Sunday people 1ocked
to Versailles in great numbers. for
it was the first really sunshiny holi-
dav Of the season. Hundreds Of Amer
ican officers. doughboys and nurses
were among the pilgrims who filled
the huge Chateau and overran the
lawns and already green woods Of the
beautiful grounds.
!! The doughhoy for once was SeeS
ing something which had no counter
part at home The Woolworth build
ing was higher but-well, they could
hardly be compared after all, they
were so different. His first impression
was one Of amaZemcnt at the grand
uel. and the thought came to him
What a lot Of money it must have
cost Then he got interested in art
for arts sake.
The fall Of Mirrors. whore the
treaty viii be signed, held him long.
as he naZed in awe at the myriad re-
f1ections and the superb decorations
OF rhe ceiling. He found his way to
the exact spot where IN 1871 stood
the daiS from which the foundation Of
the German Empire was proclaimed.
and heard his guide say that for rea-
sons OF sentiment the table npon
which the treaty viii be signed would
probably be located in the same
place.
The great hall. the doughboy was
told, will be reserved for the treaty
makers. but the ceremony Will be
Witnessed from adjoining rooms BY
members Of the press from many
countries and by some distinguished
guests The wife of President Wilson
Will probably be one Of those who will
see the President and other delegates
place their names to the most impor-
tant document Of history.
There was little that the doubhSoy
didn't see today The apartments OF
King Louis the Fourteenth. and the
Council Chamber Of that monarch and
his SUCCESSORS ALI Of which Will be
used for conference purposes, proved
attractive to his imaginative mind.
The boudoir of Madame de Mainte-
non. which also is to be sacrificed to
committee work drew many wise
shallin9s of tho head from the dough-
boy. who said little but looked IS
though he could tell a great deal
about the fair occupant Of bygcnr
days.
The Gallery Of BATTLES with its
painted history Of. the glories Of
France on the field Of honor appealed
to the boy in khaki immensely. per-
haps because he himself had beer liv
ing similar martial scenes over al
ready historic ground. This gallery
is TO be assigned to the press Of the
world. the guide said. All the great
paintings held the doughboy long. but
the one which struck his fancy most
was that of Washington and Lafayette
standing in front of their headquar-
terS just before The battle Of York !
town.
why. if there amt old George
himself" exclaimed one delighted boy
III uniform, and in the ecStacy of his
discovery h" summoned all his pals |
forthwith TO see "old George.
For the purposes of the conference |