Daily Kennebec journal., 1925-07-28
Frederick Mason, Now Sojourn-
ing In French Capital Des-
cribes Vivid Impressions
Art Everywhere in Evidence
Enjoys Gallo Cooking and
Customs

Especial to the Kennebec JournaD
Paris, France, July 10-"See Paris
and die" Is an oft-heard expression,
writes Frederic Mason of Augusta,
who is now sojourning for awhile in
the gay capital Of France.
Financially, you can also see
Paris and be busted. There are
things galore to buy and tips await
you on all sides.
But, If you are going to die. Paris
Is the place to shuttle off the coll.
They give you a first-class funeral
with decoratio and a mass OF
draperies. Over the front door is
placed great canopy in the
center Of which occurs the gold
initial Of the family Of which the de-
ceased was a member.
It Is almost worth dying to see
Paris. It Is the city par excellence
on the planet. The art wonders OF
the centuries are here. There are
statutes and memorials. and tablets
and gates and arches all over the
city-memorials to the geniuses OF
France-marvels of sculpture and
paintings and wonderful specimens
of the architectural skill. Paris be-
lieves in honoring her sons and
memorials arise from the sod In
every part of the city. There Is
even a huge statue in one Of the
squares to the two noted chemists
who discovered quinine-as the
great relief to the humanity of the
world.
A boy during the French Revolu-
ton, while a procession was passing.
refused to salute the soldiers. He
was executed on the spot and for
his martyrdom there stands today
on the very same spot marble
statue of the boy-depicting the
agony of his last moments.
OF course, through all the art OF
Paris runs Napoleon and Joan of
Arc. Vast sums Of money have been
spent to perpetuate their memories.
You can stand under the Arch OF
Triumph Of Napoleon and study the
carvings for day. l gazed upon
them for an hour today and only in
cluded part of one side. How long
it took to make that arch I do not
know, but I should think ten years.
No one visits Paris without going
to the Louvre. The art in this place
holds you enthralled. It would take
a week to go over the Al acres OF the
Louvre, but you can see much In
day. One statue, the Venus de Milo,
is known to have chained the be-
holder for an hour. Paris Is full OF
temples Of art. One would never be-
lieve that such statues and such
paintings were possible unless he
had beheld them with his own eyes.
/ put in ten hours one day trying to
grasp the art of Versailles.
This art tendency extends to the
streets and boulevards OF Paris.
They are laid out in such a way as
to bring out all the beauty OF the
scenery. Often, you can see the
great art memorials Of the world IN
the very center at either end OF a
great avenue. Instead OF being
parallel, as in New York, many OF
the streets here radiate in a most IN
teresting way. For instance, four
teen thoroughfares radiate from the
Napoleon arch of victory.
To one who has read victor
Hugo's French Revolution, Paris OF
fers many reminders. The historic
sites and the significant memorials
tell again the story.
One is charmed also with the trees
of Paris. The city trims the trees
regularly, Just as anyone would get
a haircut. Little trenches are aug
around the trees so that moisture
can reach the roots, and around
others ornamental iron grating is
placed, so that after every rain,
water can get to the base of the
trees. Even in the forests all the
trees bordering on the highways are
kept trimmed and in a most artistic
manner. One can imagine the de-
light of ride through such an arch
of green. Great rows OF trees line
many Of the business streets and the
effect is fascinating.
Art is also seen in the wearing
apparel. Art is inherent in the
French race. Even among the
peasants this tendency is seen. The
art Of the world, in dress. begins
here in Paris. One only needs to 60
to the theater here two or three
times to see where the dressmaker' e
art reaches the highest peak. You
will fall over in your seat con-
templating the wonderment OF the
costumes and the genius OF the
designer. I sat on the Champ Elysee
the other afternoon and watched the
passing panorama for three hours
The styles were bewildering.
The time Is different over here,
When Paris is eating supper, Au-
gusta is eating dinner. They also
have daylight time here, so it is hard
to tell when to 60 to bed. I haven't
discovered yet when Paris goes to
bed. So far as I can make out. 1t
Is q 24-hour city. To one from
Maine, who goes to bed at 9 o'clock,
the curfew hour, life here seems
strenuous. I shall stay with 1t, how
ever, so long as shoe leather holds
out.
Another thing. This Is particularly
sad. Paris does not drink water.