Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-07-14
"Vive Ia France"
On Bastille Day.

10 the Editor OF The Star:
. was child when went for the hrst
time to military revue on Bastille Day,
July IA, on the Longchamp race course
in the Bots de Boulogne Of Paris.
A friend had tickets for the grand
stand and offered to take US with him.
He was a retired French naval of1cer.
I always enjoyed hearing him repeat to
me his story about the time he COM
manded the gunboat on the River Seine
that had taken our cousin. Gen. Burn
side, to Paris with flag of truce during
the Franco Prussian War to try to end
the siege of Paris. during that hard and
cold winter of 1901. I have never
tried to verify this tale; 1t always gave
me such great pleasure to remember
that did not wish to run the risk OF
finding out that it was an invention on
the part OF our friend.
On our arrival at the entrance gate OF
the race course, We discovered that our
host had only three tickets. AS We were
five, the official at the gate naturally
refused to let all Of us pass. This did
not trouble our companion in the slight
est. He first sent my sister and myself
through the gate, telling us to wait for
him some distance away in the crowd;
then, showing his three tickets, with a
flourish and many bows. he ushered in
my father and mother. When they were
stopped, he exclaimed, But you cannot
refuse to let pass Monsieur lie General
Mauran and his wife" With profuse
apologies to my father and mother, he
walked with them past the bewildered
gatekeeper.
have seen the review OF July IA many
times since that day. One year, again,
from the grandstand at the Longchamp
race course had the great pleasure OF
watching a cavalry charge rush directly
toward us at full gallop, then come to
a sudden stop in front Of the President
Carnot in his loge. Another year stood
for hours, with my brother-in-law up
a side street of the Avenue des Champs
Elysees-I imagine it was the Rue
Galilee-that rose rather steeply and
gave us a good view Of the army as 1t
passed. There were many colonials in
the procession that day and We much
enjoyed admiring the Spahis on their
little white Arab horses. with the sun
making still more brilliant the red Of
their burnous.
July IA. 1899, the 150th anniversary
- 49, 9~;, IL L. Do Ia - III
seat in the wide corner window of the
National City Bank Of New York. From
my place was able to look up the whole
length of the Champs Elysees and see,
coming down toward me on the wide
roadway, the entire procession. What
excitement below in the crowded street!
Again came the Spahis, in their red
burnous. riding on the nervous white
horses. There were many, many "poilus'
with the infantry, cavalry, artillery and
tanks. The applause was continuous.
The Chasseurs Alpins, In their dark blue
uniform, always were favorites; also the
Ecole Polytechnique In black with their
cooked hats, and the st. Cyriens with
their red trousers, red and white plumes
in their shakos. The little Annamites
were a great contrast to the tall Sene-
galese with their ebony faces; and I
always enjoyed seeing the zouaves in
their oriental dress and baggy trousers.
But the greatest applause of all seemed
to be for the Foreign Legion, those stall
wart men of every cline who gave the
impression of such great strength. There
were formidable lines Of cannon and
tanks to follow with hundreds Of planes
soaring overhead. What clapping Of
hands and cheers Of admiration from