PLACE DE LA CONCORDE.

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the Invalides.

All around was the murmur and hum of a great city, the many voices of the night rising and falling like the cadence of the sea. Paris never looked more beautiful, more self-composed, but never was more anxious. Walls were covered with parti-colored appeals. Prominent were the proclamations of Marshal MacMahon, calling on the patriotism. of the people, with official white-paper posters. The wild enthusiasm of a New York election was wanting, with its flashing torches and multitudes of marching men. Such a thing would have been impossible in France. Attempt a political demonstration and squadrons of cavalry would inclose the street, or otherwise there might be tumult and massacre.

It was the coming election which was to settle the fate of France. If honest republicanism could gain the day, it would show the highest allegiance to the law. It would demonstrate this fact, that France had grown greater, through all her sore trials that the France of the days of Messidor, which Barbier in his famous poem had compared to a wild, untrainable colt, had at last been broken, and had become disciplined and obedient; not coerced by the iron grip of a Bonaparte, but by the kinder hand of enlightened public opinion.

Never was republic encompassed with greater difficulties. Pretenders to the throne were striving to mount its slippery steps, policemen were trammeling and tethering the press, spies were dogging every leader, and the clergy were praying for republican discomfiture. As to the army, it was marching and counter-marching, a threatening reminder of its power. Worse than all, the fearful shadow of the Commune rose like a dark cloud casting its gloom over Paris. When, in spite of all this, republicanism triumphed, this was the first step toward true conservative republicanism.

It was when France was all aglow with excitement caused by a true republican victory that General Grant arrived in Paris. On the morning of the 24th of October, 1877, the General, accompanied by his wife, his son, and the writer, left London in a special train from Charing Cross. A crowd of Americans assembled at the station bid the General God-speed. Folkestone

was soon reached, the express train speeding rapidly through the pleasant Kentish county. At Folkestone the Mayor and many of the prominent citizens were assembled, who expressed their well-wishes, and with hearty cheers the party took the steamer and crossed the channel. The trip was calm and pleasant. As the white cliffs of England disappeared in the seas, the green fields of France loomed up on the horizon. On landing at Boulogne, the prefect of the department welcomed the General, in the name of the Marshal President of France.

As there were not the excuses of sea-sickness to delay the party at Boulogne, after but a very short rest the General proceeded to Paris. Time enough was spent in Boulogne to understand why it is so appreciated by the English. Lying but a few hours from London, it is both the summer and winter resort of many an impecunious Englishman, pleasant climate and cheapness of living being the great desiderata.

Just before reaching the depot at Paris, General Noyes, the American Minister, General Torbert, the Consul-General, and an aide-de-camp of Marshal MacMahon entered the car. In the name of the President of the French Republic the Ex-President

of the Republic of the United States was welcomed to France. On arriving, a large crowd, comprising the leading members of the American colony in Paris, received the General. After greetings had been exchanged, the General drove to the Hôtel Bristol, through a heavy rain. It would be impossible to give in detail an account of the many receptions and dinners given to General Grant in Paris. His stay in Paris was a pleasant one. It is not worth while to detail such minor incidents of a disagreeable character which arose because French political feeling would not regard General Grant's visit to France in the exact light he intended it to be, a purely unofficial one. Because Mr. Washburne, our Minister to France during the Franco-Prussian war, had had at the same time the rights of the German residents in Paris intrusted to his care, and because he had acted with justice and humanity, it suited monarchists, imperialists, and some few of the republican party, to think that General Grant during his Presidency, in accepting the acts of his foreign minister had rather inclined toward the Prussians than to France. Victor Hugo did much to intensify this feeling. Poetic license sometimes becomes quite indifferent as to facts. It is a matter of regret that this feeling should have existed, but as it belongs to the history of General Grant's visit to France, as such I am forced to write it. Although this feeling existed, the French were too polite a people to show the least discourtesy to a guest. It must be mentioned that the Bonapartists and their reactionary papers went out of their way to excite anti-German feelings against the General. It was alleged by them that the General's visit was a demonstration in favor of republicanism. As a matter of fact the feelings of General Grant toward France were of the friendliest character. It is true, however, that one of his few aversions was directed toward the Bonapartist family. He looked upon the war between France and Germany as a causeless war, made by an ambitious and selfish despot to save his dynasty. In regard to Napoleonism, though General Grant had never written a poem on the same subject, he entirely agreed with Victor Hugo.

Although during the first few days the weather was bad, this

did not prevent the General's visiting all the places and public buildings worthy of attention in Paris. There is no enjoyment in Paris so complete as that of threading its streets. The party scaled the heights of Montmartre. Montmartre is an elevated quarter of Paris from whence a full view of the immense city can be had. The Quartier Latin was frequently visited. Here are the universities, the schools of medicine, the far-famed Sorbonne; it is the old heart of Paris, where for

eight hundred years and more, students from all parts of the world have come; here all the great libraries are concentrated. It is a world in itself, a center of study and amusement, with its famous theater, the Odeon. There is a well-known street in the Quartier Latin, the Rue de l'Ancienne Comédie, which tells of its former character. Paris is indeed the elysium of loungers. Save when entangled in the very center of the old cité, go as you will, after a while you must emerge to some large and open place, which acts as a frame to a fine public building. Here are the Champs Elysées with their broad carriage-ways, where all the

dashing equipages of Europe are assembled. The sidewalks are thronged by elegantly dressed people. Walk its length until you stand at the Rond Point midway, and look up and down. Far beyond you stands in its lofty magnificence L'Arc de l'Étoile. This triumphal arch, which is the grandest in Europe, conceived by the Emperor Napoleon I. in 1806, was finished thirty years afterward. Noble in form, it is ornamented with famous basreliefs, due to the greatest artists in France. Cast your eye farther beyond this arch, and the buildings of Neuilly and the green woods of the Bois de Boulogne, the famous riding and driving park of the Parisian, is seen. Now, standing as you are, face to the left, and see looming in the sky the lofty dome of the Invalides, the last refuge of France's brave soldiers. Many a veteran lives there and talks of his eventful life, while in his midst there reposes in his porphyry tomb all that remains of Napoleon Bonaparte. Now turning directly around, on your rear look down the broad Champs Elysées until your eye lights on the obelisk of Luxor, the Place de la Concorde, and the Tuileries. If we had been in Paris before the Commune you would have seen the palace of the Tuileries. Now they only show their ruins; but the eye goes beyond them. The massive buildings of the Louvre are seen, and away beyond that looms up Notre Dame de Paris, and many a massive church and spire. Still the picture is not concluded yet. On your right spreads out the busiest portion of the great city. The line of the

THE INVALIDES.