The Sunday Oregonian., June 13, 1915, MAGAZINE SECTION, Page 7, Image 73

FRENCH IN
oTONE FIGURES INTO CARICATURES
-r . . .. .
OF THEIR, ENEMY.
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BY STERLING HEXLIG.
PARIS. June 13. "It la the Kaiser!"
say Parisians.
The post card circulates. It Is
the Penseur ("the thinker") of Notre
Dame, with Just the Kaiser's moustache
and casque added. He remains at
once the Penseur and the Kaiser, as
elusive profound, unexplained and un
explainable as In 1593, when they added
a goatee to make him a dead ringer
for the Duke of Feria! The Spanish
held Paris against the Bearnais. They
put a beard upon the Hairy Breast.
They had no post cards, but they
drew good pictures. "He Is looking
toward the Forte Neuve!" said the
common people. And, precisely, It was
by the Porte Neuve that Henry IV en
tered! Today a short moustache upon the
Hairy Breast makes him "Von Kluck.
A moustache added to the Sneerer
gives disquieting; likeness to Von Bil
low. In 1593 he was Don Jose Castll.
In 1814 a similar touch revealed him
Blucher. Wellington was the Eater
of Rats, the Tsar Alexander the Incu
bus. They are the Gargoyles of Notre
Dame, the most mysterious objects In
all Paris. Whenever Paris is at war
the greater and more human Gargoyles
are seen to bear strange resemblances
to the leaders of the enemy. The
Penseur is their chief. He leans and
looks and thinks and thinks. Each, at
his corner, stares, immobile, on a sec
tion of the landscape. It gets on the
nerves of Paris.
Climb tho towers of the cathedral.
High up you come to this Gallery of
the Roofs, whence, amid a population
of gigantic beasts and birds and de
mons, you have Victor Hugo's famous
birdseye view of Paris. Tourists are
more struck by the strange creatures
ML
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The Blind Spinner o f Tops
WHEN the new family moved into
the house next door little Jack
was much Interested to find out
whether they had any boys; and so
from the parlor window he watched
the furniture being carried In, also
keeping an eye out for the members of
the family when they arrived.
Presently he saw a woman, holding
a. little boy by the hand, come down
the street, stop and speak to the mov
ing men and then go into the house.
The boy seemed very quiet, for he
walked ever so slowly, with his head
held very straight and looking neither
to the right nor the left.
Jacky set him down for a "sissy boy,"
though he couldn't have told you ex
actly why he thought so. And. the
whole rest of the afternoon the new lit
tle boy next door did not com out of
the house.
"Jack," said Mamma, a few days
later, "you must be very nice . to the
little boy next door."
"Aw. Mamma, he's a little sissy," ob
jected Jack promptly,
"No, Jack," replied Mamma very
gravely, "he's blind."
Jack was silent for a moment. Then
he spoke up:
g OUR PUZZLE CORNER a
j
FLAO DAY PUZZLE.
June 14 is Flag day. Little Bessie and little Tommy have made a flag
and are raising it. Can you find the flag by putting together the
black pieces? Do you know bow many stars and stripes our flag
really has?
EVEXCf WAIL
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carved In stone than by the shining
city.
"What are they?" ask tourists.
"What have such monstrosities to do
on a cathedral? George, look at that
whiskered goat, five times as big as
you!"
There are gigantic bulls and boars,
a contemplative elephant on his hind
legs, a vicious panther, owls and eagles
50 times as big as life. In vain, for
centuries, have visitors inquired the
meaning of the nightmare menagerie.
In particular the "human" figures wor
ry demons, genii, Cyclops, Titans, of
stern thought, sad dignity, unyielding
purpose.
Calling them gargoyles explains
nothing. They are not gargoyles.
Regularly Gothic churches have their
decorative roofspouts carved in simi
lar grotesque shapes, known as gar
goyles. Just to spout off the rain
water. Notre Dame has gargoyles
also, but they pass unnoticed amid
these vast creatures,' simply named
"chimeras." With their purpose un
known, their common attitude, in Itself
so peculiar, has led folks in all ages
to ask finally:
"What are they looking at?"
And the populace of 'Paris answered
always, in all ages:
"They are looking at the mystery!"
That there is an extraordinary some
thing hidden about Notre Dame Cathe
dral has been known by the common
folks of Paris for 600 years past.
Once I asked a butcher on the Par
vis. "It is subterranean," he told me,
"where astronomers made gold. In the
revolution my great - grandfather
helped hunt it; but it was too well
hid."
"It's a secret closet, high up in the
wall, filled with the jewels of kings,"
said an old woman selling cabbages.
"I'm sorry, but Mamma, how could I
play with a blind boy?"
"Well," suggested Mamma, "you could
tell him stories some of the ones you
read in your books and you might de
scribe what you see, a flower, a tree,
a horse, a dog, whatever happens to be
before you at the time. Just think,
Jacky, he doesn't know what any of
those things look like! Suppose you
were that way, wouldn't you feel
dreadful and lonely and and wouldn't
you be glad if any little boy who could
see came to play with you?"
?'Yes'm," answered Jack dutifully.
"But, Mamma, he can't play baseball,
or prisoner's base or marbles or or
spin tops or do any of the things all
boys like to do!"
"I know. Jack, but that is Just the
point and just the reason why you
should be willing to sacrifice some of
your time and give him a little pleas
ure. I'm surprised that my son is so
selfish."
"All right. Mamma," Jack - assented,
"only not this afternoon, please, be
cause the boys are all going to spin
tops in the alley."
So, with a shake of her head and a
look that made Jack feel very uncom-
fOmS M) BOIJKES .TCRUE LITTLE QNES fegggpi
TITE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, POUTLAND,
DISTORT THESE
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"Once there was a stone crow, inside,
pointing toward it."
Victor Hugo knew about the crow.
Four hundred- years ago he made the
shopkeepers of the Parvis whisper
how Claude Frollo spent hours "cal
culating the angle at which the raven
looked from the west porch to an un
known point Inside the church where
the philosophers' stone is certainly
hidden, if it be not Nicolas Flamel's
cellar."
A sad bird, immense, whose batlika
wings drape her like a mourning veil,
is popularly called "The Widow." Her
eyes seem to be fixed painfully on the
east gallery of the Louvre. "John
Bull," who. in his day, was identified
with King George III, gazes with
ruminating content on the Central
Markets.
Walk round. The Carrion Crow and
the Speaker look at two points along
the same line. The eyes of the Ele
phant and Panther have stared for
centuries along two other lines. The
Goat and his side partner are fixed on
the Parvis. The Wandering Jew
leans, startled, looking straight into
the river. The Two-Headed Dog has
a double objective.
Men have actually carried theodolite
and logarithm tables up there to meas
ure exactly: "What are they looking
at?" What could they hope to find on
the spot? The iground of Paris has
been dug and rebuilt a hundred times.
The spot? The spots. Pan (identified
with the Kronprlnz) gazes Intently
into the back yard. The Goat, around
the corner, looks down on a spot quite
opposite. It is more complicated than
that. A curious character, "the man
of the cathedrals," actually lived up
here two months In 1913. He claims
to have grouped the lines of vision. A
pair always look upon the same spot,
"probably to mislead the seeker," h
for table. Mamma agreed to postpone
his visit until the next afternoon.
Then, the next afternoon. Jack hadn't
been with the new boy ten minutes be
fore he found himself very much inter
ested. Richard, for that was his name,
seemed to be able to do a surprising
number of things that Jack had never
even dreamed any blind boy could do.
At first, of course, the meeting be
tween the two lads was very stiff and
awkward; or, at least Jack thought it
was. But presently he asked Richard
If he didn't want him to read to him
out of his story book. And Richard
surprised him by replying that he had
been reading alt morning and preferred
to be in the open air.
Reading? A blind boy reading? Jack
could scarcely believe hjs ears.
"You see," said Richard with a smile,
"I'm Just learning to read with the
blind alphabet. The letters are raised
and, I understand, quite different from
your A-B-C's in shape. I feel them
with the tips of my fingers and' can tell
what they are. I can't read very fast,
but I've been trying all morning and
I'm tired. Let's go out and play."
"All right," agreed the astonished
Jack. And then he added, "What shall
we play?"
"Have you a smooth street near here
one with asphalt on it?" asked Rich
ard. "If so, let's spin tops. Do you
spin a top?" s
Jack gasped. He was never more
surprised In his life. A blind boy spin
a top? Well, well!
"Yes, oh yes. Indeed!" he hastened to
reply. "There's an alley right by my
house and it's as smooth as glass all
of us boys spin our tops there. I've got
two In my pocket do you want me to
lend you one? But I've only one
string."
"Oh, that's all right," answered Rich
ard, "I have my own top and string,
too. Come on, let's go. You don't mind
walking slowly, do you, and telling me
when I'm apt to run into anything?
You see, after I've been there with you
several times, I'll be able to locate
every object and I won't have to bother
you to guide me."
Which was another surprise for
Jacky.
But the greatest one came when the
boys reached the alley and Richard be
gan spinning his top. He. wound the
string around it most expertly and a
great deal more quickly and tightly
than Jack could do. Then he seemed
to possess a marvelous knack of mak
ing it spin.
Why, he could make his top "go to
sleep" better than could any of the
boys Jack knew. And he could make it
"walk" and "hum" and climb up the
string and do all sorts of wonderful
things with It.
Indeed there wasn't a boy in the
neighborhood who could spin a top as
he could. Presently Jack stopped spin
ning his own "and, with his own string
hanging limply from bis hand, he stood
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says. In two cases three gaze on the
same spot. This was more inter
esting. But what about damaged
gargoyles, who have lost their heads
by weather, accident or purpose? Per
haps a bunch, originally, looked on the
true spot.
Once there was a man who found it.
unless, indeed, he were its originator.
This was the famous Nicolas Flamel,
reputed by Paris of his days to havo
accomplished "the great work." He
appears first as a poor clerk of the
Sorbonne, around 1355. Then suddenly,-
in 1362, Nicolas Flamel quit his
poor student's room for a house built
on his own plans, in which he gave
free accommodations to a band : of
chosen disciples: and the secret luxury
in which they lived for years was a
marvel to the neighbors.
Time passed.' Nicolas Flamel "out
lived his BtudentB. In his extreme
watching Richard, amazed and fasci
nated. And, before he knew It, he forgot all
about Richard being blind!
From that day on the boys were firm
friends and Jacky took care to intro
duce Richard to all of his friends, and
they, too, liked him as well as he did.
In the' Springtime
A PRETTY story is told of a very
homely and awkward child, who,
knowing she was so, became sullen
and unhappy.
One day her teacher, an elderly lady,
n m
HE STOOD WATCHINO RICHARD, AMAZED JlKD FASCINATED.
put her arms around the child, and
drawing her close to her said:
"What alls you, child?"
"I am so ugly and stupid." the girl
cried, "that If makes me miserable."
Then the teacher, leading the child
into the garden, took a tulip bulb
from the ground, and placing it in
the girl's hand, said: "This is tor you.
Plant it and tend it carefully."
The girl planted the ugly bulb,
watched it and faithfully watered it
until one bright, sunshiny day there
came forth a tiny sprout which gradu
ally grew Into a lovely flower.
"Now what shall I do?" asked the
girl of her teacher.
"Guard yourself as you did the bulb
and who knows"
The teacher's lesson was taken to
JTJXE 13, 19T5.
It
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Bin Mntl-li.
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old age he made tne extravagant lib
eralities to Paris churches which con
nected his name with the mystery of
Notre Dame and confirms his reputation
as a-repentant transmuter of metals
and "Jewel moulder." Did he really? It
is curious to note that the Renaissance
came right after him, with its inexpli
cable increase of the world's treasure.
Was it he who pointed the gargoyles?
Victor Hugo tells, certainly, how half
the alchemists of Europe dug Vainly
in Nicolas Flamel's cellar up to 50
years afer his death. -And his mu
nificence to Notre Dame was notorious.
Some say that the Penseur ia his por
trait So argue the dreamers of hidden
treasure. The common people of Paris,
however, do not make this error. They
say. merely, that the gargoyles are
"looking at the mystery!" And their
mind connects haziiy with a more por
heart. The plant was a bright promise
of the unfolding of the girl's character.
"HandBome is as handsome does,"
said the teacher, kissing her, "and
character is far more important than
looks."
A WISH.
Papa was sitting by the table read
ing his evening paper. Generally." when
he came across an item of interest he
read It aloud to mamma. Little Will
iam, a typical "little pitclfer with big
ears," as a rule was not in the least con
cerned about the items his father read
aloud. But the other evening he was
miphtily interested.
"I see, ma," Bald papa, "that the
fishermen around Cape Cod have gone
out of the whaling business and"
Vp spoke William promptly:
"Gee whiz, papa, but I wish you was
a Cape Cod fisherman!"
WHAT'S GOOD IN SUMMER?
Oh, Winter has plum-cake and eitroa
and pie.
And splced-bread and doughnuts so
goodie, oh my I
But Summer has something far nicer
than spices.
That isn't put by in the pantry for
mices;
It's' better than sugar and cinnamon
rice is!
What is it? Delicious cold Ice-cream
and ices!
",,A,,-j,,',v ----- -A.. ..,. .-- mift.-inininiiiimii ijrt)ifiniiS
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tentous figure and an older, grander
reputation, more mysteriously bound
up with the ancient cathedral. I refer
to the Wandering Jew, who leans, so
anxious, so intent, and yet so honest
and benevolent, beyond the parapet!
Some say Nicolas Flamel was his
agent.
Time embroiders old traditions. Who
knows what elements of a prophetic
and persecuted race originated the
popular figure of the Wandering Je"w
as a benefactor of the cathedral of
Paris! Did he banker-prophet, physi-cian-kabbalist
or poet-dreamer point
his gargoyles on greater than gold and
jewels? It may be a library of lost
learning, Greek and Roman classics,
the secrets of kings or the relics of
antique culture.
He is up there, amid his gargoyles
Isaac - Laquedem, friend of Paris!
Is It not curious' that, every time
I . . ' i f . - -
A Bit of American History
NEXT Thursday is the 17th of June
and 140 years since the great bat
tle of Bunker Hill was fought. This
battle between drilled British soldiers
and plain American citizens was a great
triumph for the Americans, not because
It was eminently successful, but because
it proved that they could hold thefrown
against the strong troops sent against
them by King George.
Those brave Americans who fought
that battle were simple farmers and
plain workmen from the neighboring
country places around Massachusetts,
who came to assist the Massachusetts
men fight the enemy.
On the 16th of June our brave men
learned that King George's soldiers
were going to take possession of this
hill in Charlestown, which was a very
important military position.
The king had made such' laws, and
the red-coats were carrying them into
effect, as would soon deprive the Amer.
lean Colonies of their freedom. At first
the Americans did not wish to fight,
but when it came to submitting to un
just taxation they felt that they were
ready to die for their rights. On the
night of June the 16th they hurried
to this hill and worked all night forti
fying It for themselves. Imagine the
surprise of the British next morning
when they found themselves ousted.
They at once opened fire, and were still
more surprised to find the Americans
return their fire with such deadly
force that they were compelled to run,
Then, headed by their skilled gen
erals, the British soldiers again rushed
on the enemy, and again they were
driven down the hill with one-third
of their number destroyed. Btlll they
rallied and came on a third time, and
now the Americans, who had used up
all their powder, saw they could not
hold the hill. Quietly they went away,
leaving the British to take possession.
The red-coats and their generals
were so amazed by the courage of the
American men that they did not think
it wise to follow up this sort of vic
tory and the Americans felt victorious
in spite of giving tip the fight, for it
gave them an insight into their per
sonal strength and courage.
When Benjamin Franklin heard of
the fight and its results, he exclaimed:
"England has lost her Colonies for
ever!" And so she had, for from the day
of the Battle of Bunker Hill, the
Colonies stood together, united into a
Nation.
A Matter of Thirst.
World's Work.
A commission in Russia, appointed by
the Duma to study the liquor question
in 1913, proposed that the following
label should be placed on every bottle
'of vodka sold an inscription said to
c i '
f
Paris is threatened, the greater figures
of the gargoyles are seen to besjr
strange resemblances to the leaders ol
the enemy?
"Give them whiskers or a shave.'
runs the proverb of the common peo
ple. True enough. white sideburns
starting from the nose transforms th
Eater of Rats (who in 1S14 was Wel
lington) to Francis Joseph, "who, hav
ing gobbled Bosnia, Herzegovina.
Trieste and Trentino, is now trying to
eat Servia, too busy to keep a look
out!" The Penseur (Kaiser), leaning, chls
on palms, his elbows on the parapet,
stares intent past the Plain of St.
Denis toward Amiens and Calais, ab
sorbed In his meditation, pondering his
problem.
The Laugher (Von Moltke) watches
the Champs Elysees, the River Seine,
the Rouen road, where come the Eng
lish armies. A smooth shave and ths
German casque complete the likeness
of Von Moltke. Versailles is in his
line of vision, where his father helped
to crown the King of Prussia Kaiser.
The confidence of his father's son ia
still upon the smiling face.
The Hairy Breast ,(Von Kluck) is
startled, surprised, worried, his ga.z
fixed upon the Plateau of the Marne,
from La&fly on to Ligny. A short, fall
ing moustache over the alert and anx
ious mouth, a bristling haircut and
alarmed eyes make a Von Kluck,
young, alert and undismayed, but wor
rying the problem, as he stares to
ward Nancy. "What nevt?"
The Sneerer (Von Bulow) has ths
hump. His watch is south. He looks
toward Chartres and Orleans, into the
garden of France, which Italy Bhould
overrun had she been faithful.
Pan (the Kronprinz) gazes into th
back garden. It is beautiful, down
there, amid trees, flowers and sculp
tures. A nice mamma, sits beside her
playing child. She takes out her gold
watch to see the hour. . . .
Around their towers the gargoyles
keep their vigil. What they see afar
no man may know; but It is Strang
and curious that each one watches,
round the forts of Paris, some weak
spot where an investing army might
win through.
Ts this the secret, Isaac Laquedem'B
warning?
have been originally written by Count
Tolstoi: "Man! Although thou hast
bought this spirit, yet know that thou
drinkeat poison which destroys thee.
Before it is too late, never buy another
bottle."
Nothing: Is Wasted
Pitter patter down the pane
Drives tho crystal Summer rain;
First it waters leaf and bud.
Then it makes the sticky mud;
Then the sun shines out and my!
Everything is crisp and dry.
But the rain has sunk below.
For It's always on the go:
In the earth, if you could look.
It has Joined a spring or brook.
And the brook so merrily
Dances off to meet the sea!
Then as fog all dense and gray
Up It rises on its way;
And the fog a-sailing high
Makes the clouds up in the sky;
Then the clou,ds are turned to rain
That pitter patters down the panel
' GROWING.
I'm awful tired of playing round
Inside the garden wall;
But mother says I can't, go out
Because I am too small.
I wonder how long- it will be.
And if I'll have to wait
Until I'm tall enough to reach
. The latch upon the gate.
I know there're lots of things outside
That I would love to see.
Because the grown folks in the house
Have read of them to me.
I hope it won't be very long.
It's mighty hard to wait
Until I'm tall enough to reach
The latch upon the gate.
H. B. LEVERJN.
j Solution to Flag Day Puzzle.