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LZ (C) Keyitone daintiness and charm of French decoration are well revealed in these photographs of rooms in the palace of the French President, known as the filysee Palace. THE the left is a view of the famous room in the President's home where the Cabinet meets and where the affairs of state are discussed and decisions reached. The other photograph is of the salon, where the presidential receptions and gatherings of the French "White House" are held. The "White House" Its Origin;

IXTERK.ST naturally has been part in these talcs. Madame Lou-be- rt I aroibed in the history of the introduced in the filysee the 1 famous filysee, the "White traditions of a good housewife. House of ," by reason of What of Its Future? Madame Fallieres those of a very the election to the presidency of small "bourgeoise." The dazzling M. Paul Deschanel. It is not perh- hyacinths of Madame de Pompa- aps generally known that the dour were unknown to her and president of the French Republic are indebted to as it may seem none of these pearls became tarnished the gowns of the filysee were those which one saw le Pomnadour for the handsome cstab- - or died, lor it is known that pearls are susceptible when she was overseeing: domestic details of her lishmcnt in the Rue St. Horonc The celebrated fav-187- 3 to disease to which many succumb. But Madame de legendary estate at Loupillon. orite of Louis XV acquired in for the modest Pompadour asserted she had a receipt from a certain Alone of this list, M. Felix Faure made an effort t prevent pearls dying. follow in the footsteps i 75IHIOO francs the habitation destined play oriental merchant which would to of Marshal MacMahon. But such a vtnking role in history. The architect Molet And this re'eeipt, it appears, consisted in shutting up the if he followed the rules of the protocol in an excessive built the palace in 1718 for Henri de la Tour pearls with the roots of the ash tree; the remedy might manner and if the presidential receptions were ar- d'AuveriK", Count of Evreux, who gave it his name. yet be tried at the present day. The pearls, however, ranged to perfection, the filysee nevertheless kept a It was, however, under the name of the "Hotel could not be completely detached from the other jewels, dull aspect and lacked even passing brilliancy. Under d'Evreux" that Madame Pompadour bought it. When if one may judge by a description, taken from the the presidency of M. Poincare, the filysee. it is said, Madame de Pompadour died in 17o4 she left to her memoires of the epoch, of a reception: has resembled something like the filysee of the time M. roval lover the filysee which she had embellished and "The best assorted and most magnificent in this of Carnot, that is to say, rather cold and severe. surrounded with a large park, which exists today. beautiful attire were the bracelet clasps, the hooks of It could not have been otherwise during four years of Louis XV accepted the legacy and made of the palace the necklace and the fastening of the aigrette simulat- war. As to Madame Poincare, the modest and gracious President, a residence for ambassadors and envoys extraordinary. ing hyacinths in precious stones and the most beautiful consort of the she understood her role and The MarquitC de Pompadour greatly prized this pearls of the Orient." showed herself attentive to the sufferings engendered princelv abode There was a display of luxury with The age of gold of the republican era for L'filysee by the war. It was thus that she could have been seen which ihc liked to be surrounded, elegant receptions reappeared under the presidency of Marshal due de at the bedside of wounded and suffering, silently ac- and sumptuous fetes. I umerous persons attended. The MacMahon. The 600,000 francs of his civil list did complishing what she considered to be her duty, and grand letgi Utt who wanted to please the king did not not suffice and the marshal added a part of his fortune. those who saw her doing this will have a sympathetic fail to be present and as the royal favorite was known The Duchess, a grande dame, had known the pomp of remembrance of her. as a protector of and letters, she had among her the imperial court, and the filysee at this time was will the filysee be the presidency arts the What under of pests, although detested in Paris, poets and writers. somewhat the reflection of the Tuilleries. After M. Paul Deschanel, "the best dressed man in France"? the filysee be- vxi especially painters such as Boucher and Fragonard disappearance of Marshal MacMahon. The will tell, but from what we know the "bourgeois" to an extraordinary de- future of felt that they were in an ideal circle. came sometimes qualities of the new president, his merits and gree, less through the desire of the presidents who brilliant The Marquise gave tone to the mode her robes charming entourage, it may be hoped that the filysee were pearls and succeeded than by their wives. Anecdotes and traits marvelous. She had a passion for will again see the glitter of the beautiful days of possessed origin, though how they of parcimony were the gossip of Paris. Madame Grevy many of aristocratic prominent the past. came into her possession is not known. And strange and her famous cook, Coralie, occupied a History of the Legion of Honor

"Grand the State. When a retires and re- IT IS not within the gift of kings; it is not a title attached to the order. In 1805 the rank of or Grand Cordon) was in- linquishes the collar of Grand Master, he becomes and I that i impels a bulwark to a throne; yet, in its Eagle" (now Grand Cross stituted, taking precedence of the grand officers. remains for life a Knight Grand Cross. These Knights higher rank, it is prized as highly as any of the Cross high in the republic and. in fact, major Hon- At the Restoration many changes were made, the Grand rank are Eur .pean decorations. It is the Legion of preceded only by the president, the speakers the Sen- or, military and religious orders were restored, and of founded on an oath of allegiance to the principles old Chamber of Deputies and the of Legion of Honor took the lowest rank. The ate and the marshals of liberty and equality. the Foch, and They revolution of July, 1830, restored the order to its unique France (three now JofYre Petain.) Frequently you read of this distinguished man, are also exempt from the jurisdiction of the ordinary or the other, being created an officer of the Legion ; place. of law, and enjoy other privileges, including a they constitution of the order now rests on the de- courts honored poor Dreyfus that way a few months The pension. ago, March 16 and November 24, 1852, and sub- the Dreyfus they persecuted years ago when tough crees of ordinary circumstances 20 years of military, old sequent enactments. The president of the republic is Under Ctemenceau fought for him. Last month Paul naval or civil service must be performed before a eschanel. only unif- the grand master of the order and the chain he wears President of France, donned the Deschanel candidate is eligible for the rank of chevalier; orm he is wear, the dress of the Forty the grand collar now worn by President entitled to 17 gold and blue enamel and promotions can be made only after definite mortals of the Academy France; and around his is a gold chain composed of of with another by large gold links. service in the lower rank. Extraordinary service in nck he placed the great gold chain of Grand Master medallions, connected in civil life admits to any rank. of each shoulder with a bow of white ribbon ; time of war or the Order. It fastens to Women have been decorated with the order, among t is suspended in front of the collar is the cross of the only order France possesses, and the gold and them Rosa Bonheur, Madame Curie and Madame chain of the Grand has leaped into prominence the order. , . . . Master medallions is engraved with Bartet. Since 1805 there has existed an institution, tormg past months because of the dramatic recovery Etch of the first nine of the daughters, granddaughters, of one of the presidents who have worn the for the education Sj historic chain of Napoleon's day. the name sisters and nieces of members of the Legion of Honor. Legion Napoleon collar since the foundation of the present republic. R of Honor was instituted by practice as in concept it enjoys a unique posi- Bonaparte Thiers, McMahon, Grevy, Carnot, Perrier, In on May 19, 1802, as a general military and These are is based strictly on service, and the or(,ir Loubert, Fallieres and Poincare. The name of tion. Admission Zt of merit. All soldiers on whom "swords Faure. in certain classes, gives a pension with the deco- w merit" declared Deschanel goes on the tenth. state, had been alreadv conferred were ration. Most European orders cost money to sustain nibers, whatever their rank, birth or religion. On The present collar, dating from 182, is the fourth by Napoleon. and bring only honor with them. In recent years the all te, as in the institution of the order .fission were to swear to so far made since been even more in France lay, for the principles of liberty one was for himself, and was worn later by tendency has marked to assertion of the The first make the order represent a substantial service from the m equality. his nephew, Napoleon III. The second was the property Th w to the state and the state to the citizen. The in 1804 Field-Marsh- brother-in-la- citizen orRanization as laid down by Napoleon of al Joachim Murat, of : ; latest idea on the subject is a public school for sons cotmlS S Wl Napoleon was grand master a grand the first Napoleon and at. one time King of Naples; it SCVcn order; of Legionaries ; and yet another plan is a scholarship the Kran(i officers administered the passed down to the present Prince Joachim Murat V grand has system, somewhat on the order of the Royal Colonial oflic eIAwas divided into 15 cohorts of seven who, however, has not been admitted to the order. The Cnmmanders, 350 legionaries, Institute of London, whereby French lads shall be anfUt' u 30 officers and is the one worn by President Deschanel. The head(l"arters which the fourth encouraged to study the political and social condition territ ef of the cohorts, for disappeared. France 15 divisions, were third . . country, as well as advancement of its eco- maim . was divided into Somehow, with the conclusion of the war. the col- of their 1 hosPital support of the sick and and professional standards. infirm for the way to Paris, and is now the property of nomic, scientific 'CRionanes. Salaries, varying in each rank, were lar found its