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June 12, 67.

Dear Fanny,
It is growing hot now & does not rain any more. So I conclude the climate of France is like that of California & divines itself into the dry & rainy season.  We have been having strawberries for nearly two months & will have them for two more according to all accounts. This is an advantage over you who have them but for three weeks.  Nobody eats milk on them here but most people pour wine on them which I think spoils them, & I saw one man put vinegar & oil on them.  The worms I suppose are in full bloom at home. I wish Philadelphia had little birds in like Paris. You see them all about hopping up to within a yard of you.

I sent a couple of newspapers home describing the attempted assassination of the Emperor Alexander. I was on the spot with Billy Crowell about 5 minutes before the thing happened.  When the Emperors discovered no one was hurt they immediately kissed one another.  They came back to Paris at full gallop a regiment of Horsemen  [[strikethrough]] having [[/strikethrough]] clearing the way.  They are said to have looked very pale & their lips were blue.  I guess they were badly scared.

I happened to be on the boulevard when the Emperor Napoleon went out to the depot to receive Alexander.  He was bowing to everybody. About a square behind him an undertaker driving a hearse at full gallop followed him he also bowing like the Emperor.  Everybody laughed even the policemen.  But it was a grim joke in some respects & I think the man was arrested.

When Alexander appeared [[strikethrough]]every  [[/strikethrough]] a great many yelled live Poland and many arrests were consummated.  When [[Alex.??]] appeared out on a promenade the same thing occurred. He visited the Palace of Justice but some of the lawyers hailed him with the cry Live Poland & the others yelled to the door which means put him out.  Some say they meant just the lawyers out the door but  [[strikethrough]] He  [[/strikethrough]] Alexander thought as some others still think and he beat a retreat immediately without seeing anything of it at all.  When he has since appeared he has been surrounded by a crowd of  [[strikethrough]] hoof [[/strikethrough]] policemen & private guards who elbow the people with but little

Transcription Notes:
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