The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-06-14 00:00:00

THE PRESS FETES IN PARIS.

Writing on Sunday night, the Paris correspondent
of the Daily News says:
The Bois de Boulogne Press Fête has, owing to bad
weather, been spoiled. It would have been deferred
but for the impossibility of preserving the garden
flowers which were bought late in the week fcr
decorating the carriages and pelting at the pro-
menaders in the drive round the lake. The extra-
ordinary expenditure in the flower markets towards
the end of the week rose above one million francs.
Rich people who have country seats derived thence
supplies in waggon loads.
At four the rain ceased, the sky cleared, and the
casTiages began to stream into the Bois. Some of
them completely disappeared under carnations, roses,
geraniums, myosotis, and other seasonable flowers.
They advanced four deep. The occupants of the flys
and cabs bought largely of the bouquetieres who were
installed in pretty little tents along the avenue en-
circling the lake. A brisk battle began. It was
waged in a courteous spirit, and the gentlemen were
anxious to show themselves dexterous in flinging nose-
gays. At this phase the sky again blackened, and
rain, accompanied by a perfect hurricane, fell with
waterspout violence. The road was in a few minutes
converted into a river, and the sewers' mouths got
choked up with the bouquets which the tawny
water carried into them. A horse which was hit
on the nose by a bunch of flowers which a lady
flung with too great vigour at M. Calmon took fright
and bolted. The momentary confusion was alarming.
M. Calmon and a gentleman with him jumped out,
were knocked down, soused in mud, and thought to be
killed. They were picked up, however, more
frightened than hurt, and in a dreadfully dirty state.
The rain lasted a couple of hours. When the weather
held up again there was an attempt made to illuminate
the Bois, The "Retraite aux Flambeaux" was begun,
In which the gymnastic societies, fire brigades, and
gendarmerie joined. It was at the start brilliant, pic-
turesque, and very animated, but the clouds again
returned and broke, and the torches were extin-
guished. Nevertheless an attempt was made
to keep up the festival spirit by , a pyro-
technic display. As the sky-rockets were going
up, the "Curee" was performed by the huntsmen and
packs of boar and wolf hounds of Count Greffuhle
and the Duchesse d'Uzes. The hounds were fetched
in the Messageries vans, and were in a bad temper.
Their nerves suffered from recent confinement at the
dog show, the weather, and the jolting in the closed
vehicles, and they showed their teeth at the policemen
who held torches near the van doors. The 'duchess,
regardless of the rain, was at the Bois to await her
dogs, to whom horseflesh sewn up in a stag's skin was
thrown. The boar hounds were regaled on the carcase
of a wild boar. While they were devouring, hunts-
men sounded the hunting horns.

OiNERRAMPTO-g ART GALLERY.—The attendance
at the Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Industrial Exhi-
bition during the first week of opening has equalled the
expectations of the Executive Committee. In addition
to 1450 season ticket-holders, about 17,000 visitors paid
for admission, and the total receipts up to Saturday had
exceeded £2OOO. Valuable works of art continue to be
lent, and Mr. Gladstone has consented to allow the axe
presented to him a short time ago to be sent for exhi-
bition. • • -- - -