The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-03-01 00:00:00

po!taflce.

An inquiry has been held at Coventry respecting the
death of 'louder Oswald Doilies, a native of Switz.riand.
In.cessed ha I been earning on tile ocrupetion of a dyer in
Coventry for some m +nth.. Al he did not get up at his
lucid time on 1 hursday, hi. room door Iva. br,.ken . pen
when he wee dliwovereii quite dead A knife of peculiar
manufacture was found by his side, and it wes stated in
evidence that the deceased had sold that be carried a
untamed knife, which would liii I any one w OWU ecretshed
by It. After hearing medical evidence, the iery returned .a
verdict to the elf ect that death had been mused by poison
sell-admlnistered, but that there was no evidence to show
the Oak ot mind ot thoslipmesed as She lima

"DES DENS DE malsorw

A French correspondent of The Timm, resldhig fn Par%
sends over the following goolpphig letter :
.

-- -
The assemblies, however, in the Faubourg St. Ger-
main are the latest novelty here. Since simple but
aristocratic minds have been led to believe that there
was a chance of the Fusion being effected, there has
been • series of gatherings in the Faubourg. But these
soirees intimea held between court-yard and garden,
with windows closed and curtsies drawn, have a
solemn aspect which prevents me from including them
among the gay fires of the Parisian world.
The two events which have been really exciting in
those great mansions hsve been the marriage of
the Duchess@ de Persigny and the ball which is
styled "des pens de maison." The marriage of
the Duchesse de Pereigny is not a mere event
in private life. Her family has done everything
in their power to call pualic attention to this
act, and it may therefore, be referred to without
indiscretion. During the Duke's lifetime the Duchess
went to Cairo for a more genial climate, and there she
received intelligence of the illness, and subsequently of
the death of the Duke. She quitted Cairo with self-
denying haste, and reached Nice in time to convince
herself that the Duke was really dead. The Duchess
assumed the deepest mourning and came to Paris to
spend the first period of her widowhood. Being free,
she felt disposed to marry M. le Moyne, a young
widower of good family, who occupied an honourable
position at Cairo. M. le Moyne was himself the firstto
dissuade the Duchess from the chivalrous idea she enter-
tained, and the newspapers which have been all along
the confidants of them two hearts duly published •
very honourable letter of M. Is Moyne, in which
he pointed out to the Duchess the error she would
commit in wishing to marry him. But the Duchess
persisted in her resolution. M. le Moyne did not stand
alone in deprecating a marriage. The Duchess's
family opposed it most strongly, but their opposition
only confirmed her in her resolution. In the presence
of such unalterable attachment K. le Moyne no longer
hesitated, and came to Paris, prepared to assent to the
wishes of the noble widow. But the family of the
Duchess was less yielding than the future bridegroom,
and finding that all efforts at persuasion would be in-
effectual her mother made an application to a Court of
Law to prevent her dausihter from carrying out her in-
tention, and also to confine her in a maison de sante.
The cause of the Duchess was vigorously defended, and
the Court rejected the application of the family.
Armed with the judicial decision in their favour the
Duchess and K. Is Moyne presented themselves before
the competent civil officer, who married them straight-
way. Three days later the religious marriage was
celebrated. This ceremony was performed in the
Chapelle deli Sainte Vierge, which is situated beneath
the Church of Saint Augustin. No member of the
family was present. Twenty-three persona were in the
chapel, including M. Charles Lafitte, witness for the
bride, and M. Is Comte de Malaret, the uncle of
M. le Moyne. The ceremony was simple, and the
usual collection was made by the son of the
Duchees and Mdlle. in Moyne. The Comtesse de Gullet
and several other ladies were among those present.
While the ex-Duchesse de Persigny voluntarily
abandoned her title to become plain Madame Is Moyne,
transformations of a wholly different character might
have been witnessed on Fliday night at the Salle
Valentino, where was held the annual "80/ des pens de
maison," or, in other words, of the servanta in great
establishments. It is the custom at these balls that the
servants should be known by the names of their masters
or mistresses. Thus, any foreigner present who
had not been previously enlightened would have
brought away a singular idea of the French no-
bility. There are none but princesses, duchesses,
marquises, countesses, or baronesses. The latter
title is so numerously represented that it is rather
contemstuously looked down upon. The gentlemen
are in full dress and the ladies display the latest and
most elegant fashions. Upon entering the room I was
very graciously saluted by a gentleman of distinguished
appearance, who is attached to the household of a
diplomatic marquis, and who, in donning his master's
coat, had forgotten to remove the Grand Crone of a
foreign order. The illusion was so complete that I
was about most respectfully to offer my hand, when
be explained, with all the simplicity of good taste,
that he was the ralet de chambre who was accustomed
to introduce me when I called on the Marquis, his
master. This misadventure put me on my guard, and
I watched with natural curiosity the scene that was
presented to me. It was a very singular scene and
one which showed how great a part dress has in con-
ferring distinction. Upon finding myself in presence
of the gene de in maison, I was struck with their dis-
creet behaviour and the strange fidelity with which
they copied the attitudes of their masters. The valets
de rhambrc of diplomatists talked with stiff necks
swathed in high cravats, with impassible counte-
nances scrutinizing looks, and lips breathing mys-
tery. 'The servants of the Faubourg St. German
looked upon those of the Faubourg St. Honor@ with
good-humoured impertinence, and • the latter re-
turned their disdain by sneering looks and distant
behaviour. One felt in observing these people that the
fusion at any rate between the two faubourgs w still
a subject of difficulty. This was more remarkable
among the lashes. The attendants upon the vieille
noblesse were few in number, and those few were attired
in stiff, severe stresses, with precious laces, and loaded
with diamonds, magilificent, if ill set. The ladies of
the Faubourg St. Honore had a wealthy but boor.
geois appearance, pretty dresses, but somewhat defi-
cient in taste, much jewelry, leas splendid than those
of the Faubourg St. Germain, but mounted in
more modern taste. The ladies from the Boulevard
llauaemann were rather flighty in their appearance,
their toilettes more deo:Welles, their hair more ex-
travagantly dressed, and they trifled with their fans
in a most captivating style. Truth compels me to
state that the Boulevard Haussmann attracted the
greatest number of admirers. It must also be added
that the Boulevard Hausmann accepted with ready
frankness all the compliments that were offered, as
also the glasses of mulled wine which were presented.
The Faubourg St. Honore displayed a coquetry which
seemed to be a little affected, while the I aubourg
Germain remained in their chairs.