The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-24 00:00:00

Great World's Fair in Paris, and stopping only for
an instant at the beautiful bread factory and shop
of our friend Director Bacon for a handful of his
inimitable Boston crackers, we shall take leave of
our reader beneath the shadow of the Stars and
Stripea, which float so gracefully from the pavilions
in which Citizens Dows and Guild, U.S., fabricate
in crystal and silver the smashes and sherry-
cobblers which lick all creation, or the ice-cream
soda couleur de rose beverages, which will create
many a time a grateful souvenir of those great men
in the memory of those who have experienced
its refreshing coolness, even though unappreciated
by the jaded palate of the representative of
the Pall _ltctll Gezette, only perhaps to be marred
by the latest compound of the Unapproachable Club,
as described perhaps in the " S.ybil " of the present
Chancellor of the Exchequer. I must not, how-
ever, finally leave the Exposition, especially whilst
speaking of bevero,ges, without speaking of an inci-
dent which has just lengthened considerably many
a bearded visage, viz., the sudden running out of
one of the German breweries. The crowd to-day
was enormous, and after supplying 6,000 chopes, or
half-pints, the cellar ran dry before one o'clock in
the day. Dire was the French and Foreign
consternation, for beer has become 6ne of the
most fashionable beverages of the Parisians
also, and many were the polyglot imprecations
of " Gott in himmel, " Der Tenfel," " Sacre
nom d'un chien," which greeted the unvarying re-
sponse of " ich haben nicbt" or " it n y est-plus,"
an answer given by one of the waiters, a simple-
looking Viennese, however, was calculated to afford
considerable satisfaction to the numerous disap-
pointed ones. " Comment" (said an irritable look-
ing little Frenchman). " Pas de biere" (How, no
beer ?) " Oh, que si, monsieur" (Oh yes, sir).
"Eh bien" (Well then). "Elie est encore k Stras-
bourg. Mais soyez tranquille, nous aeons tele-
graphic pour la faire venir par le train express."
(But it is as yet at Strasbourg. We have sent for
it to come by express). It is needless to say the
victim " levanted," taking up the double. The Em-
peror and Empress have paid a visit of condolence to
the Emperor and Empress of Austria at Salzbourg,
arriving there on the 18th inst., the fete day of the
latter potentate. Their Majesties were received at
their royal hosts, accompanied by the Archduke
Louis Victor, the governor of the province, the
burgomaster of the city, and the military autho-
rities ; and after partaking for a few days the
splendid hospitality of the Austrian sovereign, and
paying a short visit to the Emperor Francis 11.,
their Imperial Majesties returned to Paris on
Thursday last. Some would-be alarmists pretend
to discern in this visit some new political combina-
tions, but the views of Austria, especially as regards
territorial extension, must be considerably modified
by the expenses and experience of the late Italian
war. I believe the visit myself to be a bona fide
one of condolence, though it is probable that even
such powerful monarchs will not have met without
discussing in some manner the political position of
Europe. The city has been thrown into consterna-
tion this week by several of those terrible dramas
which the susceptible temperament of the inhabit-
ants of southern regions so frequently evidence.
The murder of Madame Mertens by her friend
Madame Frigard, in the wood of Fontainebleau,
coupled with the mystery in which the affair has
been enveloped,* and the masculine coolness and self-
reliance evinced by the accused on her trial, have
ranked this affair amongst the celebrated criminal
cases of France. It has received, however, suffi-
cient explanation and comment from the Press to
need any further notice on my part.
On Friday evening last the inhabitants of the
Quartier St. Antoine were aroused by the sudden
explosion of a pistol in the house of a marchand
des eins in the Beautreillis, followed by the appear-
ance of a man at the front door, which, after closing
firmly, he retired, his absence being immediately fol-
lowed by another report. Entrance was speedily
forced by the authorities, and upon their arrival
a most distressing and fearful spectacle presented
itslf. On the bed lay fully dressed the corpse of
a woman, whilst on the floor, in the agonies of
death, rolled the murderer ; whilst, to add to the
horrors of the scene, in a cradle reposed tran-
quilly an infant of nine months. Upon examination
it was found that the bodies were those of
Monsieur and Madame Minatte, the approximate
cause of the double murder, resulting, it is supposed,
from a fit of jealousy on the part of the husband.
Singular to relate, at almost the same instant many
persons who were passing through the Place Ven-
dome saw appear, all at once, on the top of the
column a man, who repeatedly waved his hat to
them, as if desirous they should get out of the way.
Before, however, they could understand clearly his
movements, he was seen to get astride the balustrade
and precipitate himself headlong on to the street.
It is needless to add that death was instantaneous.
The body was at once conveyed to the Morgue. It
is probable this will have the effect of inducing the
authorities, by some simple method or other, to
render impossible for the future a repetition of such
scenes, the more especially considering the number
of public monuments of this description to which
the people have free access.
During the past week several public buildings
and monuments have been inaugurated at Paris,
amongst which I may mention the churches of the
Holy Trinity of Saint Augustin, and last, not
least, the exterior of the new opera opposite the
entrance of the Rue de Paris, which, for architec-
tural beauty, ranks amongst the very first public
buildings of Franco. As it would require, however,
the pencil of the artist, as well as the imagination
of a poet, to describe this charming public institu-
tion, I
.shall content myself with referring the
reader to the various photographs and engravings
which he will find on every hand.
The closing of the fete of the 15th has been
marked by a graceful act on the part of the
Emperor in the remission of the various punish-
ments incurred by some 220 of the National
Guard of the department of the Seine—
" The quality of mercy
Is mightiest in the mightiest."
One word to sportsmen. The district of the
South of France was opened for the Chase on the
19th inst. Although the south does not offer so
much attraction as the central and northern dis-
tricts, the disciples of St. Herbert were on foot with
the rising of the sun. Quail and partridge are, it
is said, abundant this season ; large game, however,
such as the wild boar and roebuck, &c., are dind-
nishing in the southern district to a considerable
extent. In the Zone du Nord, or northern district,
the chase will commence, as in England, upon the
Ist of September.

PARIS, Aug. 22

Musical instruments at the Exposition, and the
uncovering of the new Opera-house have been the
subjects of interest in Paris circles this week. I shall
devote a special correspondence to the former in a
subsequent letter, and before I proceed to describe
the new edifice will but mention in the American
department the Chickering piano, now called the
king of all pianos. Hereditary right to title may
be contested, as Messrs. Chickering and Sons, our
contemporaries, have themselves founded this novel
monarchy ; but their factory in Tremont-street,
Boston, if not a regal manor, .is a palace
in the factory style, and occupies a space
of no less than 206,000 feet. It would be interest-
ing to lead my readers all over the building, but it
is fearfully complete in every detail, and neither
breadth, width, nor height, could be given to it
in the few lines I can here dispose of.
The object of the building being the manufac-
ture of the pianos themselves, I will simply resume
the points which so essentially make them surpass
others in perfection. Firstly, quality, power, and
unity of sound ; secondly, neat and delicate power
of touch, the kind, quality, and durability of
finish. The following are the names of the artists
who have consecrated the above remarkable
qualities by testimonials of the highest appro-
bation :—Thalberg, Benedict, Black, Gottschalk,
Kehli,. Richard Hoffmann, Poznanski, &c. The
latter gives a séance every day at the Champ de
Mars between three and five o'clock, which
draws eager crowds round the American section,
who stand in a large circle listening to the

*Madame Fugard has since confessed that she poisoned
Xadame gortm vrith,pruoic Acid.