The Sun.
London, England, 1866-10-08 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Sunday Evening.
The Moniteur states that a treaty of commerce
and navigation between Italy and Japan was signed
at Yeddo on the 25th of August last. This treaty
is to come into operation on the Ist of 'January,
1t567.

On the proposition of M. Armand Behir, Minis-
ter of Commerce and Public Works, a decree has
been issued, which, after stating that the cattle
disease is nearly extinct in Belgium, is rapidly on
the decrease in England, but still prevails with a
certain intensity in the Netherlands, cattle from
England, with certain exceptions, from the Nether-
lands and from Belgium, may be freely admitted
into all the ports of France.
The Seine has completely returned; to its bed
and the Loire and other rivers which have created
such serious disasters are also rapidly retiring to
their accustomed position. The total amount of
the subscriptions is now 392,814 f.
After being invisible for some eight or ten days
the sun has reappeared and has shone brightly all
day. The weather is again splendid and warm.
There is a report in political circles in Paris, which,
upon inquiry, I believe to be well founded, that the
Chambers will assemble this year about three weeks
earlier than usual, viz., in the middle of December.
The many important events that have arisen, and
which will require consideration, also strengthen the
belief in the report. Another reason for an early
meeting of the Chambers arises from the desire to
terminate the session, so that its labours may be
finished before the opening of the Great Exhibi-

tion.
The Constitutionnel (I believe, exclusively) defends
the proceedings against the Memorial Diplomatique,
at the demand of Prussia, but chiefly on the ground
that this course of policy would enable France- to
proceed against Prussian papers which might attack
the French Government.
Princess Handjari, of the family of Schleswig-
Holstein, whose chief claims the sovereignty to the
Duchies of the Elbe, has just died at her chateau of
Malherbe, in Normandy.
An illustration has just been afforded of the pro-
verb, " There is many a slip between the cup and
the lip." Shakspere is again right in saying, that
" the course of true love never does run smooth."
At all events, it did not run smoothly in the case of
Jean Blerupin and Marie Leroux, whose true love

has brought them to the Correctional Police Court.
Those young lovers (they are not 20) get a living
by gathering rags and other "unconsidered trifles."
In short, Marie is what is called in Paris a " chif-
fonier." She goes about with a basket and a crook
to pick up all sorts of things in the streets and high-
ways. What she finds sometimes is nothing to any
body. One day Marie said to Jean, "I have an
idea, if you like, we will marry and have a legiti-
mate wedding." Blempin seemed very much
astonished, but, however, he consented ; and the
banns were published and the formalities fulfilled.
Thus the affair got wind, and the news soon electri-
fied all the chiffoniers in the neighbourhood of the
barriere de Fontainebleau. From that moment the
lovers became the object of the jokes and sarcasms
of the whole camp, women and all. Whenever they
were seen the rag-gatherers " chaffed" them, as it
would be called in London. Some said it was against
all the rules of the fraternity of the hook and basket
for any member to get married. The thing was un-
precedented and dangerous, and would bring dis-
grace and ill-luck upon the whole body of rag-
gatherers. Blempin and Marie, however, were
undismayed by all these demonstrations, and held
to their purpose. The day for the wedding was
fixed, and the wedding party, with Blempin at their
head, went to the Maine of Gentilly. The clerk be-
ing absent Blempin got impatient, and very much
out of temper. At length the clerk arrived, and
finding the bridegroom very drunk and very up-
roarious, he took him by the shoulders and turned
him out of the room. This move did not exactly
suit Marie. " I want to get married to-day," said
she ; " that's what I came for." "In that case,"
replied the clerk, "you must choose somebody else
among the company, " fur Blempin is too drunk to
be married to-day." The clerk, perhaps, thought
that Blempin saw double, and did not want another,
if even a better, half. "Do me the favour to leave

the place immediately," added he. It was quite
clear that the wedding must be postponed, unless
Marie took the clerk's advice and named some other
person of the party. They therefore all turned their

faces homewards, Blempiu again at the head, but
instead of being full of fun, as he was when he went,
he was furious. Ile cried, swore, kicked, jumped
and sang. In order to drown his grief he stopped
at every wine shop on the way, and swallowed wine
or brandy until he became quite insensible. On the
return home of the party they were all out of
humour. The jokes and witticisms against the
lovers were renewed with tenfold force. Blempin
at first answered the jokes with jokes, but on their
repetition he could stand it no longer, and began to
hit and kick at his tormentors. A general row and
battle ensued, in the course of which two rag-
gatherers of the softer sex, Eugenie Valentin and
Josephine Depienne, received some rather severe
injuries in the legs, which were inflicted by the dis-
appointed bride and bridegroom. Blood had been
shed, and the rag-gatherers cried aloud for venge •
ance. The two ladies in question, therefore, ap-
peared at the office of Correctional Police to de-
mand it.

The counsel for the accused dwelt upon tho hard-
ships and disappointments of their clients, and said
it would be cruel indeed if the court were to punish
them for wishing to set an example at once moral
and religious, for which they had already received
nothing but kicks, insults, and sarcasms. The
court did not at all sympathise with the lovers.
They had committed a violent assault, and must be
punished. So, instead of enjoying their expected
happy honeymoon, they were sent to prison, Blem-
pin for a fortnight, and Marie Leroux for a week.
It is at the present moment undecided whether the
lovers will make another attempt at marriage. The
rag-gatherers will probably persuade them to think
better of the matter, and not inflict " such a heavy
blow and great discouragement" upon the fraternity.
A rather beautiful vegetable phenomenon now
attracts attention in the Square des Arts at Metiers.
About 20 chestnut trees out of 40 are in full bloom
for the second time this year. The same thing is
to be seen on the Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle and in
the Champs Elysees. •
Two male children, twins, of the Albino races
have just been born at the hospital of_ the Hotel