The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-09-13
FlEII IN PAES1S.

A Bostonian who visited the French capital
last spring. furnishes the following sketches of
things as they came under his observation. The
letter is addressedto the Boston Daily Advertiser:
PARIS, Is! April, 1874.
Meurice's Hotel is an immense build
ing in the form of hollow square, front
ing on the Rue de Rivoli, and overlooking
the garden of the Tuilleries, in the most
fashionable and delightful quarter of Paris.
lis proprietor is one of the most estima-
bic and obliging men of his crait--every
thing IN the establishment Is on the most
liberal scale. 1t is the head quarters of
English and American travellers, and its
table d'hote is attended by the best com
pany IN Europe. Here, then, every clti-
zen of the United States who finds him
self in Paris should appear, if not as a
permanent boarder, at least as an occa-
sional guest, that he may make a compar-
ison between this splendid establishment
and the great aston and fremont of his
own land
The American must not expect to find
the same arrangements as he meets with
a home, for it is safe to say that in the
two countries every thing is different
but he is fairly entitled to draw a com
pariSon between the comforts severally
offered him and will have the opportu-
nifty of showing the correctness of his
judgment by the impartlality of his de-
cision.
1t is not too much TO say, that at Meu-
rice's--as perhaps at the fremont or the
Aslor-one may have any thing he wants,
upon the sole condition of being willing
to pay for it. The first great difference
in the French and American houses, is
the amount of this payment, which in the
former exceeds the latter by about fifty
per cent. But the great difference is made
i'll the mode of computation. In America
you have board and lodging to a certain
extent at fixed price; in Paris each
apartment and article is charged by itself.
Blu. lie; US look at the table d'Hote,
where dinner is served at six o'clock, for
ii francs head. The room is infe-
rlor in size to its American rivals. The
single table, which runs from end TO end,
can accommodate but 60 or 65 persons /;
but this table is decorated with taste.--
Splendid artificial flowers adorn the CEN
tire. and flower pots of verbena and hya-
clnths ornaments the same. Ii is per-
Tuned garden-proiusely brilliant with
light, chrystal and silver; and occupied
by persons in corresponding attire. You
notice in moment, that the attendants
are servants, and not merely help; and
that their regular and skilful attentions,
are the results of habi! and discipline--to
which the American hotels are entirely
strangers.
There is no noise-no rafting of knives
or plates--no running--Ro disorder-no
tumult. The plates are changed almost
impercepiibly, and you hear nothing but
the conversation Of different parties, min
Cling the various languages of Europe, in
which the English evidently preponder-
a,es. There is no hurry, and no unrea-
sonable duration. The dinner is an hour,
or an hour and half in progress--and
then the company retire. This table is
a very fair specimen of the capabilities
OF the market and the power of the artist.
The dishes are well dressed and served
hot and promptly. have seen private
establishments which are certainly vastly
more sumpiuous; and others quite re,