Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-08-23
miscellaneous.
AN AMERICAN IN PARIS.

So, you desire an account of my Robin
son Crusoc life in Paris, and shall proceed
to give it to you in plain prose, promising
only by the way that you seem to me as fa-
milar with Partisan phraseology, as if YOU
had been born and bred an Spfi,mc of a
French Hotel Meuble. |, then, Henry Col
man, of lawful age, citizen of the grand
Republic Of the United States (hurrah for
the thirteen stars aud strpesD aud for ma
ny years subject of her royal majesty,
Queen Victoria God save the Queen y do
depose and say that reside in street of
Paris, called La rue ChauSsec a Antin,
running from the BOntcUardS to st. La.are,
straight as an arrow, clean, well built, full
Of fine houses and fine shops, and magnii-
cent hotels in court yards, and crowded
from early dawn to late at night, had al
most said until the return Of dawn with
carriages, chariots, omnihuses, chaises,
wheelbarrows, ladies and women GENERALLY
very handsome indeed,) milkmads, laun-
dresses, grise,tes, Lorettes, chiifonniers,
fashionables, and Normandise with their
butterfly caps; in Short one of the most
public, and one of the busiest, and one of
the pleasantest streets in town. am in the
fifty story--the lower floor is not counted,
and the cntresoi, or second floor, is not
counted | am qHatrieme, and mount six
flight of stairs to reach my resting place.
Being fat and "pursy" and having very
shor, legs, you may depend upon it have
often wished for some elevatng machine by
which the summit could be reached without
having to double up my joints one hundred
and thirteen tImeS--for that is the number
of stairs. Now young and ethereal persons
like yourself, so gay, SO transparent, SO light
of step,would go up like Il sparrow whole
flight at time. From my eyrie-nest look
down upon the moving world with phllo-
sophie composure, and breathe an atmos.
phere far superior to the groveling sons of
earth below me-(ask the chemists if it is
not SOY My nest, however, is very small
! have but one small room; three good
closets brick floor, which like because
it saves all noise covered with thick car
pet; bed long enough if don't grow any,
which | have concluded not to do, for the
present; a chest of drawers, surmouned
by a stuffed parrot in G ass case, who looks
very civly at me, and says nothing, though
feel occasionally quite embarrassed at the
closeness of his inspection; bed, linen,
fireplace, with movable CRATE, which |
purchased, and in which | burn drv wood
and good coal three easy chairs, and two
with upright backs, which prefer, for fear
of affecting the grace Of my movements
and to crown the whole, three good sized
mirrors--so that you see, | am never with
out company, though it is only the redupli-
cation Of that Of which one sample is quite
utlicient-certanly one at time. | break
! fast in my own chamber at nine rise al
halt.past six get very hungry before break
fast comes. The servant brings my allow
ance of bread, butter and cream. | boi
my own tea-keltle make my own tea; buy
my own sugar, Candles, etc; have the Dali,
News to read IN the mornlng-whlch some
times, on account of the i'll temper which
1t shows towards America and France, o
bllges me 10 put more sugar than usual ii
my tea. In dShabiHe | wear grey frock
coat, plaid walscoat, grey trousers. silk
neckclolh, black slippers, occasionally var
nIsled and look very grave aud wise, when
raising my head from the table, let my
spectaces drop Oh the end of my nose anC
comb my few Struggling grey hairs with my
fingers, presenting i'll such cases very fine
for my teame-de-chambre attentive to
fault, full of good nature, and so willing tc
serve me, that take care to call on hin
for what can do myself, and sometimes al
most trlghten the cap off his head by m
frantic gestlculations, when | cannot max
him understand my French, though IN
dersland it perfectly myself / stay in IN
room, extraordlnaries excepted, always VII
Ill three o'clock; 60 sightseeing; dine a
an English restaurant al 6ve--can't live a
French cgfe-dslike the French cookin
don't know whether you are eating frog
cat or baby; evening with friends or at tn
theatre, rarely at home get sleepy at eley
en-; crawl to bed at twelve O'clock think
ing of my dear friends in America an
England sigh so hard as almost to untuc
the bed clothes; wish them all kind OF ble
slugs; fancy see them; never knew
loved them half SO much; pray for then
and dream about them sleep quietly 81
hours; try not to let the sun get up beiol
me; though confess to my shame, | som
times find him PeePing into my chamber