The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-12-01

Such warning was quite unnecessary the
idea OF the table dhote, at best was sufficient
but TO walk q square through all sorts of
weather, to our meals was out of the question
30 we turned from the fairy chambers and the
fair unknown
Wewere not more fortunate n.the following
six or eight Efforts and paused in the midst Of
our search 10 dine at "A restaurant, for the ex-
ertlon gave us appetites at an early hour.
This feeding ! was about to call it--ths
eating by ourselG or with party in crowd,
o street, almost, is fast becoming the habit in
New York. ! consider it vile; but do you notice
how rapidly cur great city is falling into the
manners and customs of Paris You feel, on
the Boulevards, az if you were in Broadway
with difference The crowd in New York, as
| have said before like Jc'.n Glpin, although
on pleasure bent have yet frugal mind, a
| good deal damaged in look by dyspepsia and
trouble. | looked round on the little snowy
tables at which sat the expectant and eating
animals, and | saw only those who acted az if
they considered dining the principal business
of life. None of that hasty swallowing of food
and rushing away, as If that moment was tho
last available one in life. An. our men az
home can never be the quiet, easy, graceful
gentlemen, until they forget what their coats
| cost
Doctor Bob, now our guide in this pursuit of
local habitatiOn, proposed We should cross
the river to the Faubourg st German - a
quarter less sought after by strangers, and
| therefore probably more reasonable in price
| We did so and soon found ourselves iii what
had been, in the old times, the aristocratic
quarter of Paris. The palaces Of the noblesse,
| in days gone by, are now the apartments
meubles for transient citizens of other lands
| We We're shown through any number, where
the wide halls, huge stairways, and lofty cell
ings, gave token of different order OF mind
from that of to-day. But the streets are mar
row and gloomy, and the furniture such only
as had seen former circumstances We looked
with much interest on these monuments Of de-
parted grandeur-the sad memeutoes of not
only proud and powerful families, but Of the
revolution and the reign of terror in which they
went down, never again to rise. Napoleon
made an effort to re-esta blsh the aristocracy
| of France, but failed; and since, all such have
been, and are, but feeble shadows Of the mighty
| past. Strange as it may seem, there is more
genuine democracy in the social life of Paris
than in the United States The old family
pride, a. | said was broken down in the revo-
luton, and has not been replaced by the mon
eyed influences, which o'ershadow all else at
home One may live in any style, in Paris, and
be respected-at home We are brained in every
effort by weighty purses
This il not giving you any information on
the subject Of lodgings. We sigually failed in
the Faubourg st. German. One suite Of rooms
only came up to expectation, in the Rue -,
No. -, and on the first story, and exQusitely
furnished old furniture, that in its selection
exhibited taste and character; the pictures
were fine, and piano and harp added to the
attractions. But the room had damp musty
atmosphere, as if unused for some time while
many of the windows, looking into a narrow
court, gave gloomy light to the whole. The
rent for all this-fve rooms and kitchen
was 80 reasonable it startled us-only fifty dol
lars per month.
81 brought you here" said Doctor Bob, "that
you might have specimen Of the trouble be.
setting strangers in Paris. Were it not for me,
now, you would take this p,eee, and die. have
learned its history sit down and rest, while !
relate it. Some ten wears since, these rooms
were furnished, as you now zee them, by a
young gentleman Of wealth and family, for
himself and young girl he had deceived by u
mock marriage The reason of this imitation
may be foundin the fact that the youth had a
, wife living, but, being excessively wearied Of
her he found much happiness in taking to him
self another. Leaving his lawful spouse TO pass
the winter in Rome, under some prctence, lie
brought his youthful bride to this place, and
for her furnished these rooms. All that taste
could suggest, or fancy desire, was theirs For
a while the imitation went merry as the real
marriage bell but at last came the reckoning
as it must in all things sinful. The guilty bus
band received letter from his lawful spouse,
announcing her unexpected return to Paris
| RUy r,Iain al lattn ,ol
by few hours before that announced for the
appearance of his wife. What to do, he knew
not In tit of desperation, he told all to the
poor victim 1t came with frighful effect the
life of fairy happiness faded into dreary real
ity before her, and she sank, heart broken
The remedy for all evils with Frenchman is
suicide, He proposed they should die He
brought pan Of charcoal closed the windows,
dropped the curtains and, both drinking
draught of laudanum to dcaden the pain, laid
down together on the bed His nerves were 30
strung by the excitement, that the opate had
no effect; but she soon slept. Time wore slowly
on. At length, while dropping into that sleep
which knows no waking he was reused by
violent ringing at the door and throwing open
the window, saw in the court below carriage,
that told but too well Of the arrival He looked
round; she was apparently insensible he went
out, closing the door after him. II WAS indeed
his wife; but what to do with her, was ques-
ton easier asked than answered He assured
her these were the apartments of friend, i'll
with contagious disorder and he begged her
to leave him. She WAS about com plying, when
new character came upon the stage It is
supposed the open window revived the poor
creature he had left Re that as it NAV, che
did partly revive, and not finding her betrayer
at her side, staggered to tho door, and fell dy-
ing, at his feet All effort to sustain life was in
vain-she expired in his arms. The husband,
deserted by his wife, charged with murder,
fed, and for some days seemed to have entirely
disappeared But one dull wintry morning that
identical old gentleman who now stands before
US opened these rooms to air them, and found
Monsieur lying upon the floor with his throat
cut, quite dead. You may yet see, by looking
closely, the stain Of drops upon the door side.
Since then, these rooms scem fated for many
years they were summed. and ut last, when
strangers have made the effort IN inhabit them,
sckness has driven them out. Come, let us y.
Nothing these prOprietors OF furnished apart
mcnts 70 much dread, ~ an event likely to in
jure their rents When first came to live in
Paris, was sadly affected by the blues, and
mopcd about considerably My landlord be
Cuinc hihftusIi anu NJ itSe ruHHcNtcu, TTtHcH-
man like, that if Monsieur thought OF burning
his bran,0r in any other way departing tbs
life, he would be 10 kind AZ to engage other
apartments, il Monsieur pleased, or at least
use the Arch of Triumph, or some other pub
lie institution
We lost many dayd in the search, before
finding the house we needed and now inhabit
IL was a very fatiguing business, with CLEANS
| A 4
leave the carriage, but sent Dr. Bob and D. in
to examine and then report At one place
they were 10 long that followed and entering
une xpcctedly, overheard very lively converse
ton between my ENJOYS extraordinary and the
| female concierge