The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-01-14

much reason 70 congratulA&o thomDolvo0. Every day
scm;xtass 81 snow, sod nosins esn well b more
cherries than the appeassnre a the streets spite
Of the preparations which are going on 70 ensure
gadness and fsstivity fer tia Jow dc Pan. How the
line the BouevGds, from the beautiful Temple Of toe
Madeleine 10 the Fauboug 81. Antoine, distance
Of some three miles, keep themselves alive In such
miserable westher, is riddle. But there do they
patiently stand ali day. and many lay there eli night
before whole regiments Of toys, Of infaotiae machi
merry, Of BON bons. OF rattles, pisto bows dancing
dolls heaps Of gingerbread, sieges of Sebastopo,
scenic representations. music, from the hurdy gurdy
to ACCORDION, lamps charts, children's books aud
all the other everlasting devices which the fseiiag
generation Justin lively caters for That wnlea Is
treadipg it, beels and the price OF these smill
necessities Is so trihiBg, and year after year the
stock lefs in their hands Is large that it needs
mo than superficial knowledge Of ths laws of
trade to know hoN IL all answers, especially as
during residi nee OF five years, it seems to
me that their annual days Of sale are
pess DIS wsssee-sor the quantity sold, nosrita
SANDING the vastnsss OF the debris, ia proaigous
The BoulevaYds are at this moment one floating
mass of the frat aud the lassof che genera N that
is, and that which Is succeeding. Then they are,
like the ores OF Hymettus, bending down under the
treasures they have gathered from hut TO hut. TIE
little do it all for the pride of possession seeks
instantaneous qualifications aud what IL requires it
tSe ahsrs n the q
teinl folcness-and the French, vita all taeir
taste, mike woDdrous dolls Of titir childfen-their
cheeks swollen with intensity Of admiration, aad
red with the driving seet and wind, bending under
the weight of LilputiaD wag ms, OF prodgious
drums, Of miniature Theatres Francaiss, OF camps
Of soldiers of mountains of gingerbread Of showers
of bon. bons, Of organs, turning lathes. printing
presses, dogs, COWS, goats birds and beasts, moro
dreamed of In It's phi Osophs.
But this Is for the million. Look at that superb
mansion on the Boulevard des 1taliens, with 6lss Of
carriages double deep before II, towards which
where the new police have difficulty in performing
their .msiden functions It L. Giroux'.-
Giroux's-not as l spoke Of u in q for
mer letter, for taen it appears It was Gox-
will not say in the "soft sneP'-but Grnux just
chipping the egg OF the "hard shells" and no the
bro Is hstched, and moreover aedgsd, and in full
plume. The basement story, or Rsz do Chaussie, Is
mere prem mary, and the colossal dolls which, on
either side Of the door way, stand laden with every
conceivable attraction to the little hu mantias, are
mere drops of water to remind the thirsty pilgrim of
the perennial fountains which are splashing forta
like the Niagara Falls up stairs. The floor above Ia
decorated with all sorts Of elegant stationery writ
ing cases, dressing cases. papet weights, pencils,
&C., also the most elaborate tableaur constructive
or, we used to call item in our earlier days puz
zles; and then there are musical boxes Of the value
Of thiityfve francs, whicn play t~o or three airs
and ct apes fddling, donkeys browsing, children
begging cattle feeding, soldiers fighting, gentlemen
sporting, and ell manner Of domestic meaGge, from
the frying-pan to the sloppail agoing When cloyed
CLEANED out" by their effect upon those blessed
Juveniles who have never stopped from the moment
Of tceir entrance, giggling, cackng, and shriekas
at treasures which ont Hsrod all the wonders of the
lamp OF Aladdin, you once again commence the pro-
cess Of ascent and find yourself in another
stage, which, I presume, the Msssrs Gieoux
have intended to b species Of third has.
KEN ,fs for .d 1 below they have DSrssed cd
larger no less tnan those Of smaller growth are
dragged down with the eddying, Intoxicating whirl-
pool. There are bronzes, such as heathsn would
fall down and worship-thers are paintings from
ections-there are meubes made OF that fascins sting
b0is de rose, inlaid-encTuste Is thu term with
flowers whoee colors vie with the gorgeous tulip
exquisite tables de jeur stands for flowers, beau'ful
little aege,es, cabinet chests of drawers into which
1t would be positive sin to put anything, vases Of
Scores elegantly mounted on pedestals OF buM or
mar guer where the cards Of select and ariato
these, is such collectsn galaxy must call t-of
food for the infant mind, that like the Homeric ca
fatigue Of ships, should need lungs of brass, the
head OF Minerva, and the pen indeed Of ready wri-
ter to describe It TIE sheep if not quite aslarge as
life are whittier than ever saw Sleeps wool before,
ard make noise equal TO the flo ,ks Of Jethro; the
cows give tongue, IL not milk, enough for London
dairy; the dolls dance and about till the little ones,
with starting eyes and open mouth, stand Al gaze,
cry, or rather shriek-Eat &C gui Ills sont Uisants
mamma? And then they clap their delighted
hards and whirl themselves about till the
all things are at . value little is to be OBJ
tanned, even in this way, under twenty Eve france;
and when your ambition soar, towards rocking
horses, duchesslke doIls things with internal ma
chineTy which causes them to picture great events
rival those ut Ia Maidstone, fourneanr de mirage,
batteries de cusise mimic ihss soldiers at to drub
the Russians, and cannons and mortars that would
be terrible at sebastopol, you must be prepared :,
draw your pursestrnes to the tune Of one hun red
even thousand francs. And sooth to say, OBJ.
served there were far more spectators than pur-
chasers though the last may probably greatly
augment, as the Jour dc Tan approaches, for every
living being In France must have present on that
It Is certain that 30 much catering for the help.
less portion OF humanity Is very amiable feature
in the national character Of France, and the inge-
nuity displayed is perfectly wonderful. though TO
our ADglo45axon mind the thing Is little over
done. II children would appropriate these inge-
NOUS toys to the uses for which they are intended
they would doubtless prove no less instructive than
amusng But bless me, to ses how the possession OF
such bjou. erie Immediately developes their bumps
Of destructiveness, organic alton which really be-
comes Of some little consideration when the price Is
80 high
However, doubtless Messrs. Groux know their
own business best There is article which, at the
risk Of fatigung the reader, cannot finish this
subject without audiDg to. II Is piece which, at
nr6t sight, resembles DeautlIul tlmepiece Tor tue
salon indeed, rather think it is surmountsi with
email clock but on near inspection it is found
to be an elegantly furnished boudor, 10 which is
seated q lady, powdered, hoped, and brocs6ed, as
in the days of the Regency, who is occupied ia
turning the handle of bird organ to an exquisite
little sOngster, Who reoicngin the richest plumage,
anc perched on q stand In the middle OF the room,
bends his crested head, futters his little pinions,
and restlessly moves In his resting pla,s while his
mistress thus imparts with q benevolent smile, and
ever and anon a gentle il Clination q. the head ha
lesson. Suddenly the lady ceases, and graciously
makes sign, when the obedieut bird opeo It's little
be ak and pumes its little Fathers and viii every
sign OF enraptured delight pours forth q bird-uke
imitation Of the ar ne has heard. The Illusion is
perfect. II is impossible to imagine the power of
cockwork machinery TO 60 furthsr and crowds
upon crowds Of delighted listeners hang over IT, and
never seem to tire OF doing 30. I did not inquire
the price. but from the general fitting up aud per.
. E=axaea ox iudcad - 20 -