Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-03-04

little insight into way Va AAfAhSs
1 will give you short description. Early in the
morning, we had delicious coffee, served to us in
the common sitting room, at small round table,
with little bread and butter. And here. let me
say, that the bread in France is generally excel
lent-very white, light, sweet and good. No fam
lily baking is usually done here-al the baking
being done by the bakers, and the bread is carried
around, every morning,by men or women, in large
baskets on their heads, or in their arms, like
wood, as the loaves often made three or four
feet long. The butter, too, is very sweet and
nice ;-it is made into pretty little cakes. about
the size of a silver dollar, and is brought to the
table without being salted; that each one salts
it according to taste. There were five gentlemen
at the table, but no lady made her appearance
After we had done eating, very strong perfectly
black coffee was offered us in small cups, into
which brandy, rum, or gin, is put as bestsuits
the guests and this, believe is a very common
| practice after each meal. After finishing our
coffee in a short time,w walked out into the gar
dens, it being announced that breakfast would be
ready at ten o'clock AT the breakfast table, the
ladies with the children appeared. We had soup,
several sorts of meat &C. all served separately,
but coffee or tea until we had nearly or quite
finished eating, common claret wine being on the
table. This is universal drink, at at all meals,
by all classes a cheap, weak, and pleasant arti
Gle. An hour or more was spent at the table, the
time passing off very agreeably. We were sum
moned to dinner at haf-past five o'clock, and sat
down to handsomely laid table of empty plates
nothing eatable, but bread, being in sight. I
will here premise, that the French custom, land
generally the continent / beleve) is to serve
but dish at time, and, when that is done
with, another is brought on, with change of
plate &C., with each dish. Everything is cut up
carved before being brought to the table; it is
then passed round to the guests by servant in a
small dish, held on a napkin; and, when all who
wish it have helped themselves it is taken away,
and you see no more of it, as nothing is offered
second time, unless asked for-thus you have but
one kind at time on your plate, whether fish,
flesh, or vegetable.
But. to proceed with the dinner: Soup, the
universal accompaniment of French dinner, and
often of French breakfast, was served to us
first; then came fricasseed beef, cut into pieces
of three fingers size; boiled chicken, followed
with roast lamb, both cut up in small pieces
green peas, (nothing with them, reeollect); then
cream as they always are here; and two or three
varieties of fancy cakes. Several kinds of wine
were on the table. No potatoes were offered us;
the French not appearing to esteem them
much as we do Speaking of potatoes, reminds
me of an amusing incident that occurred at a
| hotel in Paris. An English gentleman, dining
at the table dhote, [publc table of the hotel,l
| wishing for some potatoes, to eat with his meat
| as he had been accustomed to do at home, called
! to the servant, Garcon, deS aonmeS de teyre,
| S'1 UouS plat, (waiter, some potatoes, if you
| please.) The dish of potatoes was accordingly
| brought to him, and taken away when he had
helped himself. The same request was repeated
to the servant as each successive course Of meats
was served, until the waiter, having become ia
miliar with the order, brought the potatoes with
out further request; and thinking that if the
gentleman wished potatoes with one dish he
would like them with all, continued to bring
them to him through the whole dinner, dessert
and all, buildings, fruits, &C., much to the gen.
tleman's annoyance and the amusement of those
who witnessed it. We were at the table nearly
ana ponteness winch made 1t exceedingly agree
able to the guests The French part Of the COM
pany kept up continual chatter of conversation
as they usually do every where. The various
dishes composing the dinner, were very nicely
cooked, and not higher seasoned than the same
kinds would be with us; and this we have found
to be ally the case here, notwithstanding
the French cooks are accused of SO highly sea-
soning their cookery to spoil it for those not
accustomed to it. They are famous for disguis-
ing the ingredients of their dishes in such a
manner as to deceive the eaters thereof; but that
they are very palatabe, those who partake of
them can fully testify.
The rooms in the house, so far as we saw them,
were well furnished and not very different in
most respects, from what we see at home All
the floors of the common dwelling houses are
usually of smooth stone or tile. (rarely of wood, }
and the houses are built of stone. Every thing
looks as if it would endure for centuries.
The grounds of one of the estates where we
visited, were very extensive, and have been in
possession of the present owner and his ances-
tors, over one hundred years. He had growing
almost every variety of fruit and ornamental
tree and shrub in existence; and, as the climate
Is so mild here, tropical plants thrive we'll
oranges, figs, &C., full of fruit; tea trees three
feet high, &C., &C. We left in the evening, on
our return to Paris, highly gratifed with the po-
likeness and eivility shown us.
June I6th.-We spent the day in visiting Percy
La Chaise, the oldest Cemetery of Paris, and the
most celebrated in the world and many were
the tombs and monuments we saw. erected to
perpetuate the memory of the renowned and
great, in the history of the French empire. 1t
was commenced 80 years since and contains
about $50 acres, entirely walled in The number
of tombs is said to exceed l6 000 It is one of
the interesting sights of Paris, and being stu.
ated nearby, on elevated ground, fair view of
the city is had from it. To inspect it, thorough.
ly, would require many days. Many of the
tombs and monuments are very costly and elabo-
rate and all the avenues and walks are paved
with fat stones but have not time to give
further description of it now, and will merely
add that we were somewhat disappointed in its
appearance; it being SO much crowded with
tombs and monuments, that it seems literally
city of the dead.
June l7h.-Went to Versailles, IL miles S.
w. from Paris, once the residence ofLouis XIV.
and always favorite place of resort for French
royalty, and renowned for its costly magnifcence
and extent We almost bewldered with the
grandeur and splendor of the numerous palaces,