Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-03-26
VOL. 4--.NO. 1919.
DAILY VIRGlNIAN.
Paris Chit.Chat.

Paris Chit-Chat
From tho Special Correspondence of the N Y Express
One day last week n wealthy merchant of the
rue Montorguiei was walking along the banks
Of the canal St. Martin, when he observed
Young girl of wild and distracted appearance
pass before him. Apparently supposing herself
unobserved, she knelt for an instant on the
ground, as If in prayer, and was about to make
u spring into the water, when the merchant selz-
ed her arm, and, gently reproaching her for at
tempting to put an end 10 her life, demanded to
know the cause Tho woudbo suicide recount
ed to him touching story. She had, she said
just lost her father her last surviving relative and
sole support and finding herself alone in the
world and utterly destitute of resources, thought
the best thing she could do would be to put an
immediate end TO her own existence While she
speaking, our benevolent merchant observ-
cd that she quite young and very pretty.
Promising 10 provide for her future welfare. he
led her from fhe spot Talking together tho
twain arrived upon tho Boulevards. In conse-
quence of her misery. the young creature had
not eaten anything that day, and naturally now
began to feel hungry. Her new found friend
straghtway entered neghboring restaurant and
called for private room After eating bonn-
tiful dinner, the young girl, wishing to make some
woman's request Of the dame de compton, left
the room. After waiting for sometime, and lind
ing that his protege did not return, the mer-
chant determined to pay his bill, but what was
his chagrin, on searching his pockets for the
whcrewith NIL to do so, to ascertain that his
porimonnaie had disappeared, and with it the
contents, emounting TO two thousand frances
The merchant has come TO the determination
that, for the future, if pretty young women wish
TO drown themselves, he will not offer the slight
est obstacle.
MI-cAREME
La Mi Careme, or mid Lent, has come and
gone Lent commences, ms every body knows, or
ought to know, upon the expiration OF the Carnl-
val, and, in France, is imposed TO be rigidly OBJ
served until the holiday called Mi Cdreme arri-
yes, when restraint is laid aside for twenty -four
hours and license regns supreme. On Thurs
day, therefore the streets were,full Of masks.pro-
mcnaders, and horn blowers. lnst masked
ball was given in the evening ut the Grand Ope-
ra, and the crowd upon tho Boulevards was inn
mcnse. From six o'clock in tho evening until
twelve, the hour for opening the ball, the pave
ments of the liouevards were thronged hy one OF
of the most heterogeneous human masses 1t has
ever been my lot to witness, and far surprising
tho Carnival, even in its gayest moments. Sylphs
walking arm in arm with hdeonsly painted saw
ages, courticrs in white satin breeches and piu-
med chdpeaar, conveying old women dressed
as poissardes, bandits convorsng with officers,
and femmes gdidnfes coquettng with surpllced
eburchmon, the order or. ms could write,
perhaps the disorder of the moment. The day
being tho yearly .fete of the washerwomen, that
industrious sisterhood put away their soap for
the noncc, and were out III full feather, accom-
panied by gay caviliers and lively music. The
spectacle, altogether, peculiarly novel and
! amusing. Unlike great holidays in tho United
Stutes, and there no drunkenness and no ac-
cident.s
POLITICAL AND HALF -PoETICAL
The French Senate and House of Deputies
were formerly opened by tho Emperor on Mon
day. The Emperor made set speech, the gist
of which was France is great nation and the
French nre n'great people, He also gave evidence
of desire for ponce, and seemed TO intimate
that il was nearly tat accompH. In the mean
while, tho conferences go on in regular style
meetings taking place from two to three times
week. On tho 'otf nights" the members amuse
themselves amid the gayeties of Paris. Of all
the Observation-Disclosures, tho Russian Count Orlof
seems to have become tho hero of the moment
entirely eclipsing all his compeers. The Count
has ii is said reached the ripe age OF three score
and ten, but appears fully twenty years younger
He is exceedingly gallant in his department. to
wards the ladies'; and is, consequently prodlg-
| ously admired by tho fair sex. A few evenings
| ago tho Princess Mathilde, cousin to the Empe-
ror gave a dinner party, in honor of the gay old
! diplomatist, and in female parlance, is supposed
10 be "settng her cap for him." Indeed, the
Princess seems to be particularly in favor OF
Russian gentlemen and establishes the most
| friendly relations with them. Scandal says that
n fe W years ago the lady was for somo time a
! "hick as ttco in bed" with tho Prince Deml-
! dofl' the weathiest subject of the Russian Em-
piro, and was well repaid for her friendship. Fer
| haps she has marked out the Count OrloH as as
worthy successor to his noble fellow countryman.
| We'll, we shall see.