The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-10

notlce. Augustus made little effort to sustain
his exhausted nature, but Dungleson scrutinized
the faces of various English and French ladies,
in way that made me at first suppose that
there was really an awakening up, but soon
discovered it to be only practice. He would
screw his glass into one eye, and concentrate
the stare of both into one focus. Percy was
not near-sighted by auy means, but thought
this way OF facing the world rather distingue
And the practice was very good. He elevated
the glass with insolence, and dropped it with
nonchalance. Dandy F. could not have done
it better.
The hours wore away at dinner, and even the
best OF wine could not lift our two friends from
their dismal state. We passed them going out,
and theytoo announced themselves opera bound,
If the drive and dinner had been punishment,
the opera was torture. Having finished care
full survey of the house, our two unfortunates
fell into dreary state of intense attention to
the music. l had been amused at the drive,
had commiserated the dinner, but actually
suffered myself at their infection while attempt
ing to listen, and franticaly endeavoring to
understand, Verdi's music. In this manner
passed day. Ihave noted it carefully, because
one represented all of this sensual, stupid life.
have dwelt upon the manner of time passed
by our friends, because they were two of class.
The American residents of Paris, as such, are
the unhappiest of our unhappy country. To
the student in art or science, the legislator, or
the traveller in search of mere novelty, there is
no place offering so many facilities and attrac-
tons as Paris. But to the merely wealthy,
who cut off all their old associations, and visit
Europe for the purpose of taking part in society,
Paris is melancholy place. Soapboilers in
taste, they are snobs by profession, and, without
knowledge of science or love of art, they
find French society closed against them, and
are thrown upon each other and their own re-
sources. In this way, American society makes
up a little village in the midst of the great
city, and these villagers, having nothing to DO,
rush from one apartment to another, pryiag
particularly into the affairs of each, and slGn-
dering all generally. Heaven help us-thfse
are the people who give the French an imprNs-
sion of American society. For them to fot m
part of French social life is, as have sfid
before, impossible. They may, however, by
lavish expenditure of wealth, come in contact
with it. Entertainments, vieing in extravaganza
the tabled feasts of old, bring into circle quan
tity of hungry French, who come to eat, aud
90 away to laugh.
What an unhappy, hollow, fictitious life !
Take, for instance, my old friend Stebbins and
wife, who now affect Paris existence. In
deed, to it they are devoting the remainder of a
hitherto rather industrious life, and, the pro
ceeds of useful pursuit. They have leased
apartments in very pleasant quarter, ahd
furnished them in gorgeous style. Here The
two old people sit, in solitary grandeur, devo-
ting their entire time to the preservation of their
furniture and the destruction Of character.
Mrs. s. is really kind hearted, inoffensive old
lady, but habit and idleness have wrought a
wonderful change. One cannot be fbreaer
busting upholstery, and the spare time pasted
among ignorant Americans is taken up exau.
sively in attacking regulations. On reception
days, for example, the old people sit enthroEed
amid elegant tables and chairs, busted fnd
FURNISHED to painful extent They are f in.
nelled within and furred without, as the ay
is cold, and they watch homeopathic dos of
fire, which, by gentle stretch of imaginati IN,
is supposed to be burning in the CRATE. 81 sb-
bins & Co., as he facetiously terms his fam ly,
are economical in certain way. The servo ats
are without fire of any sort, and the circulat ng
gentility of American origin goes freezing tut
of their grand reception rooms, although Steb-
bins g. Co. have been known to give princely
entertainments, where some doubtful nobility
was to be decoyed into their ware-rooms.
These receptions are curious things. Each
resident American has a day, when his or aer
acquaintances are expected to call, within GER
hours in the evening, when refreshments and
dancing are in order. But they soon cure of
that, and fall back upon daylight, when wine
gives place to scandal, cake to gossip-and are
considered more exhilirating and digestible.
! do not exaggerate particle in saying this.
Take few moments of such entertainment at
Stebbins & Co. Stebbins & Stebbins are in
state the bell rings, and John announces Mr..
Thomas Cate Tabbins.
The gentleman entering is a tall, slender,
soft-spoken individual, who shakes hands as if
he were infinitely obliged at your condeseen-
sion, and sinks downily into chair. The
weather is exhausted-health is exhausted !;
then comes the staple commodity, WHICH slso
must be exhausted
81 declare" says Mrs. S., and she begins
rocking, as if in a heavy sea-Mrs. S. always
rolls when excited-"it was very imprudent,
considering her state of health, in Mrs T., to
60 out in the grounds with Count F., after
dancing with him all the evening""
"Ah! my dear Mrs. Stebbins," says Thomas
Cate, purring it out, +" our American ladies are
so mprudent-they think themselves possessed
of such strong constitutions"
Sand characters strong as - adds the
male Stebbins; but Mrs. Stebbins rolls in
"She has been confined in her room ever
SINCE some say by severe cold-others, by her
| husband"
aAhl my dear Mrs. g." purrs Thomas, Hlet
us be charitable, and say cold"
"For my part"-begins Stebbins, but Mrs.
s. rolls in-Mrs. s. always does, to the utter
extinguishing OF the g.
"Dear me, I wouldn't say it was not, for the
world. I'd even go far to call it consumption,
if that would help the poor thing. Is it true,
Mr.. Tabbins, that Mrs. Smith died in great
distress, this cold weather, in garnet, the other
day."
me some days since, and solicited a contribu
ton, but was forced to tell him that really we
had SO many calls of this kind, that must
positively decline. We however buried her in
good style. 1t is our duty to keep up appear
ances before foreigners, you know"
For my part -
"Certainly, one would be robbed in that
way; and then one is subject to such iHipo-
sitionsl Only think while the Rev. Mr.. Bunte
was lying i'll with the bronchitis, sent him
every day choice potage, made by my own
hands. Would you believe it? he never heard
word of my kindness for the vile concitfge
ate it up fast as it camel"
"Ahl dear me! dear mel" A prolon sed
purr.
"Has Mr. O. returned from Germany" i,sk-
ed Mrs. Stebbins.
~ believe he has; met him on the Roale-
wards yesterday"
"Did he find his daughter?"
"Indeed, it was so delicate matter, could
not ask but observed he appeared very un-
happy-quite so, indeed may say quite sc"
For my part -
at is a bad place, is Europe, to bring girls.
No better place in the world TO educate them,
but our girls are not educated for this sor. Of
life. They are too free"
~ have said, my dear Mrs. s., over and Of.