Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-01-22
The FHubOurE st. Denis at Paris-A Shop
keepers Mode of Passing the Sabbath.


In the Faubourg ST. Denis people rise with
rosy-hDgeTed Aurora. The shops are opened
for forms cake, with the exception of those
who do violence to ancient custom, by bear
ing on their shutters the painted notice,
This establishment is closed on Sundays
and holidays" What extraordinary activity
reigns behind the glass cases filled with
wares The mother washes the faces of her
half dozen children, while the father, in his
shirt. sleeves, polishes a battalion of shoes,
brushes his blue frock-coat and his wife's
merinO dress, and lays out the ''duds' of his
of his progeny, therein comprised the minia-
lure Zonave toGgery of his youngest boy.
Sweet satisfaction TO paternal pride ~
When every body is ready to start, ten
o'clock strikes. Paul has already mussed
his bair, Auguste has soiled his hands, Vic
toire has torn her dress, Agathe, Alexandra
and Rosalie are blubbering for slice of
bread daubed with plum and currant Jelly,
but no attention must be paid to these
trifihg annoyances. TheWord of command
is given, and away they 60, the head of the
family carefully shutting the shop door.
And where are they going? Why, to the
wood OF Bologne, the most charming prom
enade in all Europe. The tiny river is
tringed with green lawns, shaded by CEN
tenarian trees, the birds sing gayly in the
foliage, and the water softly murmurs as it
trickles through the assures of the artificia
cataract There s lovely landscape for you
A real country
The father takes charge of four of the
children, dragging two of them slowed
snugly, in hand-carriage, and keeping q
sharp lookout upon the others, walking
few steps in advance. AS for the youngest
two, they are tied to the crinoline of their
mother, who carries an enormous basket,
containing four Bologna. sausages favored
with garlic, half of small ham, a goodly
piece of cold roast veal, two tumblers, two
table knives, and three numbers of the
Family Journal. The mind must no more
be condemned to fast than the body. Bread
and wine they will purchase at some small
restaurant in the wood. ...-
At noon the interesting family arrives In
the Champs Elysees; at two o'clock the pro-
cession enters the Avenue de PImperatrice,
and at four o'clock it at last attains the
hOwery borders of Deer Pond. But the
father and mother are completely tagged
out, and the children are shedding torrents
of tears, with view Of penetrating the in
terror of the basket. Childhood is full of
cunning. They all eat and are refreshed,
but, alas the tiny river has ceased to MUIR
mur, for the simple reason that the water
has been shut of, the sun is rapidly disap-
pearing behind the centenarian trees, whose
leaves are but family gilded by his declining
rays, and the birds have ceased to carol, be-
cause they are thinking of regaining their
nests. The real country is rather fOrlorn,
after all
The family must start for home without
delay, if the children are TO be in bed at ten
o'clock, and they haven't had time TO finish
the roast veal or read single line of the en-
tertaining Journal. OF they 90, again, and
again they halt for rest in the Champs Ely
sees. The good mother takes the youngest
child in her arms, the patient father mounts
another on his shoulders, still dragging the
two in the little carriage, and at precisely
eleven o'clock the happy couple, reeking
with perspiration and ready 10 drop down
from exhaustion, reach home at last.
On the next day, the following colloquy
takes place in the shop:
A neighbor-"Well, my boy, you had su-
perb weather for your walk, Yesterday"
The tradesman and his wife, in chorus
"0h, magnificent We went to the country,
and had most delightful time r.
Ninety-nine Partisan shopkeepers In 100
thus amnse themselves on Sunday.