Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-05-17

ihutn Win the mObt cOstiy pOrctidiE, /,
silver vases are being arranged for
dinner. tfa
But have said-it is nine o'clock in
the morning. We stand before the Grand
hotel on the Boulevard des Capucines.
Beautiful Boulevard, now thou art open
ing thine eyes There stands the Made
leine, that glorious house of God which,
with its lofty fight of steps ascending
heavenward, appears at night, or in the
gray mist OF the morning, like q vision
of ancient times and distant lands--so
far, and yet so near-so foreign, and yet
80 home-like, for what were the Boulevard
des Capucines without the Madeleine :?
And what would it be without the flowers
which, like garland newly gathered,
surround the beautiful church with va
riegated forms of beauty? No; the flow
ers and the hower-sellers of the Made
leine must not be absent when the day
begins in Paris. How pleasantly begin
the hours which are now creeping over
the wide streetsl How pleasant the
smile of these flower maidens, and how
light and gracious their movements |!
This pleasant smile is the charm--the
mystery-the art of Paris. How easy it
is to laugh heartily, and yet how seldom
it is we hear genuine laugh. To be al
ways laughing is to play the idiot; bat
ever to smile ia something far different.
The smile is the poetry of the counten-
ance, the finest bloom of the intellect ;
and Paris smiles, and smiles constantly.
The Chevalier NORM, a brave cavalier
who came to Paris in the reign Of Louis
XIII wrote to his friends in Italy: In
France every conversation is commenced
with ballet" This is certainly better
than to begin it, as is done in some coun-
tries, with blow.
How beautifully the labors of the day
are begun in Paris In every direction
the shutters of the stores and cafes are
thrown open. The first object which you
see in the windows are beautiful maidens,
under whose skilful hands arises with
magical celebrity that which we call
etalage, meaning by this the general ar
rapgement of articles TO be- displayed. 1
have not noticed that they reflect upon
the matter, or bestow any special atten-
ton upon the subject. 1t all seems to
rise spontaneously, and yet it is so beau
full. / have spent hours in wandering
from one window to another, and no.
ticing the beautiful arrangements, the
variety, the picturesqueness of the dis
play. The most ordinary objects, such
as hats, rings, shoes, laces and mantles,
are arranged so ctarmingly as to produce
wonderful effect. Their beauty ire
sistibly attracts you. This little artist,
who so we'll understands how to arrange
bouquets and ribbons that they attract
my gaze as pass, and compel me to pay
minutes tribute, is she not thoroughly
French It is the type which sets me
thinking. The show-wiudow How sug-
gestive of Paris. This art of arrange
ment, this attractive smile of the exte-
rior, pervades every region. | look upon
Paris as great show-place, to which all
the world resorts to be amused.
The clock now strikes ten. Do not be
surprised, for in Paris the hours pass
swiftly away. The BARRIERS have opened
their shops, and the cafes are awaiting
their guests. The walters, in white aprons,
have placed newspapers upon the marble
tables, laid the "futes" upon others,
and, seated at third, are busily engaged
in putting radishes in beautiful vases, 10
such a manner that the red and green
may form q proper combination of color.
The "autes are long, thin loaves of de-
licous bread, whose acquaintance you will
make with great pleasure when You break
fast in Paris cafe. 1t is wonderful how
long the French can fast. As their sol
diers, with q crust of bread, have gone
into battle, aud have been shot by thou
sands on the great slaughter fields before
they had taken breakfast, so does the true
Partisan see the third part of the day
behind him before he sits down to his
breakfast. In the most favored cases he
begins his labor after cup of black
coffee; thus the journalist writes his ar
ticles, the scholar commences his studies,
the banker his correspondence, and the
idler his promenade. This idle roaming
is business in Paris.
About IL, these lofty, magnificent
halls, these saloons With pillars and
mirrors, with marble tables and plush
diyans, with comfortable cabinets aud
COSY corners, full of splendor and
beauty, which are called cafes, begin to
be filled with people. You will meet
these cafes IN every ulfeCtiou, eepeSiaiiy
on the boulevsrds. In each of them you
will find that wonderful coffee so praised
everywhere, butter like that Of Switzer-
land, and milk like that of the Land Of
Promise. Every seat and divsn is oc-
cupied, and oh, wonder Of wonders.
newspaper for each. The cafe is to the
true Parisisn as great an article OF ne
cessity as the streets" that real Par
isian who is only at home when he Is on
the street" Lst me here cay word.
You will find coffee in all these cafes,
but no beef-steaks and mutton-chops- In
this they differ from the Berlin coffee
houses, in which you find everything but
coffee. One who desires breakfast after
The English fashion, must seek for cafe
restaurant, where both may be found, as
in the Cafe Roche. ..rI
II is, indeed, not permitted to every
body to 20 to Corinth, or ST least not 70
20 TO Corinlh every day. The gold pens
Of Paris may unite with the golden
youths Of these times in the palaces on
the left hand of the boulevsrds. You
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