New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-03-12
IFRnN ORR owN CORRESPONDENT

lFRoN Orr OWN CORRESPONDENT
Pans, Feb lG-In default of political news-for,
since ~ Olivier and his chnm Pi6tri have shut up
in the prisons all the people with brains there is
nothing OF interest going on-the Oldest lnhaoltant
has been writing daily letters TO all the newspapers
declaring that within his memory 1t has never been
40 cold in Paris as during the last week. And the
cold has indeed. been almost uncomfortable. No car
pcnter in Paris 50 far rs my experience goesand the
remark is as applicable TO rich peoples houses as to
Door people's-knows how TO make door or window
airtight: fuel is dear; and q well-cOnstructed fire.
pace is a thing TO be practically unknown;
and with these three conditions you may imagine
how well we fare in Paris when such long storm
rdcos as we are now suffering under There Is only
one consultations and that rs, that the countries Just
about MS are suffering even more than we. There s
Sicily with not a window sash in Its whole domain,
and only one chimney-Monnt Etna--in the island,
distracted 10 know where 1T shall warm its fingers.
Ale orange and lemon trees there are nipped the
Ne- in the fountains is frozen, and the Oldest in
hqbitant who has never seen the like, is busy col
lectug specimens Of ice for the national museums
In Moscow and Poland, too, we are encouraged by
hca.ing that the cold is frghtful-25o below zero,
snd in Auycrgue and the south of France they are
getting what enjoyment they can out OF snow twelNe
and fifteen feet deep The Paris newspapers, by dht
of collecting good many details OF this KIND, nave
succeeded I'm diifusng a considerable amount Oh
chcsrfuncss through the public. the only drawback
heinz an ALMOST absolute deaTth of facts 10 fright
FIJI deaths in consequence of the cold. which gives
risn 10 an uneasy suspicion that the stories are eX-
arreratcd This is not conducive to amiability he
caUse we know that own wretchedness IS lndls-
puiablo the cold Of the past week land even to-
das brilliant sunshine brings sensible amellora-
fiou) is something not to be winked out of sight.
.,f IL, haya Okpif
cold SET in last Wednesday, 10 having merry time
but the high winds that have prevailed have pre-
ven ed the ponds and of course, the Seine from
freeing aud I is only inst that it has been pro-
nounced safe TO go upon the ice in the Bois de
Bonlogne. For some days however, the basin OF the
fountains IN the Tuleres garden nearest the Place
de IA Concorde has been frozen solid, and dense
circle Of spectators has surrounded it the whole day
long enjoying the sight of the clumsy skating and
sliding kept mp by street boys and wOrkmen From
want Of piacte nearly all Parsians skaters,
and the sight. even the ice of the Skating Club
Lake III The Bots is less pleasing than on many
village pond at home but sometimes an American
amateur OF visitor from the north of Europe, puts
on his skates and astOuisnes the natives with ms
graceful performances. One of our cOuntrymen the
other day was enjoying the beautiful sport on the
pond in ,he Bots. when he saw gentleman distin-
gushing himself among the awkward squad OF
Parisans by his grace and skill, aud IN his good
spirits at seeing anything that looked like science,
be called ont without thinking, How are you, New
York Skating Clubw The unknown, giving n long
and graceful roll to the northeast lifted his cap and
called out, You've hit it, There is funny story
Of another Of our countrgmeD, flying about which
t will DO no harm to repeat. He is an engrayer, and
when he came To Paris. the first thing he did, of
cOurse, as a loyal American and Republican, was, to
bait hook for the imperial notice, which all good
Americans hunger and thirst after, with specimen
Of his skill. The Emperor. however. who neither
knows nor cares about such things, took no notice OF
the GIFT IT, indeed, he ever saw it. Onr countryman
went one day. 10 the Bots de BOulogne with his
skates and seeing pond in fine condition, and Win
only few wedreSsed people on it, put on bis skates
and began his play Comes up gentleman, and
with the greatest suavity informs our republican,
that he is doubtless not aware he is trespassng on
the Emperor's private pond. Republican, who was
not aware makes profuse apologies, and prepares to
retreat Suaye parsonage renews the expression OF
his lively regret at being obliged, SC Republican,
with equal suavIty, renews the expression Oh Ms
lively regret that he should have interfered with I'M
perial joys. Suaye parsonage bestates huns, haws-
saws that to avoid awkwardness, the stranger may
make turn or two. and then retire as II he Went
of his own sweet will. Republican sails away de-
LIGHTED swims. curvets curves, cuTls, caracols,
gldcs, SPINS TWISTS, DTdtls, III shulVi '"0 wv ~"
of skating to such perfection that as he is about to
retire, suave parsonage comes up. more suave than
ever and requests him to continue for the delight OF
his most sacred Majesty the Emperor and that OF all
the Iu,perial Family who in their tent, blessing
The day that ever they saw such wOndrous skates
uauship Needless to say that the republican
heart danced high at such noble generosity, and
heside the qualification of being hattered by such
noble personagcs, felt no small hope eDkndled that
,ometlring might now come of the apparently for
votten engravings His caraeos finished, suaYe per-
,ouage approaches with ticket. giving unlimited
permission TO skate in the imperial preserves go long
as heaven shall send ice, and thanking our country
man for the pleasure &c, &c. Needless to say that
slhe skating was peIsistenty followed up, IN hopes
That something mi ht come of it but alas the I'M
perial party never appeared again, and nothing
sveI did come of it. The story is insignificant except
rs one illustration ont Of thousand that might be
given Of the toadying spirit that exists among
Americans in Paris toward the Imperial Court IL
exists 10 "A certain extent and is eXcussble enough
among the EBglish-but among no ether people eX-
cept our own and the English-the French them
selves outside of the official circle, being absolutely
free from IT. With the great majority Of Americans
II is simple mania, and could fill my letter if IT
were necessary with illustration upon illustration
But. t is not subject agreeable that / care 10
dwell on il. The cold weather is the more remark
able because in the beginning Of February, all the
signs were that there would be an early SOnng The
old proverbs were quoted when Purihcation,r now
called "Candlemas,' came in with soft airs and o
brilliant sun.
"Candlsmas either puts an eud
To Winter, OF new force doth lend"
"a la f6te dc Cbsndeieur.
Lhlver passe GU prend yigueur"