Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-01-27
Paris I'm HOLIDAYS.

Paris IN holiday garb IS sight worth
seeing. In the spring and summer its
shaded avenues, fountains and luxuriant
gardens give great beauty to its external
features, but in the winter season, and
especially during the Christmas and New
Year holidays, it takes another aspect
not so soothing and charming TO the eye,
but more dazzling and more wonderful.
Christmas, unlike in our country, is
more day of religious observance here.
The children, it is true, receive bonn
teous gifts of sugar pluDls and bon-bons
from I" lie petit Noet," mythical per-
soDage answering to our Santa Claus,
but the adult population, as general
thing, throng the churches where the
masses are said and sung with oil the
extraordinary vocal and instrument
embellishments, all the impressive ri
tuals which the church can bring into
requisition. M N s
Inthe morning I Iattended ST. Eustache,
where the music is usually very superior.
The church, which is very large and
beautiful, contained thousands of per-
sons, the worshippers and visitors con-
stantly going and coming, their crowding
and busting along the side aisles scarcely
disturbing those in the body of the
church who were devoutly engaged. The
music was not good. One full and sweet
tenor voice sang simple solo, the tones
of which swelling and dying along the
lofty arches of the church, though not
encouraging much the devotional
thoughts of one unbeliever, yet suffused
his spirit with the tender memories of
his dear native land and the associations
which become dearer the farther and
longer one is divided from them.
In the afternoon / visited the Made
laine, and found throng of worshippers
at Vespers. Later made one of vast
multitude upon the Champs Elysees,
where it seemed the churches and streets
had emptied their people, the drive being
thronged with gay equipages and the
promenedes filled to jestliug with hand
somely dressed ladies and gentlemen,
children and nurses. Still later, on my
way home, the night overlook me, and
my stroll over bridge of the Seipe and
along the quays, revealed an extraordi-
nary and dazzling number of brilliant
lights, those along the sidewalks burning
steadily at distances of not more than
twenty feet, those on the bridges quite as
close together, and reflected a thousand
times from the rushing waters beneath,
those on carriages of different colors,
Pickering unstesdily from the motion of
the vehicles, those of the great stores
and bazaars flaming here and there like
a great conhagrAtion, and ever and anon,
as crossed some Boulevard, those of the
street and carriages combined shining 10
the distance like the passage of some of
those brilliant torchIight professions
which are so commonly the sdjuncts of
our excited political canvass at home.
In Paris they certainly burn twenty gas
lights to our one; and this especially in
holiday season, when the streets are 80
crowded, and the wares of the shops and
stores are so beautifully arranged and
decorated, gives wonderfully brilliant
aspect to the city.
After Christmas, and during the whole
of last week, the gay and dazzling sp-
pearance of Paris was maintained by day
and by night. The great gift day is New
Years, and for the week preceding the
trade in holiday goods is at its liveliest
To the usual stores aad shops along the
Bouleyards are added the little boutiques
of the petty dealers and tradesmep.
These are wooden structures or sheds, in
most cases painted in gay colors, and
standing along the pavements, their
fronts foil Of gaudy wares exposed TO the
promenaders. You may be able TO resist
the purchase Of any of these rare articles,
but you can not overlook the wonderful
manipulation Of this fellow as he exposes
his variety of toys, that woman as she
arranges her extensive family of dolls,
this ones tempting array of candies and
sweetmeats, that ones magic lantern, into
which you are permitted to peep for one
sou; here display of delicious apples,
pears aud oranges; there an artist who
will place you sideways aud in less than
q minute cut you out of black paper a
perfect profile Of your face or entire per
son, and SO on and so on, through miles
aud miles Of Boulevards. The pave
ments are crowded, each b0utifue hold
ing a little knot Of admirers, and the
crowd frequently opening passage for
some lady or gentleman who alights from
carriage and makes way with heavier
purse and more rthned taste into the ele-
CANT jewelry store or dry goods estab- |
lishment, in front Of which the small
dealer has erected his booth.
At night the cafes are brilliantly illu-
minated, and the weather not permitting |
outdoor seats, the inside tables ore very |
invitiRgly arranged. To the jswelry stores
on the Rae de Ia Psix and at the PAlais
Royal the most dszzling effects are OBJ
tanned by skillful displays Of the precious
metals aud stones 0ne noted bon bon
shop on BouleVards dss Italiens is gor-
Reoos affair. Here you can purchase a
litlle handful OF candies Tor one franc, or
fer Eve hundred franos-the price de-
pending on the beauty Of the package.
On the Place de rOpers q large calcium
light Oh the roof Of one Of the corner
housas Eliminates tbs whole front OF an
opposite boildiug, and displays with
startling disinetnsss "The New Coco
Candy" And 90 90 throughout the
eug,h and breadth Of the principal
= ! 49, IL hunf1n q M rrn n. /