New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-23
PARIS CORRESPONDENCE.
Theatricals-War S0ngs-FashiOns.

i
TIE Beaumarcha;S Theatre, like the hon
est woman, keeps the even tenor Of its way.
| 1t brings out often telling play, but more
| frequently, rising artistes. The Fac!eer is
the name Of an old piece revived, but made
better than new. The facteur, or post-man,
has been swindled by banker, perfect
artftll dodger. To recover his lost savings,
the post-man, being in duty-bound to de-
liver registered letter to the fnancier who
robbed him, prefers to indemnify his loss by
the contents. He is tried and condemned,
his judge marrying the bankers sister, and
probably receiving with the bride as for
tune, dividend of the letter-carrier's little
all. The audience was healthy, for while
extending its sympathy to the facteur, felt
that letters should under no circumstances
be Grahamized. An Englishman is intro
duced in the scene, with blonde hair as all
English are represented on the French
stage. He denounces the iniquity OF the
banker, of the unjust judge, who trips up
the minnow and leaves free the triton. FL
nally, he proposes for and marries the post
mans daughter, just as father-in-law is
marching away in chains to the galleys.
The bridegroom, as the first step In the
honeymoon, invites the bride to assist at
the death-bed scene of his mother. For
several years this play was prohibited by
the authorities as containing denunciations
dangerous to society. However, the Par
isians may sleep TRANQUILITY. Property may
be robbery and capital infamous, as Proud
hon asserts, but no. a barricade will be ru n
upon that account, or on the postman's
either
From early morn till dewy eve, drive
where you will, visit where you please, there
is only one piece of music chanted. hummed,
whistled or played-the Marseillaise.'
The divine song is murdered by Theresa,
and exalted by Mile. Agar and Nine Sass.
At the chief theatres, vaudevilles, and con-
certs OF high and low degree, the noble air
Is the complement obligs of the evenings
entertainment. At the French Opera, Nine.
Sass sang the national hymn amidst an in
describable enthusiasm-the two thousand
spectators starting to their feet, and if they
did not rush "to arms" they did to the
chorus. Faure was forced to sing it next,
and when the curtain unexpectedly rose,
actors, actresses, machinists, gas-men-the
whole strength of the company, in reality
came on the scene, waving hats. handker-
chiefs, and other improvised streamers.
At the "kneeling scene" they bent down
before amour Sacre de la pat1'ie This is the
Yacht an Rheia of France. THIS is just
what occurs at the other theatres. Hence
forth the Marseillaise" becomes again the
national air of the country, but without the
Phrvgian cap. "Partant pour IA Syrie,'
which has held the official post Of honor for
the last twenty years. is dethroned. May
the trubadour be happy.
The memory of Rouget de Lisle, VINO com
posed the Marseillaise,' is avenged for his
persecution under the Reign OF Terror. He
died in 1886, and when his coffin was lowered
into the grave, the thousands of mourners
spontaneously knelt and sung his psalm OF
| liberty. The author composed the chant
while on duty as an officer of engineers, in
the besieged city of Strasburg, as the readers
of Lamartine know. He was inspired, the
common report asserts, by bottle of Rhen-
ish wine. This he denied-it was in cham
pagne the muse visited HMM which he
found that electric simplicity and pride
that flourish of clairons-which transformed
nation into an army-the citizens OF to-day
into the heroes of history the morrow-and
to leave the pleasures of Capua for the hard
necessities of war. Since August, 1892, the
air is known to the universe. 1t was ordered
by the Republic, in the same year, to take
the place of the Tc Dean, in celebrating the
victory of Valmy. Several scintillations of
like character are to be met with every
where-very anti-Prussian; above all, very
anti -Bismarckian. Those who Just now make
the ballads of the nation, need not care who
makes the laws.
In 1910 the German poet Becker under
the influence of the Holy Alliance, produced
the proud and defiant German Rhine"
where each word bears the impress of the
most inveterate gallophobianism. Alfred
de Musset retOrted with Il comparative
equally naughty and disdainful smacking
of the lash of horsewhip across the face
Of al impertine'tt. Two years later, Fell
Glen David, then unknown to fame, put the
verses to music, which Foure has just sung
at the opera to an excited house. Auber
and other composers, as well as dramatic
authors, have handed over their rights to a
tenth or a fourth of the receipts when one
of their productions is represented. Prosper
Merimee, the well known dramatic author,
is dying. His only relief under his cruel
malady is to hear AlbOni sing and the
Countess PeopoE warbles daily at his bed
side.
Since my last, there is nothing positively
new in the way of fushions-the war has
brought the fashionable world for the mo-
ment to a stand still. Tourists do not arrive,
and Parissiennes can dispense with new
temptations in styles and materiels. Be
sides, motley can be the only wear for
thousands for a few days, and the mourning
establishments are preparing for the occas-
ion. In sable dresses, the material varies not,
but the makeup will. Till then, patience.
Scarfs are very much worn, the Roman
is very elegant-a pink ground. with bars of
the Stuart tartan. Flowers are not worn
quite SO large, but equally plentiful. Soon
many will give way to a cypress wreath.
Boots are in the "ascendant"-the tai0ns
are worn very high, and if fashion in this
line progresses, it is to be hoped the fair
sex will be able to maintain their centre Of
gravity. Pardessus in lace are creeping
into esteem. Some shops are patriOtically
endeavoring to work up the 'tricolors''-
into ribbons, stuffs, etc. But for the next
ten days, matters fashionable will maintain
their stotu quo ORLEANS.