The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-15
THE INSIDE LIFE OF PARIS.
How the People Live.


Those who have known Paris, as Paris was till the
other day commonly known to foreigners, as city
nnder the aspect ii has been presenting dnring the
past few weeks Not that Baron Haussmanns
broad bouleVards nave been already Dom0arded-as
yet such change as they have undergone is "A moral
rather than material one. Paris to-day has none
of its former fascinations and few OF its ordinary
avOcatiOns left to it, with nine-tenths OF its able
bodied population under arms one can hardly expect
it to be any longer hive Of industry an abode of
pleasure. In little more than couple of months
the luxurious city has been turned into formidable
fortress, or, more correctly speaking, a vast in
trenehed CAMP brstling with half million of bay
oneis among population quadrupe that number
encumbered moreover with sick, wounded and
hopelessly INDECENT scantily and even unwhole-
sOmely fed.
1t is perhaps as well in this capital of late hours
says Paris correspondent of the Pal Nal Gazette
that one should he constrained to go to bed early
lued to sleep, so to speak, by the booming OF the
cannon; for is aroused before daybreak, if not
by the same kind OF music, by the sounding of the
reveille supplemented by the beating of the rappe
and the bawlng out OF false by the hawkers of
is appy for us not to be obliged to sally forth
ere it is light on some round Of military duty. In
default OF This such OF us as are so inclined can
stand in queue outside the butchers shop for SeVe-
raj hours, ana make certain Of securing so long
as they last, their three days Tations now reduced
to a fraction over one ounce avordupOis per diem.
These queues have been one of the most character
isc inner life features Of the siege They began to
be formed within ten DAYS or a fortnight OF our
being shut in, when the price OF meat was kept
down by special decree, and the supply OF oxen
and sheen distributed to the butchers had begun to
be limited. They were first formed in the more
popuOus and poorer districts, but, before couple
OF days. had spread to the most aristocratc quar-
ters OF the capita].1 Originally they commenced
about O'Clock A. NJ, in front or the iron ratings
that close in all these establishments; and, as the
pornings were then bright and balmy, the inconve-
nience was but trihlng. 10 preserve order and see
that all fair the part OF the butcher, who at
times supplied his customers with as much or as lit
Tie meat and Of just what kind he pleased, armed
National Guards were posted both outside and in
side the shop. AS the crowd began to increase In
numbers, the hours OF waiting engthened until they
extended far back into the night. In the populous
quarters TWO o'clock was commonly the hour when
the first dozen women would assemble. Some came
to the rendezvous provided with chairs or stools
and with chaufe-pleds, and at intervals members OF
their family would bring them hot bowls of sOup or
coffee, or they would arrange to relieve each other
every hour or So These proceedings gave rise, and
even now give rise to endless, disputes Such as
found themselves constrained to wait standing
objected to their neghbors sitting. FroZen-footed
individuals unprOyided with foOt-warmers grumbled
at those who pOss essed them; women whose hus-
bands were on duty at the ramp arts, and who had
no one 10 bring them some warm and comfort
ing nuids, protested against refreshments being
allowed vi Rile as to the practice OF member OF
family relieving other, this gave rise to constant
vituperauon, 10 struggles, to cawings, and to
blows.
SCENES IN THE PARKS.
in front OF this highly hOnorcd statue OF Srasburg
IN the Champs Eysees is table, surrounded by a
canopy OF tricOlor flags, at which, under the eyes OF
armed National Guards, some municipal delegate is
seated receiving subscriptions Of money and other
Valuables for the casting OF 1900 cannon with which
to make the ngpTomised sortie in force that is to
save Paris. And as if to stimulate subscriptions, a
PAGES ulsl6ll, dG Gllc angie Oh JHe hues
Royale and de RiyOli, huge bree 3h-lOadng naval
gum mounted upon a carriage, is posted OF course,
following the example of the republic of 49, it has
been proposed that all the church bells shall be
| into cannon ana it has even been suggested that
at every maire offerings of old copper candlescks
and casserOles should be received for like pur.
pose.
In the Tuieries Gardens, instead OF crowds OF
little girls in the height Of fashion, engaged at play
| while their mammas talk scandal TO one another
and their nurses lirt with Turcos and /OraVes, you
| discern, between the clouds OF ascending suOke
| from nnumerable camp fires, ammunition caisson'
and parks OF artillery. With regard TO the palace
itself you lind inscribed over its various entrances
as over all the rest OF the public buildings the lc
| gend "FrOpriete Rationale, Republique FrancaisC
une ct indivisible. Liberte, Egate, Fraternite; :;
and observe, moreover that the red cross OF tht
Geneva Convention invariably floats over all. Am
balances, indeed, are eyeTywhere-at all the prnci
pal public hotels void or guests, at the large private
ones deserted by their propretors, at the huge ma
gasns de nOuveautes lacking customers, and at tn
theatres, where 'relache' is for the. most part
! permdHe1lce. Fancy such a plethora of ambulance
that patients have actually TO be tOuted for, ant
! unemployed ambulance vans in such pFOfusiOn tina
| the Magasin de Louvre and similar establishment
| send home purchases in vehicles distinguished b
the red cross and dying the nag adopted by tn
! Convention OF Geneva.