New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-04

|
PARIS, Jan. 6.-I was anxious to witness the
changes the state OF siege had brought about- any
connection with what is called tie NeuDaine OF the IA
troness Saint Of Paris It il festival commencing on
the Sd Of every January, and terminating on the l1
Saint Geneveve's shrine occupies richly ornamehteu
chapel midway up the aisle on the right as you en'ei
from great portal Of the Church OF ST. Etenne du
Mont. priest sits in a nook, to receive offerings INC
shrine is surrounded with wax-ights Triangular con
riyances on pedestals-simple wooden sandsall stuck
with save-alls support the comnoner candies WHICH
the poor highland pay form honor OF the Patroness OF
the metropolis / notice that a heap OK erutches ana
walking sticks which years ago, when first visited the
chapel, occupied particular corner, has been paeed
in evidence. The legend runs that they were the
property Of certain devout crppes, who. after perform
ing the religious ceremonies OF the Neu1dlne, recov-
| cred the use OF their limbs. leaving as a token
| and irrefragable testimony OF their miraculous
cure their timber substitutes Every year crowds OF
| peasantry-chiehy women, with few Old men-used W
flock from the neghborhood Of Paris to the shrine Oh inc
| shepherdess Saint. It a yeritable pilgrimage
Mssal, chaplets, crosses, silver rings blessed py NJ 10
Cure and other gous embems constituted the STOCK
ntrade and these sold in the porehes and IN 'front.'
| OF the holy edifce. Beggars abounded; so ala the
manned the halt 1t to be inferred that they mad
the restorative virtues of the shrine or that
they had departed from IT, noticed fewer people, but
more mendcants The chapel is pretty full and at hree
different affairs is being said. Bone WeldreSSed
females in deep mourning clustered close TO the shle
on their knees their heads bowed moved me much NOT
sound the of the priests chanting the ser
vice and the responses Of the bulvoced ehdntTes All
is solemn impressive saddening for "plague, 'pesti
| lence and famine, battle, murder and sudden DEATH
hold revel the city, and from these the people are
praying TO be speedily delivered May He 10 whom they
pray hear and respond favoraby! Ileave the church
| on tp-toe and am reminded Of peril by succession OF
sounds too familiar to leave me under any deusion The
| mischief is near at hand. / make my way across
| TO what was the Rue d'Enfer by the Rue
st. Jaqe and reach the eastern side OF the garden OF
the Luxembourg, forming portion OF the new Boue-
ward st. Michael, formerly the Rue dEnfer Sundry
groups occupy corners of streets One large crowd
stands opposite the Hospital Of the Vol de Grace, and
am told that minutes shell fell close to IT, but
did no damage The Hospital is an ambulance and full
OF wounded soldiers / follow the broad line OF the
boulevard and reach the spot where Marshal Ney was
shot his back against the wall OF the Convent OF the Ur
| sunes now demolished The Observatory IS not 100
wards from this historical sight People scamperng
| away from IL, and toward where am standing,
by flap in the face from conclusion OF the
air. and following close upon explosion. bomb has
fallen a short distance Oh The people do not appear
frightened; only little scared. No wonder We see
small crowd advancing Every one stretches out MS neck
II Is a piteous sight-a poor with dead child
She has thighs smashed, and the baby big wound
over the nose One eye and the left check
is laid No description could convey an idea OF the
dreadful expression the countenances OF that crowd
| am not here TO state what my own sentiments
| are but what / see. / saw tears, pale cheeks,
| and clenched teeth, and heard murmurs OF horror
and cries Of vengeance and hatred They may be words
in the air. but they are earnest and deadly in intent
necessarily involves innocent victims, but
spectacle is the less hideous We are told that
the woman and the child struck down as they were
crossing the upper part OF the boulevard Nothing Is to
be done for the poor bleeding innocent from whom the
| b,tt IA veta ms
her. She is being conveyeda unconscious-to the Val
de Grace from which fear she will not return. The
blossoms continue. I am doubtful whether ought to
| proceed. I am informed that Plasance-fOrmerly
pleasant suburban resort, but now included within the
walls Of yallaOnis receiving Prussan shells by
the score have friend resident in the Ruo de Yauyes,
far from the station Left Bank conclude to go
forward. meet people who seem az though they had
been rolled in the mud. know the Still go on.
At the corner where the Boulevard st. Michael and the
boulevard du Mont Parnasse meet shell flies my
| head. am momentarily bewildered and rush into
vineshop. The missile falls upon the house opposite my
| refuge, and some twenty yards distant but does
| not explode. Not so a second, which drops in
! front OF us, and blows out the windows OF
| the second floor, skaters the balcony TO
atoms and sends one OF It's big stones into the first
floor windows Of the winners house. covering us with
glass and busting us with plaster OF Paris
go on admit II is almost with trembling. for do not
ment i fortunate enough to escape damage on the
way 10 the Rue Vanves although some seven shells
explode behind in 'front.' and right and left OF me-for
tnately at distance-as approach my destination.
| The cannonade from our own forts-from which the
Adussee du Maine is not very far offs deaenDg
find the whole neghborhood in eommoton, but no one
exhibits signs OF Ny friend is standing at his door,
ouiety smoking pipe We seem to be out Of the pres
ent line Of range If range there be- am told several
persons have been killed and many grieyousy wounded
We still hear explosions Of shells very far off, but
none sufficiently TO us to enable US to Judge or
their effect turn my steps homeward, by the Boule-
ward des Invaides there is vast concourse OF
persons looking out for somethng-no one knows what
but all concurrng In the opinion that it is barbarous
act TO throw shells into-to IbOmbard-acity without
first summoning it 10 surrender.
Certain newspapers seem think that the Prussans
had no intention Of sending their proectes into Paris,
but this theory cannot be for moment entertained
The Prsans well acquainted with the range OF
their guns and distance Of their batteries from the
center of this metropolis 10 make any mistake respecting
the locality where the shells they send at ne Will drop
Besides the bombardment has been hanging over our
heads for the three months at least and although we
have been spared it's horrors to the present moment
and many people hoped should still be spared them'
cannot surprise even the most skepticai that tne
Prussians should now commence 10 carry out their
threats admit that believed they would do so,
because blockade Of the city so strict It's reduction
by famine ia question of time. The war; In my
estimation must entered upon new phase IN the
provnees and led to this last resource means OF
terrorizng the population and forcing the GoVernen.
TO surrender Every day the forts are subjected 70
heavy fire. but official reports affirm that they suner
no material damage. They certainly respond vigorously
enough The losses by death and wounds are exceed
ie traing according TO the same authority. The vii
lagos intermediate between the enemys batteries and
our posts have suffered cruelty. Montreul Bondy ana
Ponenay instance, reported TO 10 almost whoiy