The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-01

NEW i
Key ana terrapin, IKE civilized people-r,|st ices
ana merinrues and thin little cakes Fad LIQUORS,
and you rush out into the corridrr ana smske .
cigarette and hurry hack, ,.ad then young
chap with stubby lnustache stands up
and reads an origfr. al poem, ana you cannot
understand what 40 says except that 1t is about
France and Gernany, and Alsace and Lorraine; and
It ends Re,fengeI Revengep and they all shout and
cry, ard the men rush up and kiss him on both
cheeks-yes, on both cheeks, the fools. II had my
Tay-But let me tell you about bill got las:
month and o charge for candles" THIS legend your
correspondent disentangled himself from--as 1t is
an old. old story-and leaves our dissatisfied colo
mist on his way to the american oyster" saloon,
where he win ind something to remind him Of
home.
8a oi ''oUR FRIEND, THE MARQUIs.n oJ Le
But Is there any society abroad for the colony
oh, yes; very charming circles-French, English
and American. am afraid good deal Of the IN
harmonious feelings that now and then ofrend you
come from the French society. The colonist who
can speak French, to begin with, s an object Of
envy and reproach to those who cannot. discover
also that 1t Ia great card to know nObleman.
have heard OF one family who entertain largely, es-
pecially noating Americans in Summer, who, 1t is
said, keep Marquis" This nobleman was in dis
tress and had dismal home down In Mont
martre. But one enterprising American found
him out, and during the Summer, when he gives
dinner, the Marquis, with . red ribbon
in his lapel is present and presented. This gives
dignity to the dinner, ana has majestic, II de-
pressing effect upon the American guests. Before
he arrives II adds to the zest Of the conversation to
discuss whether the Marquis will come whether
~
the rumor is true that he was suddenly summoned
to the Count de Chamberd. Alter he goes (Which
is early, His Highness not finding the average
American conversation stimulative), comes the
discussion Of the Marquis and his pedigree--Mont
morency at least-grandfather guilotined by Robes.
pierre-and such noble namesl The circumstance
Of the Marquis being actually under contract
to wine and dine at 80 much day, for the benent
Of free and Independent American travellers, do
not guarantee. It came to me as gossip from o
satirical sighted coonist who had not been asked
to meet the Marquis; and who, not being much In
the society Of French noblemen has the conviction
that they are very poor and know nothing except
to play on the violin and lie in wait for the daugh-
tiers OF wealthy American gentlemen, who having
garnered in their millions In the development OF
our petroleum industry, or In furnishing supplies
to our brave boys in the field, crave coronet for
But hold For now come upon enchanted
ground, and before one stretches vista that
would lead far beyond the patience of the most
industrious and constant reader Of the HERALD II
I have not gone % far already. When begin to
speak Of comets and beautiful American lions l
fearI fear lest in idly telling tales that have been
told to me words would fall wounding where we
have no right to wound. SO let the curtain
fall and gather the puppets in, for the
play of America In Paris" must end here.
But know, fair maidens Of Madison square, who
read these lines, and have your own hopes and
fears in the matrimonial way, and ambitions pure
and high mounting, that there really is q marke e.
in Paris, even as in New York, for blooming cheeks
and beaming, lustrous eyes and hearts Of love and
truth, and that such have been sold and delivered
to noble descendants Of Norman noblemen, whose
ancestors were thieves in the day that theft was
honor and not Q punishable proceeding
So many stories come OF these pecuniary
transactions that another chapter would be
required to tell them. This. however, as general
principle, which throw out in concluding. so
long ae French counts are poor ana Italian princes
find It hard to secure the necessary macca-
roni-so long as vain clrizens OF our nation will
become very rich and have daughters-so long as
our petroleum dowagers will see in q corOnet Q
glory far exceeding the glory OF the sun, or OF the
moon, or OF On army with banners, and to be
priced even above true, loving, genuine American
manheod-so long will our maidens dear be bought
and sold in this strange, sad way.
NJ. sardou and "Unclc SAM"
. s --Isr.-. rc PARIS, Feb Q, 1873.
Our colonial life IN Paris has experienced sensa-
ton which has been more or less noted In French
and English journals, and, I have no doubt, at
tracted its share Of attention in the HERALD. Your
correspondent has been at some pains to seek 1t
out, and this is the story as 1t comes to HIM
HOW THE PLAY CAME TO BE WRITTEN.
There is in this Paris city clever Bohemian,
named Victorien Sard0u, who has written many
attractive comedies and has facility fer that kind
OF work. He wrote "Patrie,n which poor dead
James Fisk, Jr, tried to play to New York, but New
York would not come and see it. wen
''Patrie'' was o famous piece, Of melo.
dramatic type, in this melodramatic country. He
also wrote play satirizing the manners and Gus.
toms OF the gaudy French Empire, which was much
rslished In that time. More recently he contrived
.'Rabagas," which was meant as a satire upon
Gambetta, and has been played TO large audiences
for long time. As 1Kabagas" was going into q
decline there came rumor that the Ingenious
sardou was bent upon satirizing America, and re-
publican institutions in general as developed in
America. Well the rumor circled up and down and
hither and thither and was discussed in colony
circles, and we all resolved to 60 the first night
and have good time and see how absurd the
American appears In the eyes of French Bohe.
milan. Suddenly the rumor came that the play had
been interdicted by the authorities.
YOUR CORRESPONDENT SEEKS LIGHT.
Well we all thought this was an ingenious adver.
tisement OF the Bohemian's play. We heard 1t was
to be played In New York, and there was the aston
ishing story that the French Minister had told NJ
Sardou that he must see our Minister, Mr.. Wash.
burne, and show him the play and ask his permits
sion before the play could be permitted. 1t was
really feared that unless this was done the play
would give offence to friendly nation. These were
the stories and your correspondent set out to see
how true they were. Proceeding to the Legation
he found Mr.. Gratiot washburne who received him