Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-12-11
PARIS AsTONIsHED.

President Grant D;nsd by MRS
1RckRy "A hall at 'Aladdin's
Palace A Magnificent Affair.
the correspondent of the New
York World, writing from Paris,
says:
There has been nothing like it
since the empire. All the Palace
de l'Etoile lit up by the sheen Of
two enormous eagles, outlined in
gas-iets, and by a bordering row Of
lesser fires that mark the garden
fence of one of the great houses
that divide avenue from avenue in
the thoroughfares radiating from
the arch; the whole front of the
house more softly illumined by
light streaming through colored
curtains; a crowd of idlers gazing
up at the windows from 8 o'clock
pm. to 4 the next morning, and
speculating on the Interpretation of
E Pluribus Unum written in fire
across the breasts of the birds; car
riages driving up from all directions
with company as numerous as
the crowds; policemen, badaudS
gamins de Paris, swearing coach
men, expostulating swells, pretty
bundles Of silk and tulle which are
understood to be women-these
might serve as rough notes for a
description of the outside scene.
And the significance of it all is
that Mrs. Mackay, of San Francisco,
has General Grant to dinner to-
night "wednesday the 2Oth), at her
Paris residence, and that she has
invited all "the world" to meet him
after the meal.
| repeat, there has been nothing
like it since the empire for splen-
dor, for tasteful profusion. Paris
has been talking Of it all the week.
"Are you going to the Mackays?'
was the stock question, and it
served to give the weather a rest,
There were rumors that it was to
eclipse everything of the kind done
by private munifcence in these lat
ter days, and they have turned out
to be true.
l went, / saw it, and l really have
no clear recollection of whatI saw
have a confused idea that / have
been looking at a sort Of sociaI
aurora borealis, and that is about
all. The best way, l think, will be
to adopt the principle of our newest
school Of art, and simply set down
impressions in the order in which
they were received, leaving it to the
critics to make a picture Of them
or to prove that no picture can be
made. At about eleven pm.
caught last glimpse of a worka
day world when my cab bowled un
der a draped and festooned archway
and shut out the crowd-gaping sil
deep-from view. Thencelorth al
was splendid convention. Clan
footmen in red and gold, and armeG
to the teeth with rapiers and hal
herds, opened my eabdoor OF
brought down by their ponderoul
weapons with a ring on the marble
pavement to celebrate my arrival
| thought it particularly pleasan
until | heard them doing it for thu
next man, and then it seemed al
unmeaning farce. / passed up
broad marble staircase, aglow Will
the light from a hundred burners
rapidly killing ten times their mum
Der Of real flowers and plants will
which the very ante-chambers wer
garnished. Then l came upon
man in black wearing knee -breeche
aud a sword. | thought at frs
that it was the sergeant-at-aRms o
the British house Of commons, bp
it proved to be only the usher. Il
another moment ! was bowing to
lady with dark hair aud of yer
youthful appearance, Mrs. Mackay
and to Miss Hungerford, a frienr
who is staying with her. / did no
in the least notice how she wa
dressed, but somebody told me al
terward - blue satin mixed wit
blue faille and trimmed wit
bunches of silver flowers. Mr.
Mackay stood in the smaller draw
ingroom; at the end of the large
onp hevond IL were General nm