The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-11-13
A American vvonanIaPMI..
SHOPPING UNDER OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES rs
OF THE FRENCH CLERKS-NoVELS TREEf
SCENES = VIEWING THE CITY BY GAS


/ L
SCENES = VIEWING THE CITY BY GAS
| LIGHT.
Correspondence \. Y. Graphic
PARIS, October |. One cannot
imagine any place more brilliant than
this city. The principal delight of
strangers on first arriving here seems to
consist IN driving up and down these
broad avenues until they grow familiar
with the city. when they feel satisfied 10
resort 10 tramps, which are generally
more satisfactory than any other mode
of conveyance. | have heard so much
of French politeness that l am rather
disappointed not To find more of it in
this great caravansary, the English
being much superior IN this respect, at
least. French politeness is not even
skin deep; it is hat politeness, and eX
tremely unsatisfactory. You enter a
''magazin' and inquire if any one
speaks English, and they answer: 'Yes,
but madam speaks French so admirably
that English is unnecessary" Then
they barney you awhile in this manner,
and sell you an article which they as
sure you is wonderful bargain, and you
go home and show it to French lady,
who says you have paid just double its
value One of my gentlemen friends
heres undertook. among host of other
things, to buy ''crlnollne' for his wife,
and Oh its arrival he submitted 1t for my
inspection. Igazed at it in wonder, and
inquired the price. Fifty francs"
Then | looked at him compassionatelv,
and advised him to lose it overheard on
the passage home, and forget for what
purpose that $40 had been spent, as his
wife would never permit him to forget it
if he once asked her to wear it. | think
the damsel who sold him the curiosity
must have dazsd him with her black
eyes and soft speeches before he conclud-
ed to buy it. They are rather adroit
in this particular, but do not often effect
much with our sex. | am quite certain
my friend bought almost the entire stock
of one small ''magazln' on account of
the winning ways of the proprietaire. l
believe l would prefer doing my own
shopping at home than send my husband
to Paris to do it for nett would save
good income at least, no matter how
much duty | paid. Personally | have
only had one serious trouble in the
matter of shopping, and that was in buy
ing boots that were not high enough in
the instep, and [ was not aware that in
step in French means ''elbow of the
foot l gave it up, finally, and took
the articles, minus instep, and they have
reminded me of my ignorance every day
since.
so delight in the brightness and
beauty here; that few sights make me
sad, but there is one place in Paris | can
never enter without shedding tears, and
that is the tomb of Napoleon. Ii is so
solemn, so massive, SO impressive, so like
the character of the man who had only
one great fault to mar the splendor of
his genius. The inscription over the
portal of his last resting place is exceed
ingly touching in its pathos:
Il wish nay ashes to be buried on the
borders of the Seine among the French
people, whom [ have so much loved"
cannot imagine how, looking upon
this grand monument and rejecting upon
the men who did so much for their be-
loved country, the French nation can so
ignore his descendants, for certainly any
of his kindred ought to come very near
tE-;r hearts.
PARIS grows upon you the longer you
stay there. There is much on all sides
to attract the eye and crafty the senses.
Especially have [ noted the flowers,
which are carfully and assiduously cult
waited in every available spot, although
the French taste in gardening is not so
good as one would expect from their gen
eral success in artistic effect There is a
stiffness and formality of design that
mars the beauty of all these lovely par
terres. The most wonderful gardeners
here are the Chinese, who will compel
nature to bow before them. Their
garden at the Trocadero is the most
marvellous thing in the whole exhibition.
They have butterflies and other insects
formed of growing plants, every leaf Of
which is perfect, but all kept within GER
tain limits, so as not to mar by a fingers
breadth the regularity and perfection of
the design. | cannot imagine by what
means they obtain this result and the
colors are 50 skilfully and tremendously
blended that one would think magician ;
wand had been used to complete the
work. We do not yet half understand
| the resources of these remarkable people,
whose arts are older than the utmost
limits of our thoughts | have looked
with wonder on the mnuteness and ex
| qfYsite finish OF their handicraft, but |
never before realized that they could
produce such tiny perfectness in living
flowers, which yet show no sign of blight
or dwarfed existence.
A great drawback to attending any
| place of amusement here is the lack of
ventilation. The Grand opera house, a
palace in its magnifieence, is insupport-
! able, it is so close, and you are glad to
forego all the music and lose the seven
teen francs you have paid for admittance
in order to get away from an atmosphere
that seems poisonous, it is so heavy.
We have had rather laugh over some
of our feminine boarders, because they
were tempted to see Paris by gaslight and
entered one of the brilliant and alluring
resorts, thinking nobody would know
them. They were rather startled on
glancing around after taking their seats
| to find that their next neighbo was a
clergyman from the same house, who had
gone ''to take care of young man."
suppose he thought nobody would know
him, and he could preach down wicked
ness better if he we're able to see for
| himself how far it extended. | did not
hear his opinion of the entertainment,
but believe the ladies were disappoint-
ed-in the wickedness.
Frence drivers are perfectly Indifferent
to your proximity, and will not hesitate
a moment at running over person, as
the law will in such case impose fine
upon you for being in The way of the
horse, instead of on the driver for his
reckless disregard of your inability te
escape.
thought the English women of the
/ lower. classes were badly treated: hul