The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-13
From our regular Correspondent.

FROM our regular Correspondent
PARIS, June Goth, 1878.
The best place to study any species, natural
lists tell US is IN It's habitat; and for those who
want to know what a happy, satisfied trinity
of the ass, ape and peacock Frenchman Is
the place to see him is Paris. The Frenchmar
out of Paris is a crestfallen creature, rs little
like the species at home as the cowed beast Of
the menagere is like the king of the forest
roaring and gesticulating with his tail. AL
though we have read much about the French
we know them less than some other European
peoples. They are seen only on parade, one
seldom catches Il glimpse of their inner life
They are less disposed to emigrate than the
Germans English, Scandinavians, or even the
Italians and ! hope, as far as we are concern
ed, they may long remain satisfied with theil
present home. have frequently deplored the
concert and bragadocio Of our people, their 4tl
of July Wanting of our institutions and ma
tional resources; it has always seemed spe
cies of egotsm in which Americans should mo-
indulge, and had supposed it was vice pc
cuiar to ourselves; but have learned, since
have been in Europe, that an Englshmar
can outbray an American, and that French
man can outbray an Englishman. You can
not 90 INTO barber shop without having the
barber tell you that Paris is grand vile, and
that is about all the English he knows. Paris
is, no doubt, "grand Vile" The treasure
and sweat, and blood, and genius of the world
and of the ages have been persuaded, stimu
lated, compelled to contribute to the adorn
ment of this "bloated reverence" For those
who can look at its splendid palaces and for
get that they represent the cheated, ruined
lives of millions of peasants or at the antique
collections of the Louvre and ignore the fact
that they were were mostly stolen by royal or
imperial Jrigands; or at its splendid boule
wards and not see in them the vanity of the
second empire, the eXtravagant energy that
otherwise directed, might have resisted Prus
sian conquest, Paris is no doubt grand vile
The grand vile may be tolerated for a little
while, ii is good for purposes of dissipation
and for broadening ones horizon; but it is
difficult to have much respect for those Amcri
cans who have eXpatriated themselves, and arr
content to live here. SO far as my observation
goes they are a rather weak syberitsh lot OF
Americans anyhow. We can do just as well
without them. The men and women who car
live on "A roll and cup Of coffee for breakfast
and find their highest bcatitude in sitting out
in front of II cafe drinking coffee and cognac
and admring the styles of the promenading
demi-mondc, from twilight till bedtime, will
perhaps do their country least harm by repre-
senting it abroad. Let us be grateful that oul
exports are greater than our imports. Paris
is the resort of many persons and personages
no matter how distinguished. \ half dozen
IcXkings, queens, royal claimants and aspirants
might have been seen at the Bots dc Bologna
horse race on Sunday, when the grand prize OF
i 100000 francs was contested for and won by
i Thurs" the horse of Count somebody, L have
forgotten his name Mcmahon, the Shah OF
Persia, Amcdcus, eXking of Spain, Don Car
los and others were on the grand stand, as werC
ALSO number of princeSscs and duchesses
The Prince of Wales is in the city, but hi,
mother will not allow him to attend horst
race on Sunday. He was not TO be seen in tn,
canopicd and upholstered box with the Presi
dent of this Republic and the Shah, but it i,
said he was there incog. lie was certainly Al
the Jardin Marille last Sunday night onC
week ago. Who has not heard of the Jardin
d Ii is the place where the demimonde of thi,
% modern Babylon assemble, glittering with dIa
monds, redolent with perfumes, and arrayct
in those artistic raviShing dresses that we Sc,
"a few months later copied on Broadway, Chest
nut street, Pennsylvania avenue and finally in
every city and town where the epidemic OF
r fashion spreads. The Jardn is not large, but
il is lined all around with immense mirrors
the frames of which are so skillfully
with flowers and vines that the little space OF
about half an acre, filled with fountains, grot
tos, flowers and scttecs appears to bc multi
: Piled ten fold. When lighted by thousands OF
jets of gas, and filled with the gayest. most
volatile of crowds Of both sexes, its appearance,
is almost celestial or Internal. depending much
upon how you look at il, whether with youl
moral or census eyes. There is dancing pa
wilton in the center of the Jardin, but the
r dancing is very barren show, not worth see
ing except for its amusing episodes. as when
one of the girls kicks off the hat Of staring
bystander The Jardin is one of the sights 81
Paris, though it is, on the whole, poor show
: and not worth the entrance fee of FIVE francs;
but if you had been there On Sunday night
you would have seen two no less distinguished