Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-04-22
Americans in Paris.

tion says NO one can have resided long
abroad without noticing that Americans as
people are neither liked nor respected by the
French 10 spite of th=r purchasing power and
Of the pretty speeches made at the grand hotel
dinners about Lafayette, Rochambeau & 20.
Frenchmeu are not prejudiced against US BY
the stories of our balbarous customs and hoan'
cisl irregularities at home. They only shrug
their shoulders When they hear them. They
Judge US by what they see here: some tho'
roughly good Americans get to Faris tVen our
ing lite, but what are they compared WIN 80,
crowd which quick travel and low tareS lmpH
every season over Europe? The UaIted States
has become the oHicna vlatoTum. Oar cltl'
z,ns, male and female, manage to beg, borrow,
| or steal at least one trip to Europe; and as mis-
fortunes never come single, they briDg thflr
children with them-nuDerous; uolSy aud un
controlled. French and EoelisE children ar"
left at home when their parents travel. Ihey
also bring with them wonderful Ignorance OF
the habits, behavior, and teellngs OF Europeans.
! Indeed, there are many whose unlutored mlcd'
expect to find here repetition OF the ways
aud ma nncrs of their native town. Everything
is compared with home, and nothlog that d'i-
fcrs seems as good. "PArs is a very wccl.
but PEBBLES for pleasure" Tnc Boulevard Is
not like Like avenue, and at the cafes you
cannot get pork and bcaus or fried ham. we
except the Bon Marche shop 10 the Kus a.
B4c; that is the Caaba OF the pllisrImssse OF
American women.
The American coloniy has its little grada
tions of rauk and lis graudes danes. All uo'tr
10 sneeriug at those they call low Amerlcan'.
Foreigners do not perceive this dlstino.lop' OUT
look upon all Americans as ocoupyl?g thcsame
social plane, differing ouy 10 spending more or
less money. Ofther own country the CoIoE'c
speaks with md conteupt: Better fifty years
of Paris than cycle of Broadway" New York
is provincial; the streets are unswep; men chew
tobacco; tho servants are not respectful, aud
get very high wages. 1T IS not hs Tor gen
tleman to live TO-" All the uses of that pew
world seem weary, stale, fat, and Improbable.
The Coonie washes its hands OF it aud addres
es new comers as "Y ou Americans" And yet.
n spite of these excellent sentiments, very good
apartments, correct servants, strict adhereEc1
to the fashions ct the natives and promp! pay
ment, the COlone IL not respected. NO coucat:
ed Freuchman or ElgIsbman can understand
wby man who is souodly constituted, meotaI!y,
morally, and financially, should permanently
reside out of his own country, usless as mc!cH'
ant or diplomat or an txlle ior cause.
The critical tcreigner Is also amused by he
love of orders and titles displayed even by the
sturdiest American democrats. A red rlbbou,
or ribbon Of any COLOR is ostentatously worn,
whether derived from a jury position 10 some
international exposition, or given by the late
Emperor as reward for lnveDtug clothes
wringer or a new method OF making ARTIFICIAL
teeth. Decore CONNIE uu dentlstc amerlcalD
has become French proverb. l Is SAID thAt
one Of our officials 90 this side, keenly teeIIns
that this outward and visible sligo WAS Wan'lng
to complete the get up OF great ex military
traveller, invented an order composed OF the
badges of the different army corps durlug The
war, which was Worn both by the great m'a
aud himself about their necks on suitable Occi'
sOns.
American girls cau marry titles. but they arc
mauifestly uuattainable by American mtD.
They try to meet this diff Guilty by the Us: OF
Honorable. A mau who has held any ottli &c,
from President to constable, thinks himself 90.
titled to nut this word before his nam"; or II he
has been volunteer officer, or even honorary
aide dc camp to the Governor OF his State, G2
outs Major or Colouel On his visiting cards aua
cuDsplcuousy on his luggage. This partculas
| weakoess oDtains as much 10 the arlstnclat'c
class of Americans as 10 the lower varieties
| Of the race.
There is an ariltocr soy 10 tue Uoitcd States,
| althouyh It NAV be difficult to uulc 10 Wl,i it
| consists Perhaps rough but toclable d"h7t'
: ton is that the father OF the American "Il7to'
6. IL kept she shop and belusathcd tie toriuu'
| As eunSt lence, tn" oa-ctudaut of to' rl'h
family has better educatlon 10 the amehit!rS
and accomplishments OF SOCIAL lie 10 40 the lei
! low olt,z, 20 whose head has just appeafe1 a'av'
I tho surface. lndecd, 10 my oplnlon, there IS
10 nicer person to be found on the planet tn"l
| q well bred Amerlean OF cducatlon ana s"u5'.
| Bus when established hczo their gool sense is
scrts chem 90 this point. Their mpathy WITH
Europesn manners and soclal dl'uncucns 'oe er
| Icaos itseis and falls ou the hcr side.
| I,sbouIays hit the mark when h. SAID: LOU.
| Ame,icsin Paris Sc croft gentlbomm' a!
! ,houph they COY see Socl'ty abroad as Tie
| AussuImau womcn do Paradise, through the
hcnndary ratings. ttcy wish 10 live near NC
| nrcaer class and TO liva i ke IL. They hove %
| orhpr Wsy of asserting tier p0sl lou. lice,
! m,or spcnd more than they Gao afford; more,
! cert,,;:iy, than Foreigners OF TIE came l1tulc
Ivnuh :Ihiuk themselves justified IN sprndloS.
Ry SOME mysterious process OF rcasonlng th y
consider Unnecessary to live up TO au luisgI
nary social d;gnty at home.
III thai tbe 'rig ght people do they cacelulIy
initiate s,uasllsg to avoid slnnlog sgaln,t The
cony cptonaisies ,.C tqupp@ge, dress aud hap
its Thinking always what foreigners will
think of them bogetS an uncomfortable sell
o;,usness, want ,af coufdoGcc 10 them
selyes. They are not gsopnc; ouy lul'a!Ions
The 10 "" American has 'h2rc the a1Vauia; e.
He NAV save little taste or appreciation Of art
he may IT,, too ready to assert himself ato
BOAST of his country. but he really eeAeV' ) IL
himself and 10 hi0 c'u'try lhe Del ef e., A$:( =;
most heart ashao, ed of his c1unty. liz vi!
NJ anv ann a, tack upon it with vIgo!; l.
nav talk Of it's wea Ito, prosperity, lGgenC'i!
! aud enterprise, ba. SEA "re:Iy he wishes he h;'
been boro elsewhere. ,-a g., ,;3o
Ifyou care to mako liu. your lfena ,;ob iob ,.o
tell him he has bten taken or sn IL h'siaAuian !: ~:
1t is the greatest compliment YOU csn psy MIN
Give him time and ten to one h' WI, ~! yo'
| himself how often this "odd mIs 'ahe h's c
| ou rr,6 tn holland hn turna hil 1CS WHen