The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1878-11-01
lFRoA QUA nHouLAR ooRRnsPoNbEasl
PARIS LETTER.
Through The s'PiGaFo" OnRcG.
Pam, soptember 2sth, ls7s.

having posted some lettera "a postoAice
lottet-bOx and a telegraph Office are
among the facilities 81 q the pub
lie in the Of tho
Figdro---.r ted tho,ollreas Of tha
Journal itssl aDd asked to Be tlloe Il
to hAvop = ssome ab0aae,S ,3iif there
happened 70 e any on the ptemiscs.
There wore plenty. A kind of gentle
man usher, oftmature age,awho looked
50 grave and reverend that ho might
have been Gil Bias father2 wilo; you
will remember, became an eseaalero in
his declining years, his wife assuming
the avocation Of duenna conducted
me up large and softly .earpete,l vesti,
bule, and then into spacious ante
chamber, the walls hung with antique
stapestry, Venetian mirrors and trophie
of antique weapons, and plentifully fur
nished with fanteuils and divans. The
prevailing style of decorations was Ills
psno Marosque, and this indeed is tho
keynote Of the architecture and enbel-
ishments Of the Figaro, tho facade of
which, looking ON the Rue Drouot, is
adorned by bronze stature Of the I'm
mortal Barber himself, looking as Gle
gantly impudent and as am,lsingly
knavish as he does in the finest French
comedy and tho finest Italian opera of
which the latter years Of the wicked,
worn-out 18th century can boast. The
sculptor of this bronze effigy Of the ton
sor of the Plaza San Fernas gained the
prizs in an animated competition among
some Of the FIRST plastic Al tistsin France,
and terra-cotta models of the Figaros
which did not win the prize albeit the
figures are Of rare merit arc displayed
on brackets in the ante-chnmbcr. The
polite gentleman who was my cicerone
next led me to gallery, or loggia, run
ming round the quadrangular covered
court yard, answering precisely to the
patio Of house at Seville; only in the
centre instead Of a fountain there was
. monumental bust in marble of Beau
Tnarchais. and round three Of the sides
there we're handsomely carved oaken
Screens, pierced with pigeon-holes,
Through which money and papera were
being continually passed. ] could look
down on row Of spruce clerks sitting
behind the usual big ledgers, while on
the other side of the screens there was
a flock Of all sorts and conditions Of
people busily engaged in paying cash
and receiving documents. "oh p l
thought, s'tiiese are the advertisers, an
estimable race. BLESSED be the adver-
tisersr Not at all. was quite in
error IIipano- Moresquc patio was the
bureaaof subscribers Of the Figure,
and the multitude ON whom l was look
ing down were the abonne's-the quar-
terly, half yearly, or annual subscribers
to the most popular journal in Ftaneo.
The majority of American journals pub
lish the terms on which they can be
subscribed for, and an American resi-
dent, say in Italy, or the interior Of
France, usually subscribes for some
American paper or another, Of course
we have all heard in America of the
Subscriber from the First" pret-
ty airs he gives himself sometimes in
his correspondence on the strength of
his seniority in subscription. lie is
the twin brother of the Constant Read
er," and am inclined TO think that he
is at least the cousins german of 'iI'ater-
familias," that he knows the real name
of "Vindex," and that be most proba-
bly, has a bowfng acquaintance with the
"Oldest Inhabitant." But there is no
mystery about the French aJonne He
is a palpable entity freq lently with
spectacIas and umbrella. Journals of
different shades of opinion presentequal-
ly, Of course, varied aspects tel the
aborne, from the clean-shaven, sleek
faced, sable-clad, gentleman who sub
scribes to the "65aioerse," to the stout
bourgeois in the white waistcoat who
has taken in the eGonstitutional," ever
since the yeai%I845, and. the elderly and
austere parsonage with the ribbon of
the Legion and tortoise shell snuff
box, who pins his faith to the "Joitr7sal
des Debate" and thinks NJ John Lem
oinne the greatest statesman in France.
Then there is the Republican advocate,
with the closely trimmed black nhis-
kers, who swears by the "RepubEique
Francaiss,9 the retired major Of dra-
goons, with his fierce gray. ,moustslches
and high black eravatJ or the Pre-
feet, under the Second Empire, oil the
Department Of the Dantegruyese; OF
the Brie Inferieure-rat a seedJran
trade-fallep ex-oficial just now, who
would soaner give up his demttasse
and petit gepTa after dinner than sIban.
don his1aIonpsemeut to the aPays" Of q
subscriber to the "l4arseillaiss.' lean.
not form any very definite idea, hut
vaguely imagine him to be mild per.
sonage, with dove-colored hair and