New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-05-16

The opening of the Paris Exhibition was
made the occasion Of grand display OF pop
ular festivity. The city was splendidly illu-
minated, rich and poor having joined heartily
in promoting the display. A graphic sketch OF
the celebration from the pen OF stall CORE
spondent of THE TRIBUNE is appended. The
Prince of Wales has made an informal VISIT 10
the American section, aud manifested much
interest therein.
THE MARVELS OF THE EXHIBITION NlGiil'
THE PEOPLE FULL OF EARNEST JOY SCENES OF
Rare BEAUTY Observation-Disclosures HUNG WITH
LANTERN, FORMING QUAINT PATTERNS AND CURl-
Gus DEsIGNs-RICH AND POOR ACTING IN HAIR
MONY-THE RUE RIvOL RIVER or FLAME
IrRoM 4 STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNEl
PARIS. MAY AL that said Wednesday aDou'
the heartiness with which Paris threw Itself mo
The celebration of the opening was most made
innate expression Of the fact. The necessity OF be-
ing at the Troeadera all day ana OF writing all the
evening prevented ire from getting anything more
than Climpses Of what was going on III the city.
Ny windows, at an angle from which dozen
streets could be seen, commanded view which was
as tantalising as il was fascinating Iou could see
enough to be sure that there was great deal more
Won must see The light in tho sky. like the light
streets, in which the murmur Of human
voices covered the noise OF wheels and hoofS.
proved that all Paris was oR yf'e. An hour
before midnight went ont for a tour OF the city.
| found my c0aehman, who had been waiting since
nine and who was as eager as anybody about the
spectacle nmuch terror lest we were already too late
But in tact the carnival was at its height. Turning
ont OF the Rue Scribe into the Boulevard DIES Cap
ucnes we plunged at once into a fast-lockcd crush
of carriages, filed with sghtseers like ourselves.
II was twenty minutes before we had goho the
length OF the Grand Hotel. which fills the Boule-
ward from the Rue Scribe to the Place du A0uyel
Opera. But il did not matter. Wherever fate took
yOu or stayed YOU the was one Of rare beauty
French crowd is always g0Od-humOTcG, and any
crowd must have fet the influence OF the wonder
full spectacle and the magnetism of the general JOY
The Partisan is prouder of Paris than Of anything
else in the world and his pride was never more JUS
tilted than on this night. His Government and his
municipal council had done something in dry Off
cial way, to beauty the town, but 10 Government
that ever existed could have done what the sponta-
neous good will and good taste of the citizen had
achieved The idea came into his head hardly more
than three or four days ago, and was duly snccred
at by the BOnapartist- Clerical clique OF Exhibi-
tion-haters. No. lantern blazed less brightly
for all that. The merchants of such wares
had sold out their whole stock before Wednesday.
The amazing thing was that so many existed, or
could be made A far as you could see, both ways
along the Boulevard, every house was hung with
lanterns, from linte! to cornce. Where there were
no lanterns there were long rows OF gas burners, set
50 closely that the line of fire cut as sharply against
the gray stone rs flash of lightning and burnt as
intensely The lanterns were Chinese and japanese,
of all shapes and every hue, and mingled with these
were the hags which had been hung out during the
day, and were kept flying all night, as well they
might be- for the blaze often strong that the
color and pattern of the flag, and lis every insignia
were as plainly visible as when the sun shone on
them. The trees were in their Spring foliage of
tender green, lustrOus with the afternoon showers.
When we had oOzed along as far as the
square in front of the new Opera House,
the vast open spaces which stretch away 20
every point Of the compass were luminous and
white with still another radlance-tEc piercing glare
of the electric lamps only half subdued by their
translucent glass shades. The summit OF the I'M
mense building was left in shade, excepting the
straight lines Of gas-jets along the pedIment; and
higL over everything softly Respondent against
the sky, rose the golden harp which the muse who
presjdes over ths temple holds upliited IN her
hands. The woman's figure was cunnngly
left in gloom; nothing bat the harp stood out
clearly, and the device had singular charm. The
Rue de Ia Paix which sparklcs IN the daytime with
diamonds and emcUalds. not more brilliant
certainly than in its GOlcoDda sunlight, but it was
more bewItching. To penetrate 1t or to keep on
up the Boulevard des Itaens seeming about equally
impossible, We turned into the Avenue du Quatre
Septembre, leaving to the right The new Avenue de
POpera, which has sprung into existence as If by
magic, and tonight bore every mark of fairy-hke
origin.
Here you began to notice what seemed the most
surprising Of all the maryels Of the night. Ii was
not merely the great bJuleyards and avenues and
broad streets of palaces which were Illuminated.
But as You drive slowly along these glowing IA
cades the narrow and lofty streets opening out of
them to right and left, were illuminated also The
poor had wed with the rich i'll doing honor TO the
day. You grew familiar with the nOontide
splendor of myriad lamps on marble mansions, but
there was nothing in all that glory which touched
your heart like the lonely glimmer of lantern in
mansard easement far up on the roof. which
some seamstrcss had sacrificed her next morn
ng's breakfast to buy You saw not one
but scores and hundreds of sIch, hanging where
the poor little woman could hardly crafty her
sion for light and color by sight Of her toy, but
where il might best be seen from the street, and so
add ray TO the flame in which her loved Paris had
clothed herselff for the night. Grisette Yes. very
likely, and has never been to Sunday-scho0l, but
much more prObablyto Buller's or Mabile, and has
queer acquaintance and customs which are not
yours good Mrs. Brown, and she is not at all the
kind of person whom Mr.. Brown, who may have
met her in a casual way elsewhere, would introduce
into the bosom of his family, even refer 10 in
that decorous circle. He may object 10 my referring
TO her. but she has done a pretty thing tonight,
and whatever her faults may be, has earned an
honorable mention among exhibitors who had little
notion that they were TO be exposed to competition
Of tins sort.
Past the Bourse by the Rue Vivenne to the BOule.