The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-11-30
PARKS LETTER.
Last Days of the Worlds Fair--Grand Prize
men ana Gold Medali,ts.


From An Occasional Correspondent
PARIS, Oct, -, 1878.
have often wondered, passing that very
fashionable florists shop close to the Grand
Hotel dies Capucines, who can be the purchas-
er of the enormous bouquets-"howpots," our
grandmothers used to call them-which dis
play their rainbow hues IN the midst of an en-
veope Of paper, large enough, To all seeming,
to serve rs tabecloth To "a party of four. No
lady, should say, of IL stature shorter than
,, that of the Nova Scouan Grantees could carry
one of those big bouquets. There are very few
fashionable balls just ut present rs .ocey in
the noble iaubourg is waiting for the provin-
cials and the " EXpoSitionards' TO go away be,
fore the real Paris season begins Ministerial
dinners and receptions do not take place every
night. For what purpose, then, are those ire
mcndOus bouquets at the florists near the
Grand Hotel intended | noticed that they
grew bigger and bigger a the day for distri-
button Of prizes drew nearer, and began to
( fancy that the prodigous assemblages of flow
ers would be prcscnted--of course, by young
/ ladies in white muslin -four young ladies to
each bouquct-to Madame la Marechale de
/ NacMahon ard her princeIy and ilustrious
guests on their arrival at the Palais de l. In
dnstrie. No, the big bouquets renamed at the
florists on tie Boulevard des Capucines
throughout The rujoicingS OF Monday. On
Tuesday went to the Exhibition, and enter
/ Ing 10y the Porte Rapp, one of the first objects
that met my eyes was the bigge of all the big
bouquets that the Willses of Paris could
gather together glowing on the axle Of an i'm
mense wheel in the French machinery depart
cry, and am quite ignorant of the attributes OF
the particular piece Of mechanism in question.
| only know that il Is very large, that It's odor
is not ut all pleasant, aud that when in motion
it makes Il horrible noise now reminding you
of the lamentations of the late Mr. Van Am.
buigh's tawny pupils under his corrective
crowbar, AMI now suggestive of their howS of
cXulation in the suggestions case Of Mr..
Van Amburgh dropping his crowbar, and the
lions and tigers being then in position to fall
upon and dine upon him AT all events, there
was the machine, and there, casting sunshine
in IA shady place, was the bouquet. There was
something else Beneath the prodgious posy
was broad plaquC on which were blazoned
the magic words Grand PrIX"
1t is NJ Max Crcmnlz, of the Avenue d
Eylau, the wcllknown chromo.lithographc
on metal, whose brilliant enamel looking trade
mark cartoons. executed for commercial and
manufacturing firms, are as well known IN
other parts OF Europe as in France, who for
some time past has been busted in getting up
the gay plaqueS bearing the stirring inscrip-
ton, Grand Priy." But " Sic vos non vobis"
the provcrb il somewhat musty NJ Max
Crcmnitz, who has Il very meritOrious exhibit
of his own products in the Palace Of the Champ
de Mars, and who has gained handsome dis
tinctions at numerous International Exhibi.
tions IN different parts Of the world has only
received bronze medal in the cOacours of
1873. Such is the irony OF fate. The shoe
makers children are always iil.shod Let Us hope
that Justice will yet be done to NJ. Max Crem
nilZ, in the shape of the cross and the red rib
bon; but his case is only one of many hun
dreds in which 1t has been found that the
whisperings of fancy have been listened to
with rash credulity and that the phantoms of
hope have been pursued with unavailing Gag
erness. Multltudinous are the exhibitors de
prived of the proud privilege Of alllxlng to the
forefront of their stalls the cleaning ensign
with Grand Prix" or even "Mcdaillc d. or
printed upon 1t. Few and far between are the
! triumphal bouquets above the machines or the
glass cases of those who were most fully per
suaded that they should he able to celebrate
/ their own victory by a sacrItic of Flora. In
general among the French exhibitors, disap-
pontment has not been met with cheerful or
even with rueiul resignation. There has been
a good deal of clenching of fists, of bending of
brows, and of mutterlng of maledIctions both
loud and deep over the official prize list
aud Cham. the caricmurst. with usual humor
Gus cXaggeratiOn, has aptly limited at the frame
of mind of a non-rccipent of rewards, who nd
ministers IA SCUM ding kick to a peaceablc in
dividual who is looking at his wares "Pu
iisquc jc mai pas de mcdaille, je nc veuX plus
y yu'on rcgardc dams ma vitrino"-No medal
no more sightseeing cries the cnraged exhibi
ltor II Is embarrassing To enter into converse
with these disappointed ones. They button
hole you with terriEic tenacily, and oour fear
tai tale Of wrong into your ears. Imagine
my dear Sir" says Monsieur Philcome, Of the
, Passage pustiChc pcrlumcr nothing for my
Pommade Pompadour; nothing for my Ros'
Dubarry lIplmprover; nothing for my Pa
phian eyehrow-archer; nothing for my Mily
lcnian hair oil; while that animal, that b'ftor
; that impositor Coupechnn Of the Passage Gros
raids get TWO modals-two, my dear sir, 4
r gold and silver one-for his miserable sem