New-York tribune., 1879-12-21
PARIS IN WINTER.
RICH AND POOR IN HE GAY cArrTa

NEVER PREPARED ron cHLD wsArriFE-rHE RE-
soURcKs OF AFFLUENcE AND THE DEVICES OF
PENURY-.rHE sFAnsTREss AND TIE PETITE
MArTREssE-vorK or THE cnAMBSE.
fyRoN THE KEGUEkn CORRESPONDENT or THE rrrHrSE-l
PARIS, Dec. 5.-A severe Winter frI.s while 1t
lasts with keener force in Paris than IN New-fork
Here. we are not as rrie prepared sfor inclemeut
weather. The houses neither made 20 efve shade
from fierce heat in Summer nor TO protect against
the bitter cold which north winds invariably bring
with them. no mattc3- in what they
may blow. I suppose that one of the reasons
why architects have in this city. taken no thought
provide for the rapid variations Of temperature.
is that whenever thingscome to the wostin France,
they usually mend. This law applies equally %
politics. manners and things climatic. We are
Obliged to SEEK when the strain on our philosophy
or powers of endurance Il severe, make
shift remedies which generally tide us
over the mdSrdis qrarf Fhcvre pleasantly
enough. The poor seamstress has generally,
rolled rp IN flannel hot Hot-iron which she warns
on a portable petroleum cooking apparatus and
a footstool during the long hours when she
il engaged with her needle and thread. On the
same stove her boHif'en gTas SINNERS the whole
day hong 10 provide in the evening succulent and
seasonable meal. she protects, in going ont her
feet from tine snow and Frost by woollen stockings.
before putting them on she has slipped pair OF cork
soIes The prts b1rgsois forify themselves their
domIciles against cold. as the garrison of a be-
Ieaguercd fort would take precautions against an
Insidious, cruel aud evcT-watchful enemy. Every
door and window cauked ND with b0Hrreie, l.. =.
a tube Of ealco stuffed with row and nailed along
orifcss above, below, down straight and. IN short
wherever the wind is in the habit Of pene-
trstng. Hot ashes are piled MP at the
backs Of fireplaces. Closed stoves are never
used IN Pans unless in Omnibus Offices. the ante
roops of private houses and in the lodgings of poor
people who do all their cooking and ironing IN the
single si.ting-room. closed stove Is a confession
of poverty. The caiOdieTe. which heats the whole
house. Is very In new and very expensive
houses let in Hats there is apparatus for warming
entrance hall and common stairs; and, in such
weather a. that whch prevails and suspends the
general life of the city. they great boon. But,
| should say that there are fully 30 per cent Of
the Partisan houses which are without heating
stoves of this kind in the basement. The oc-
cupant of each far has TO resist well as he can
the stream of freezing air that forces its way from
the common stairs into the different flats. As
have said not ashes seducusly economical and
pied up at the backs of the fire-places.
OPEN FIRFs AND CLOSE STOVES.
American families here are fond OF having in
their sitting-rOoms CRATES. in which coke can be
burned. TIE French prefer the old-fashiOned
hearth, with two iron bIs running from back to
front. and faced with dogs heads, across which
blocks OF wood are laid. The brusnwood Is placed
underneath and on the application Of lighted
match there Is IN moment blazing, cracking
fire, the warmth OF which the ash-heap behind
prolongs. ! must say that 1 prefer TINS arrange
ment. to the stove | prefer the company Of
great man to tie work of Which he Is the author.
There is a cheering fleet IN the rapnc flames con-
trasted against the blacknoss OF he chimney ia
the roar which is occasloned BY the cold ar iuunlna
ia to chase the hot IN the curling sm0Ae. tnc
cracke, the hosts of sparks hving upward ana
in the varying moods TOR which mere warmth
does not compensate. The stove is beat without an
anunating principle. 1t is body without a soni
church without wOrshippers. OF tine woman DEVOID
OF grace The eve is delighted and the imaginaiion
set in movement by bright wood fire, whose heat
Is always genial, and seldom fierce. Tonaues
are uI.loosed by the sight OF a fine fire
of tins sort to express happy thought.
The hearth of the eighteenth century mansion in
Paris was the birthplace of French journalism.
Draconian restrictions kept down the priniingDr
bnt those sparkling anecdotc. appetlzing HOHr"'les
la main circulated round tbe fireplace Of Madame
Double. or OF Madame Goeiirin. These ladies, who
became the auiocrats of intellectual Paris. they
were approaching their chalr-days. were very par
tcular about the kind of wcOd they caused To
have laid in for Winter fuel. One OK
them preferred old oak and aDplerre legs the other
had preference for oak mixed with pear-tree .ogs
which make bright red embers Ihat glow for hours:
and both forbade their house stewards 10 purchase
fuel brought on RATS down the seine from Fon-
tainebleau and Dlorvan. Whatever they purchased
should be fetched in carts from the woods round
Paris. Brllat-Savarn no less Particular about
the wood which his cook used in roasting.
His fine palate could &c distinguish
the r6i prepared before Te Of b0is d0te which, he
held steamed well as roasted the meat and
therefore spoiled it, We are now happy TO procure
wood. winch has become very expensive. on any
terms and never think of inquring whether u has
been Hoated OF carted to the Paris market
As stting-rooms in Haussmannized, are much
smaller than they were in old Paris, the boz. gOise
and the rrande dame, while liking see the fire
blaze up the chimney. do not pay the same atteI-
tlou to their hearths did their great grand
mothers of the eighteenth century. They look.
however more to general snugness. Easy chairs
are easier. and made more than they used t.
be for lounglng attitudes. Carpets are more gen.
erally laid down. Indeed. they universal IN the
dwellings of the rich; and those little dabs
ulaced before arm-chairs and sofas, which were in
very freduent use in good houses when LOuis Phil
ivpe was king. are now intensely bourgeois. Old
fashioned bachelors, who never soved wild oats.
olc-fashIoned spnsters struggling dTessma kers and
visiting governesses, who have grown old In giving
Lessons an cachef still have those patches of
on tine bright polished floors Of their little salons.
One NAV deduce from the carpet dabs a sharp strug-
Gle against poverty, narrow sympathies OF intense
conservatism of the PrudboInme type. IL weather
like this oourgeoise ladies who persever in setting
small squares and rounds OF m0quette before arm
cnars aud Sofas for the feet OF visitors to rest on,
brinQ ont dyed sheep skins, for the hearth Directly
the hard frosts are over they send them To the
cleaners When they are returned cleaned and
purified they stow them away in moth-proof linen
hags in which they will remain until whIte-faced