Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-04-15
MRS. A MACKEY.
How She Lets Out the Contract for Fur
nlshlng Her Partisan Home.
Newark Advcrtiser.l

Newark Advertiser,l
The following funny story is going
the rounds of the American colony in
Paris. l give it to you for what it is
worth-it ought to be true if it isn't.
Some years ago, when Mrs. Maekey
first came to Paris, the Bonanza
King, as many toadies in the States
delight to call their golden-idol, came
with her. She occupies. as you know,
the whole of a large hotel Gin the
French sense), or the corner of the
Champs Elysees, close to the Are-de-
Triomphe, one of the best sites in
Paris for a residence. They, on leas-
ing this grand hotel, naturally desired
to furnish it in a manner becoming the
m%agni6cence of the house and the
style in which Mrs. Mackey entertains,
which is gorgeous and unequaled by
any private individual in Europe.
MIR. Mackey obtained the assistance of
an American, Mr.. LaGay, a we'll
known American commission mer-
chant here, to purchase the furniture.
upholstery, hangings, etc. Neither of
these gentlemen being " experts " (oh!
that much abused word y in house
furnishing, rather overdid the bust.
ness, and the result was a palace, with
its green room, its blue room, its vel
low room, its mauv room, its saffron
room, and its room, like Joseph's his
tOrical coat, of many eolors. In short,
a great deal of money was spent, but
without much taste, or, more correct
ly, with extremely loud taste.
The like was never before seen in
Paris that is" hardly ever
just here appears upon lie taps a
certain count-the well known Count
de No-Account Ito which celebrated
family belong nearly all the counts
and barons and marquises of la belle
France). Count de n. is an elderly
gentleman Of expensive tastes, which
during a long lifetime he has gratifed
at the cost of other people. Now,
grown venerable in appearance and
ripe in years, his setting sun is declin-
ing upon a life well spent in fleeing
not only his own eountrymen, but
rich foreigners who need the assist
ance of a man of refined tastes, like
himself, to help them to live in this
great city, and to do what many foolish
Americans who come here wish to do
get into French society (about as
proiigate, licentious and false as any
society can be and yet not fall in
pieces from inherent ro%ttenness). The
count managed to have Mr.. Mackey
brought to him and introduced into
his house. Mr.. Mackey was then re-
ceived with the dignity beftting a
scion of the illustrious house of No
Account. In return for this conde-
scension he invited the count to the
Mackey mansion.
After the count had been shown
through the various rooms, Mr.. and
Mrs. NJ. asked him how he liked the
way their house was furnished. Count
N. told them it was very beautiful,
you know, but not at all French, and
that if they expected to enter Partisan
society land be, what we call in
America, anybody y, they must
change all that sort Of thing. There
upon Mr.. NJ. Tor his wife, which is the
anne thing begged the count to direct
them how to alter that which they had
done and do it over in true Partisan
taste-toute a TAFT Franchise. OF
course it would not have looked well
for the count to 60 about spending
the Mackeys money for them and
acting as an humble commission mer-
chant. You know those titled people
affect to look down on vulgar trades
people" shopkeepers,' and all that
sort of trash. That's the way
society is constituted IN both England
and France. The nohleman never
objects to making money out of a
tradesman-on the contrary, is always
well pleased to spoil the Philistines
but strenuOusly asserts his position in
society, and never allows a man who
has made his own fortune to meet him
on a social equality.
But to return TO the count. He
suggested to Mr.. Mackey the appoint.
ment Of a certain young Frenchman
as private secretary, steward, cham.
berlain, etc. This man was appointed.
Through him, guided by the exquisite
taste Of Monsieur lie Comte de N. ali
the purchases for a complete return
were made, the other furniture
being shipped off in toto to the States
for Mr.. Mackeys American home.
Since that time everything required
for Mrs. Mackey's establishment.
down to a candle, even, is bought BY
the chamberlain. The negociants
tfrom pure affection undoubtedly)
kindly pay to Monsieur le Comte a
liberal percentage Commission on
everything which enters into the
household or house keeping Of Mrs.
Mackey. No one can sell her a sou
worth Of anything without eoBtFibu
ting a moiety to tho count. Tho man.
ager Of the largest art publishing and
picture selling firm In the world lhav-
ing stores in Paris, London, Berlin.
the Hague, etc., told an artist friend
Of mine that he had repeatedly tried
to sell Mrs. Mackey paintings and
never yet has succeeded because his
house viii moi pay tho count the OK
trayagant commission he demands.
Such is life in Paris
Paine's Belief