The Russellville Democrat., 1880-01-29
VERSAILLES AND PARIS. The French Parliament and Pretty Women ---How The Ladies are Seated in
 the Pa1ais Bourbon.
London Truth

London Truth.
 Coque;tish Susannahs are finding out that, from their point of view, it was bet ter for the Parliament to sit at Versailles | than on the Quai d'Orsay. Serious leg islating work having been impossible when the Chambers met in the Depart ment of the Scine-6t Disc, legislators often applied their heart to amusement The journey to the Chamber and the joarney back took, with the half hour passed in lettering and gossiping at the St. Lazare term nus, the best part of the afternoon. Hardly had the deputies got to their destination, and settled down to their places before 1t was time to start of Parisward. In running to and fro they contracted vagabond and ad- yenturous humor. There were agreeable rencontres in the railway trains with the fair danes who adorn the tribunes. For these representative French ladies every thing was for the best in the Velsaillest regime. Women are never so happy as when the unforeseen is always disturb ing the daily course of their lives. And what fine part the unforeseen played in those express Deputies trains, and what delightful incidents cropped up suddenly The most trifling circum- stance might be hinge on which great events were to turn. A parliamentary session meant Parliament with nu- merous female following continually oil the wing. This vagrancy induced hustle. activity and brisk excitement, and rid the ia shionabie world of Paris of the languid btase style of beauty. The stage which was afforded to fashionable wom- en between the parliamentary meet" at St. I.azare, snd the return home in the evening WAS most ample, public and never oyerclowded There was room and to spare for all. On the eve Of great debates there were at certain dressmak- ing houses private exhibitions of the costumes which leading belles who hab- ilually graced the tribunes were to wear. Newspaper chronielers were invited to attend the shows. Forewomen went round to prompt descriptions, and to enable scribes in their picturesque jot- tings on the morrow to render full jus tice to the robes no less than to the wearers. Explanations were interspers- ed with chit-chat, which was set down in notebooks, and worked into reports of the debate on the following evening for boulevard journals. The house which took the initiative was soon able to give its forewoman salary of 100000 francs year
 There is no such field at the Palais Bourbon. The parliamentary belle drives there, and is shown to her place without loss of time. The sitting over, she hurries down narrow staircase, and out to the quai, where her brougham awaits her. As Deputies congregatc in rooms sacred to themselves, and as the reporters enter in by the Rue de Bur gogne, there is little to be won by CO., quettish Susannah in promenadIng in the Salle de Ia Paix, which is used as q lobby, between writhing Laocoon and stern Minerva. A country cousin may here see Gambetta proceeding from hls residence to take the chair. He IS es- corted by picket of infantry and by a fine-looking Colonel-Rieu-and Lieu tenant in command of a detachment of soldiers who walk, holding their swords bared. beside him. He carries his crush hat in his hand. The picket keeps of place-hunters and incorporate admirers. Ministers also pass fram the Petit Bol r. ban through this lobby. The great postal retormer, Cochery, who will turn up Tn a new cabinet if Washington is defeated next winter, breakfasted on the opening day at the Presidential Palace, where he met Lepere, Gen. Farre, De Freyclnet and Henii Brisson, for whom Grevy may be obliged to send. At Versailles, both in the Senate House and the Cham Der of Deputies, the public tribunes were admirably disposed to show oil the busts and bonnets of the ladies. The first tier was wide balcon, and the pa'- liamentary b lies contrived to keep pos session of the front seats. Skirts and pretty feet were disrlayed in the walk across the curbstone pavement of the Pllce d'Armes. In the Palais Bourbon there is no bdlc0n. The first tier IS dis DO like the dress circle of London opera house. No unbroken line of de- licious bonnets and charming faces will rejoice the eye of NJ, Gambetta as he sits in the chair. P.lIars and P trtitions talse solutions of continuity, and i'm pede the instantaneous transmission from one extremity to the other Of the semi-circular gallery of those electrical currents which an eloquent speaker gen crates.
 The press, which is lodged in the sec ond, or topmost gallery, resents being | placed on less-favored footing than a l lot of idle women. A member of the bureau, on whom grumbler called to expostulate, refused point blank to grat- ify' the fourth estate by turning ladies | out. He thought it was for the interest of the republic for the latter to come ! to the chamber. This consideration l will not go into, but 1 think the bureau l of the Chamber shows wise discretion | in keeping the ladies on it's side. When 1 Parisennes band against a Government look out for it's fall The fate of cabinets is often decided in boud lirs and salons Chief among the dispensers of official
 patronage are ladies. A parliamentary i tJlvsscs wlth whom have been talking about this state of things did not see that
 if was to be regretted. Frenchwomen
 he said, did not make corrupt use O
 their power to give away places. They are generally moved byan amiable wlsl
 to please, or by pity, when they are no
 actuated by hatred. Small attentions
 on the part of public men secure theil
 gratitude, and they arc prone to aveng,
 tfifling wrongs. It is a mistake to thinl
 the cocotte sways parliamentary groups
 She is too unstable in her ideas to be :
 directing mind. Nor is the rapacious
 handsome woman a power An isolated
 man may be her slave. A number 0
 men will not simultaneously be enslaye,
 by Ter. Ulysses went over a list of iai
 cotemporaneous wire-pullers. Ther was not one of them, he sand, who wa
 more or less good natured, and they hay
 all arrived at the time of life when wom
 en enjoy doing kind actions, Vanity
 no doubt, was one of thelr ruling pas l vfn