The daily gazette., 1880-12-28
OUR PARIS LITTER.
THE BALMY WEATHER - PREPARA-
TIoNs FOR CHRIsTMAs-THE SHOPS
THE CHURCHES, &C.

Ihh ChuhChhb, GC.
| Special correspondence OF the Gazette.
PARIS, Dec. IA, 1880.
Our papers from home all speak of
the "cold wave" that has swept over
the county from Maine to Florida.
The weather here is soft and balmy as
October, and resembles our Indian
summer, or ''Martin summer" as the
French call it. The grey mist en-
shrouds the city about ten O'Clock, and
hangs over it until late in the after
noon, disclosing rather than obscuring
the beauty of its white houses. Paris,
as | have said, is built of creamy white
stone so soft that it is easily carved
into any desired shapes. The houses
are generally five and six stories, with
door frames and window stills finely
carved in figures of animals, heads or
something to denote the business of
the owner.
The grass in the public parks and in
the gardens is as green as spring, and
many of the harder flowers are still
blooming.
just now the whole city seems to
put on gay holiday dress in prepara-
tion for the coming Christmas. Every
store seems to be filed with new and
fresh goods, and those for the sale of
fancy articles are bright and attrac-
tive beyond description. We wonder
where all the buyers are to come from
for the pretty, useful and instructive
things here offered in boundless pro-
fusion ! But Paris has the whole
world for purchasers.
In the grand "Magasins' we meet
representatives from every climate
and from every quarter of the globe.
In the largest establishments, clerks
speaking nearly all languages are en-
ployed. So soon as we enter clerk
speaking the English language accom-
panies us wherever we wish to go, and
patiently and politely answers all ques-
tlons prompted by our curiosity. Yes,
we always buy something though it be
the merest trifie, for how can we take
up SO much time of an employe with
out compensation
In the babel of tongues we not un-
frequently hear the English language
spoken, and never without glance at
the speakers. in the for,orn hope of
finding an acquaintance. A quick ear
easily notes the difference between an
Englshman and an American.
We have just returned from one of
our visits to the Palais Royal, a mag
nificent structure erected by Cardinal
RiGheleu and afterward the home of
French kings and prinf-' down to
, Louis Philippe.
| The buildings enclose an open court
! of several acres, planted with flowers
and trees and laid out in walks,
around which extendsa colonnade for a
the distance of more than half mile.
All this space 3 now occupied with
shops, whose windows are just now
all ablaze with gold and silver aud dia-
monds Cor paste) and other precious
stones. III all we see are real diamonds
th IN we should say most of the pre-
cious stones of the world had found
their way to Paris and to.the shops of
the Palais Royal.
Here are to be found other rich and
rare articles in the same profusion as
The precious stones.
Shops for the sale Of the rich pro-
ducts of Spain, of Turkey, Of Moroc-
co and other far away countries, with
the statesmen all dressed in their pc
culiar national costumes. Fruits of
the tropics, seldom seen in our own
country, pastry and sweetmeats, in the
adornment of which the high arts are
employed to make them things of beau
ty as well as of taste. Pietures, en-
Cravings, Christmas cards, silks, sat
ms and every thing useful or orna-
mental may here be purchased.
We have before spoken of the
churches of Paris. Notre Dame is
somewhat familiar to all readers as
one OF the finest church buildings. In
our opinion it is inferior, in architect
ural beauty,to the Church of the Mad
eleine. This church is of more mod
ern construction and grander proper
| tions, being in the style of Greek
Temple, on an elevated platform and
approached by twenty eight steps,
The first or bottom step is over four
hundred feet in length, and the steps
| diminish In length as they rise, the top
OH6 DeluB bnE6o huhuiou anu elkAb1
feet in length. The whole building is
surrounded by columns which support
the roof. These columns are huted,
are ninety four feet in height with a
circumference of sixteen feet. The
church cost $4,000, 900, and they were
nearly one hundred years in building
1T. The interloris even more grand,
with it's carved affairs, it's images, can
delAbra, it's vessels of gold and Of silver
We attended celebration of the I'm
maculate Virgin there few evenings
since, which 10 us seemed to have all
the effect of fine operatic perform
ance. Imagine five hundred virgins
all clothed Ill spotless white robes,
knesling before the high altar rich in
gold and silver ornaments, and candle
labra from which burned q thousand
candles. That is what we saw when
we entered. What we heard was rich
peals of music from the great organ
and vocalization by large choir of
sweet singers, some Of whom belonged
to the Grand Opera, filing the vast
interior with the most delightful mu.
sic. There were several eloquent ser
mons preached-at least they seemed
to us to be eloquent, though being in
French we understood little Of their
import.
Durlng these Christmas preparatio. b
| the churt thss are open night and day, and
are made as attractive rs gar0ature of
| flowers and beautiful things Of art, and
| an eloQuence can make them,
| W. rauulariV aftan1 lha A MARIAN En-