Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-13
FROM PARIS.
PREPARATIONS FOR CELEBRATING THE
NATIONAL FETE DAY.
The white Ring-Dove." Chinese Com.
edy-The Amnesty Question-sa Sarah
Bernhardt's Suit-Etc.

4ne Wuile Ming -DoVe, CnlneSs Con,
edy-The Amnesty Question Sarah
Bernhardt's suit-Etc.
PARIS, June 20, $780,
Madame Judith Gautier had translated
from the Chinese drama in five acts,
1.-THE Courtesan and comedy in one
act, the "White Ring dove" for the
Theater des Nations, whose matinees were
devoted to the production of foreign au.
thors. These entertainments were highly
instructive, and were what the French
public needed, who, as general thing, are
very ignorant of anything done outside oi
France, for the literary productions Of all
ages and climes were here produced. from,
Greek tragedies to Russian dramas. The
Portuguese, the English, Germans and
Others had passed with an idea not only OF
the modern but ancient drama in these
countries, when Chinese drama was
promised by Judith Gautier, who is per-
haps the only person in France oc-
cupied exclusively with modern Chi
nese literature. These two pieces,
''The Courtesan and "White Ring
dove" had already been learned by heart,
and were making rapid progress in the
repetitions when the director of the thea
ter, Jean Bertrand, who had been unfor-
tunate in his administration and lost much
money, committed suicide. This circum-
stance ended the national matinees and
prevented the representation of the pieces
of Madame Judith Gautier The drama,
"The Courtesan," was asked for by the
RaPpet, and they now offer portion of it
eacn day to their readers. The comedy,
the "White Ring dove" was performed
the other evening in the salon of the
Baroness de Polly. The piece was played
by Madame Pasca, Mademolselle Baretta
and Mr.. Volny.
THE MISE EN- SCENE,
Both rich and exact, was altogether
worthy of the poem. A little orchestra,
hidden behind screen, was first heard in
a charming little overture by Benedictus,
of a sorority and strange charm which i'm
mediately transported the audience to the
banks of the Yellow river; then the cur
tain of embroidered silk rose to display a
pretty Chinese country scene full of reeds
and moonlight, which completed the illu-
sion. The young heroine of the comedy
had seen through the golden trellis of her
window one of the most graceful of young
scholars, who had come to Pekin for the
grand competition and who had stopped at
the pavilion of the adjoining pagoda. She
had even heard his name pronounced, the
White Ring. dove, but the handsome bird
was soon to take its fight, to return no
more, that which Flower of the Reed would
like to prevent. For that purpose it oc-
Cured to her to embroider birds and SYM
bolical verses on satchel, and to throw
this eloquent pledge in the room
of the young man. The White Ring.
dove was very much exercised over this
particle of embroidered silk which fell
down to him from the skies, but the Flower
Of the Reed did not intend to make herself
know. Her maid, the spiritual Fan Lou
reminded her that if she took the least
step contrary to the rites-and the rites
are severe she would no longer be taken
but for
A WIFE OF THE SECOND CLASS.
Flower of the Reed was an orphan; her
only relative, an old aunt, had a long time
since left her and had not yet returned
Who would then make the proposition of
marriage to the young scholar? The young
girl concluded to disguise herself as boy.
She would thus become united in friend
ship with the White RIng-dove and pro-
pose to him to marry her sister. But the
student refused /; he considered himself en-
gagged. He then recounted in confidence to
his new friend the adventure of the night
before; he had seen a graceful shadow,
and had addressed words to an unknown
woman. 81 was 80 affected he said
" that could not get my breath. By this
first emotion of my heart / believe myself
united to that woman. What do you
think % Flower of the Reed, very much
agtated, was on the point CT betraying her.
self and losing all, when the old aunt
whom they believed dead arrived to make
them happy. The aunt was none other, as
may be imagined, than the malicious Fan
Lou. Madame Pasca was charming as a
soubrette of the Celestial Empire, surpris-
ing and unrecognizable under the spec
'tacles of the old aunt. Mademoiselle
Baretta exhibited an exquisite Chinese
manner and an adorable aWkwardness in
the disguise. Mr.. Volny, very elegant in
his handsome costume of mandarin, lent
his tender voice to the wooing of the White
Ring-dove. The success was very great,
and the elegant public applauded with en-
H., +h,, Ill,
ranged by the artistic hand of the daughter
of Theophile Gautier.
THE NATIONAL FErE DAY.
arrangements are being made all over
France for the celebration of the dis.ribu-
tion of the flags to take place the I4th of
next month. This day is to be henceforth
the grand national fete day of France, and
as the 18th of July is not far removed from
the 4th of July the two Republics approach
each other in this particular. The l4th of
July is the date on which the taking of the
Bastile occurred, and as from that epoch
date the liberties at present enjoyed by the
French people, it is meet the Republic
should celebrate the event in an appro-
pirate manner. The ceremony of the dis
tribution of the flags is to take place at Vim
cennes the troops will be stationed on the
side of Saint-Mande. For the same day
Paris is organizing grand municipal
fete. Mr.. Alphand, Director of Public
Works, has just submitted to Mr.. Herold,
Project of the Seine, general plan of that
great solemnity. 1t consists in completely
transforming the Place de la Republique by
suppressing the fountain of the Chateau
d'Eau and installing in the center of this
square an exact reproduction of the Re-
publique by Mr.. Morice, crowned at the
last concours. The two platforms at the
right and left are to. be decorated and
trimmed in flags of the national colofs, and
the whole place to be surrounded by i'm
mense girandoles of gas, whose effect in the
evening will be splendid. A decoration of
the same kind will be established at the
Place Of the Bastile. On all the roads and
streets which separate the two places be-
tween the statue of the Republic and the
Colonne de Juliet. the boulevards will be
transformed into
A TRIUMPHAL AVENUE,
All bordered with orifammes, patriotic
notices and apparatus for rilluminations. On
that occasion grand fete is to be given to
a certain number of the best scholars of all
the public schools, when at the Bois de
Vincennes there are to be erected the diff
farent shope cbowc cheyaauy da h0is and