Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-04-21

lsh. Connected with this fore dur 5unlbon
is the fore Gur ferrdille, of which one is
the continuation of the other. These
merchants of old iron look for all the world
as though they had passed the last year at
the bottom of the Seine gathering up all
the queer instruments which their ances-
tors, the Gauls, or the triumphant Romans,
had thrown around loose. OF what earthly
use one can make of such twisted, rusty
objects one can scarcely imagine. Be-
sides all this rusty iron there are other OBJ
Jects sold by small merchants who are to
be seen at all the foires. There are caps,
such as are worn by the working class,
pieces of cotton lace, muslin for curtains,
ribbons, combs, sponges, and so on,
mostly sold by women who are as noisy
as the sausage merchants All these
objects are of the cheapest kind, and the
cry is never above ''two sous yard, one
sou, SIX sous, and so on, that the quality
may easily be imagined. Then there is the
ginger bread merchant, with his wagon full
OF bright ginger bread; the toy merchant,
who exercises his wares so as to attract the
attention of the little ones. But the most
curious and most picturesque object in this
assemblage is the marchand de coco. He,
too, Is growing out of date, and although
so popular during the first Empire and con-
tinually to be seen in all the paintings, pic
tures.and engravings of that time, he is
rarely seen now except on such occasions
when there is resurrection of old GUS
toms. The peculiar sort of barrel he car
ries on his back is covered with red velvet,
which was originally of bright hue, but
has become much faded with time, for these
casks are not now renewed. Two silver
mounted tubes pass In half circles around
his waist, two other tubes extend around
his shoulders, on which are fastened silver
cups or glasses. Through one of these
lower tubes, he draws COCO for the children
and women, who pay one sou glass for it,
and through the other tube passes water,
with which he rinses the glasses or goblets.
He carries little silver bell fastened to
his waist, which, when not drawing
from the tubes, he unfastens and
rings most merrily, joining his
voice to the sound by calling out "Cool
coco to drink" He is the friend of the
children and is most always to be seen the
center OF an infantile groupe. On this oc-
casion the marchand de coco had what the
French call IN success fou. The Parisians
are very appreciative of that which costs
nothing, and as the tasting of the sausages
was gratis, the crowd did not fail to par
take of about one hundred pieces of sau-
sages from the end of the large knives, all
Of which contributed to render them most
fearfully thirsty, that not only were these
fantastic merchants surrounded by children
and women, but men as well, whose thirst
would not permit them the time to reach
the nearest cafe. Everybody left the foire
with big hams or sausages wrapped in
peculiar shade of brown paper, which is
scarcely to be seen elsewhere, and which
marked them by all who met them as re-
turning from the market The cafes in the
neighborhood did grand business on those
days, and scarce room was left on the side
walk for promenaders, so far did the lager
beer tables extend into the street. This
fete is an opening for the numerous fetes of
the springtime, the most important of
which is the Fete du pain d'epice or ginger.
bread fete and which opens tomorrow on
Easter day.
Paris has enjoyed
TWO GRAND TREATS
This last week, which have been the i'm
portant events of the season. On Monday
night there took place at the Grand Opera
House the first representation of "Aida,"
when the orchestra was conducted by
Verdi in person. This event had been
much talked about, and as some difficult
ties arose to postpone the opera on two
occasions, the interest was increased in
consequence. Aida" was first sung in
- =, 1o1, N
ago, and by fine artists, but like all pieces
at that theater, 1t was put on the stage in
rather beggarly dress. The same opera at
the Grand Opera is an entirely different af-
fair. The whole of the immense stage
was brought into requisition, which ends
by one continuous mirror, rejecting the
scenes and even the entire house, until the
spectator believes he is looking into in
terminable space All that art and wealth
could produce was mustered for the occa-
sion the first artists of Paris were called
upon to design the costumes and paint the
scenery, and the different roles were con-
fded to the best of artists. After the night
had been appointed for the first repre-
sentation, and the tickets had been bought
by the majority of the audience, the
tenor was taken with cold, which pre-
vented him using his voice. The general
disappointment was very great, and could
the tenor have heard the lamentations
caused on his account, were he possessed
of heart, he surely would have committed
suicide. When Mr.. Vaucorbeil, the di-
rector, thought he could again appoint an
evening for the important event, owing to
the rapid recovery of the tenor, the poor
than before. Everybody was in despair,
for Mr.. Verdi had serious business which
called him to his sunny land, yet yielding
to numerous solicitations he sacrificed all
for glory, and consented to remain over
certain time. 1t was then the tenor was
informed that should he not be able to sing
on a certain evening his part would be
gwen to another. The grippe accepted
this decision as death-warrant, and i'm
took it's leave, so that the unfor-
tunate tenor made his appearance. On Mon
day night, and in spite of the discomfort he
had caused was crowned with laurels.
Each artist surpassed himself, and, as Gam.
BETA remarked to Verdi, he made his
baton sing, and the orchestra, led
by the famous Uirtuose, reached such de-
gree of perfection that one might have be-
lieved them an immortal band. Everybody
received his share of applause, and when I
say large number of the audience were
Italians, you may imagine the frenzy with
which the great composer and his inter-
prefers were received. Three and four
times was each artist called before the cur
tain, and when the opera was finished the
refused to leave without an ex-
preston of their admiration of Verdi. The
maestro was called for, but nowhere to be
found the prime donne, the baritones, the
tenors and even the machinists went in
search of him. At last he was dragged out
from dark corner among the machinery
and triumphantly brought on the stage be-
tween the two prime donne of the evening
to the delight and satisfaction of the enthu-
siastic audience.
The second grand event was the tragedy
in verse of ''Attila, by Henry de Bornier,
which took place at the second Theatre
Francois on Tuesday night l shall give an
of it in my next letter. VAL.
s-z-u-z-.z--z
CoNDITIoN OF MRs. VANDERBILT. Mrs.
0. w. Vanderlip, who was so murderousIy
assaulted by the Chinaman Tom yesterday,
is able to be about to-day and attend to
the duties of her house, though she did not
sleep at all during last night, owing to the