The daily gazette., 1881-04-11
OUR RIS LATTER.
PARIS, March 2S, 1881,

From my own home wondered
why the people of Europe instituted
SO many Fetes and Holidays. The
reason Is now plain to understand,
seeing that Sunday is not here, as
with us, a universal day of rest
Men, as we'll as beasts Of burden
cannot labor continuously, day after
day without detriment to both body
and mind. Here the shops are open
the teams are all busy, the workmen
are just going on the same on Sun
day as on the other days of the
week. So far as the trades and the
business are concerned there is no
Observation-Disclosures between theSab-
bath and the other days of the
week. On Fete days no business is
carried on by the trades, and on hol-
idays the theatres, art galleries, &c.
demand only half the usual fee,
steamers reduce their fares, and
charges are generally reduced to the
lowest practicable point.
Thursday last was "Ml-eareme'f
or mid..lent fete OF the washer wo-
men, and was generally observed as
a holiday. The houses of Paris
seemed to have emptied their occu-
pants allout in the streets and Boul
evards, and Carnival was initiated
that riValled, In the grotesque coss
tunes and ludicrous tricks, the fam
GUS Aardi GrGs of few weeks
since.
Without intending it we found
ourselves In the very centre of the
fun and jolllty. The procession of
laundry carts and horses were cov-
cred with flags and banners. The
great wagon, with the invariable fat
bullock, was in the advance, trum-
peters ON horseback followed and
then came the carts and horseback
mob Of girls riding cross-legged and
arrayed in all kinds of costumes,
from those representing queens to
the washer woman in exceeding
scant attire. Thousands gathered
on the side streets to see the fun
and pelt the girls with sugar plumbs
and confetti.
Nowhere is to be found the free
dom and license of fun loving Paris.
So long as the multitudes confiue
their actions within the boundaries
of the law the police do not inter
fere. A drunken or disorderly per
son is seldom seen In a crowd. All
are good natured and happy for the
time being.
A few days since, we took part in
the ceremony of laying the corner
stone for q new Episcopal Church,
which is to be built by Americans in
the most beautiful part of the city. 1t
is near the Champs Elysees and the
rrocaders. The American Church in
Rue Bayard is too small to accommo
date the rapidly growing congregation.
With fund of two hundred thousand
dollars on hand, il was thought safe
to begin new church building that
would be ornamental even in Paris.
The stone was laid by Bishop Little
john, assisted by some ten clergymen,
one of whom was Pere Hyacinthe. |
Some idea of raising the whole esti-
mated cost of half million of dollars |
may DO 1OIluCu lEOLu t6O Ltle |
contributions this morning which was |
over twenty-three thousand dollars.
The Champs Elysees, from Cleo
patra's Needle to the Bois de Bologne,
is about three miles. 1t passes under
the grand Triumphal Arch, and is wide
enough for six carriages abreast, with |
broad side streets on either side shaded |
by fire trees. To-day the whole dis |
tauce was moving mass of carriages |
and people on foot, forming a specta- |
Gle unequalled in beauty and splendor
even by the courtly equippages of
Hyde Park, London. France, though |
q Republic, has not adopted the plain
customs associated in our minds as es>
to that style of government.
On the other hand, Paris is the Conti-
mental rendezvous of Royalty, and the
who here keep up their grand
and traditionary style OF splendor aud
importance In palaIial dwellings, mag
nificent equippages and liveried ser,
VaDta