Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-15
THE FRENCH CAPITAL.
LIFE IN PARIS-CHANGss IN PLACES, MANNERS |
AND CUST0MS-ART AND ARTISTS-A WASH |
INGTON ART STUDENT


Special Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.
PARIS, February 2Sth, 1882.
SIGNS OF SPRING.
The fogs which for so long chung tenaciously
about Paris have finally disappeared and given
place to alterations of sunshine and shower.
which is most agreeable change. Altogether
the weather Is more that Of April than February,
and the visibly swelling buds and fresh emerald
Units OF the grass betoken an early spring.
few more days of warm sunshine and the trees
Will begin to unfrl their vernal banners in
earnest and the thirsty Partisan will find it COM
Portable once more to resume his favorite occu-
patton OF slipping beer and coffee on the side
walk In the shadow of the hospitable cafe. In
deed, he does 1t already, with apparently great
satisfaction; but 1t must still be rather chilly
except under the most favorable skies we have
had thus far. 1t is hardly possible that this
tlme-hOnOred custom of repOsing on the side
walk TO drink, smoke and write letters will ever
Ole out IN Paris; yet so many things are chang
ing mere that it is difficult to say what resort or
custom may not be next abandoned to oblivion.
AT least when one sees the posters all over the
city which announce the sale this week Of the
material Of that
FAMOUS LANDMARK,
the notorious Jardn Mablle which is conse-
quently to be demolished he feels that hence
forth he cannot be surprised at anything which
takes place in this frivolous capital Not that the
Jardln Mabille was place to be commended and
preserved, but it has for so long time been one
OF the sights of Paris, and one of the gayest
resorts OF certain class which is very numer-
GUS mere, that one cannot help feeling surprised
that the prOprietors could be induced to give up
what must have been great source of profit to
Them However, those who know say the Ma
bile has been on the decline for several years,
and probably it was doomed to destruction
sooner or later and the proprietors were far
sighted enough to see this and were glad to
take advantage OF the first offer from the par
Ties who desire the site for another purpose.
AT any rate the garden, which has for years
been the
SCENE OF THE Widest REvELRY,
will soon be no more, and the future tourist
will know it only by tradition. The Mabille was
founded as early as 1910, and rose steadily in the
estimation Of the pleasure-loving thrOngs who
look on Paris as their terrestrial paradise; and,
indeed, few travellers visited the French capital
without paying at least one visit to the garden,
which was known the world over. Even foreign
ladies' allowed their curiosity to so far get the
better of their sense OF prOpriety that they
rlSked visit to this maelstrom of reckless gay
ETY.. remember at one time, several years ago
the papers had considerable to say about Eng
sh and American ladies who ventured to visit
the place.
ANOTHER FEATURE GOING.
But the Mabille does not go down alone, as
was patent to the most superficial observer on
last Tuesday, -Mardi Gras,-for it was plain
then that the departing institution had fit
companion in the Carnival. To be sure, the
bouevards were thronged on that day. and a few
people made themselves ridiculous by gambol-
oh in IL
as a Partisan gentleman put it, "Mardi Gras is
a day on which all Paris goes out to see some
thing, and there is nothing to see" The Mardi
Grls OF the past finds no place in the matter-Of-
TACT Paris OF to-day, and those who made fools
OF themselves by capering about the boulevards
night and day were generally ridicuIed for their
pains, at least by the sober portion of Partisan
society. One Of the cOmmOnest forms of dis
guise was simply huge and hideous false nose,
and. once this was on the face of man, he felt
at liberty to cut up any antic he chose. At one
place on the Boulevard des ItalienS seven or
eight men, with red coats. on a balcony, en-
iyened the scene by cOarsely blowing from some
large horns several bars of what was supposed
to be music. and these bars repeated over and
over and over again and again for, suppose the
whole afternoon. Mardi Gras is undoubtedly
day nevermore to be celebrated in Paris as Of
yore. The Carnival and the Jardn Mabille have
joined hands and disappeared from the bills.
THE LATIN QUARTER,
toO is fast assuming modern aspect and
character, and with it's new streets and new
buildings is very little different from the rest of
Paris. The artists who used to confine them
selves to the mysterious haunts of this once
curious region, and only ventured out on great
occasions, are now scattered over the length
and breadth Of the city.
WHAT NEXT?
hope it will be new kind of omnibus-one
which does not ol,cays have that exasperating
sign of 'compet" exposed to view. Apropos
of this heard rather good story the other
day Of a former Washingtonian, who was enum-
Grating the sights he had seen and the places
to which he had been while in Paris, Yes"
said he, II have been to every place, but Com
plet; but every time try to take an omnibus
to go there its full"
THAT UNIVERSAL RED RIBBON.
And then there was another Americana
don't know what the French would do without
the American to hang their stories on-who
told Frenchman he could always tell one of
his countrymen. ''HOw so?" asked the French
man. ." Well ye see," replied our Yankee
you feiiers always have a red ribbon in your
button-hoe." L heard good explanation of
the cause OF the multitudes of men who have
the privilege of wearing the ribbon, which was
this: that the republic wishes to do away with
all things which smack Of royalty or were con-
nected with the empire, and that the best way to
degrade the orders was to bestOw them on the
slightest pretext. However this may be, orders
are sought after IS much as ever and are still
considered an honorable distinction. They seem
to be numerous at first, and comparatively they
are; but if you search the history of man who
displays the red in his button-hole, you will gen.
orally find he has distinguished himself in one
way or another, and really merits this or some
other token of approval.
DECORATED AMERICAN ARTIST.
A number of artists wear the badge but they
are always men of rare ability, like Carous-
Duran or our esteemed and renowned genia,
countryman, F. A Bridgman. The latter, by the
way, is most comfortably settled in this great
art CENTER where he has lived for the last fifteen
years. His studio is large and exceedingly well
arranged, and his living apartments are some Of
the most charming and comfortable it was ever
my good fortune to enter. His salon, which is
the resort on Friday evenings of art-lovers,
musicians and others, is an exquisite and rarely
harmonious apartment, and one which only an
artist with Mr.. Bridgman's feeling for delicate
tones would have designed. The panels of the
doors are painted by his own hand, and are adj
mirable specimens of his work in the direction
of decoration. A grand piano and viOlins are
always ready for use, for Mr.. Bridgman is