National Republican., 1883-12-05
OUR PARIS LETTER.
Another Chapter on the Curious Features Of
the French Metropolis.
A Rare Collection OF Ionstrosities--A Dog
Hespital-Ambitious American Girls,
Srccini Lenfr.


PARIS, Nov 15.--Among the noted curiosi-
ties of Paris we may notice the variety and
style of her eating houses, where one can obtain
u breakfast costing from 1 franc go conts) to
100 francs (S20). Among the most curious Of
these is LA Table d. 'Hoto des Monstres," in
the Grand Hotel Seguay, whore dinner is
served to an assembly hardly to be met with
In any other place. Here are congregatod
company composed Of giants, dwarfs, bearded
women, clowns, acrobats, living skeletons, and
all varieties of hideous odtgrowths Of human
ity and arrested development hardly pro-
gressed beyond the beast or tho reptile. They
arc mostly show people connected with the
various circuses, gardens, and museums with
which the city abounds. These people arc
fond of indulging in q dance among them
selves after their jolly dinner, and of all the
fantastic, grotcsquc, and hideous perform
ances 1 ever witnessed this is tho cap
shoaf." Another cafe in the most fashionable
quarter of tho city, on tho Boulevard des
Capucines 40 Bossu, or "The Hunchback," F." is
intended for the entertainment ofhunchbacks,
of whom great numbers are to DO found in
Paris as we'll as most continental cities, Tho
walters as well as most of the customers, are
provided by mistake of dame nature, with
the graceful appendnge of u hump. This
restaurant was established by q publia.
spirited and benevolent lady, who commis-
Grated this class of "les mserables," and
sympathized with their natural desire for
gregarious communion with their fellows in
misfortune. 1t has been running but little
moro than year, and, as IL does not pay ex-
penses, will probably have but a
novelty is the hospital for dogs
in the Rue do PEtoile, near the Arc dc Tri-
omphe. 1t was established by Mons. Barit in
the year 1916 who left large sum in his
will to provide gratutous care and medical
treatment for these favorites of humanity. A
sign upon the gateway informs you that free
prescriptions to outside patients are furnished
on Wednesdays. A large number of canines
from the yelping little terrier to the great
st. Bernard, are always found here in COM
Portable quarters and in various stages of
convalesconce. After tho hunting season is
over great number of favorite animals are
housed, or rather kenneled here, aud given
"all tho comforts of home"
| for the winter for consideration.
Several very interesting young ladies,
speaking English perfectly, are in attendance,
and from all appearances the benevolent
| Englishman who founded the institution"
has at least succeeded in providing a very
comfortable home and making suitable pro-
vision for the maintenance of tho family,
nurses, and attendants who minister to the
wants of these useless beasts. Some Pharsee
may ask if it were not better to apply this
costly ointment to the cure of suffering hu-
manity? But the answer would be as of
yore, "He did what,he could"-that is to say,
he was not capable of doing more or
better. Many quasi-benevolent establish
mcnts, both at home and abroad,
not excepting our own city, succeed only in
providing for the agents, solicitors, matrons,
and attendants, while the "paying patients" F."
or boarders, bear tho running expenses of the
concern. Every undertaking OF public ma
turo in Francois Is subsidized by the nation.
Railways, manufactures, theaters, and opera
houses receive immense sums annually to
say nothing of the large sums expended upon
galleries of paintings and sculpture and the
maintenance of instruction in music and the
| fine arts.
The Conservatoire, public institution for
| education in music, fine arts and tho stage
attracts great numbers of applicants Tho
instruction is free, and tho most deserving
pupils are supported by the state until theii
| education is completed. But applicants pass
an extremely critical examination, and none
are admitted except those evincing n very
| high degree of talent in theirspecial depart
| ments. At the late examination out of 26C
applicants only "a were admitted, 15 of whom
| were ladies.
All these things are doubtless of great ben
eft to the public and boon the recipients,
but it will be proud day for France when
her people shall learn the virtue of individual
independence and self reliance, in both re-
ligiou and politics, as we'll as the industrial
and fine arts, without sorvile reliance upon
n paternal government. Just at this time
Paris seems to be overrun with young Amer
lean girls, studying music and preparing for
the operatic stage, under Mesdames Marchesi
Lagrange. and other famous instructors
The brilliant successes of Miss Grisswold
Miss Vanzant, Lillian Norton, and
Emma Nevada have stimulated the
hopes and ambitions of scorss-I will not
say hundreds--of our fair countrywomen tc
follow their example and share in their fame
and fortunes. We sympathize with them in
their iaudablo ambition, but we must remem
Der Tint 1t is still true that many are called
but few are chosen" Several ambitious Chi.
cago girls have Joined the innumcrablo thronl
of seekers after glory before the footlights
| Some of them are reported 10 be gifted with
remarkable voices, and facility of execution
which promises ultimate excellence. l will
not now mention their Names but from re-
ports of their progress we may yet hope t.
witness their triumphant success
| FERNANDO JONES,