Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-27
Holy WEEK IN PARIS.
It's Observance Marked by SObriety and
MeditatiOn-The Strike at the Iron and
Coal Mines


Meditation-The Strike at the Iron and
Coal Mines.
CoyresDondsace of the Morning Netos.
PARIS, April 9.-Holy Week, despite
the proverbial indlfferentism Of Parisians,
is sensibly marked by sObriety and medi-
tation. There is a break felt to be on the
movements Of ordinary life: the most
cynical cannot divest himself of the feel
ing that there is a special hallOwedness
in the times. At every turn be is reminded
of this; ladies are invisible, save at the
churches; men drift into the seclusiOn of
home; the theatres are closed from Thurs
day; profane are superseded by sacred
concerts; the churches are in mourning;
in their atmosphere there is sorrow tenn
pered with hope. To deviate from the
taeit sobriety which reigns would not be
considered respectable, and politeness but
too often sways where religion fails to
impose.
If the number of church-g0ers be taken
as proof of piety, Paris may well claim
to rank among the most religious Of capt.
tails. From daylight till noon on Palm
Sunday the churches represented con-
bluuOuS 6bItdills llON VI NiollOt , VI JULIUS
but of worshipers, who, while delighted
with the music of the miSereTe, did not
forget the words of the Psalmist. And
the best of all tests of these times of re-
freshing, the central aises were occupied
by men. At NOtre Dame Cathedral the
services were peculiarly solemn, gorgeous
and impressive. The choral accOmpani-
ments were perfect, and the instrumental
parts were executed by distinguished ar
lists, only too happy to place their talent
to glorify Him who bestowed 1t. The
Cardinal Archbishop, after blessing the
palm, made a professional tour OF the
building, and on arriving at the grand en-
trance door, knocked three times, when it
was thrown open, and the procession
wended its way TO the high altar, the
peal NJ anthem swelling the note of praise.
Box generally does duty for palm in
Paris. 1t is the Riviera supplies chiefly
the latter, but Italy buys the whole crop
in advance. NJ. GARNER, the architect of
the new opera, derives a respectable
revenue from his palm groves. The dis
play of box was very general, and its sale
was brisk outside the churches; few wO-
men but renew branch, and having had
it blessed, suspend it at the head of their
bed or hang it over the mantelpiece OF
their bOudoir. Not only were the ears of
buss and dray horses decorated with
eDIi8S VI UOA. Jul many pei SOllo WIZ II
in their hats. Was it a protest against
the materialists? for the religionists are
carrying war into their camp. The Gem
eteries were visited by crowds. How is
it that paying tribute to the dead at
this period, you feel relatively more de-
pressed than at the formal fete des Morris
of November? Perhaps we are sad that
those whom we only can reiOin, are alb
sent to share the joy of opening buds and
flowers, and the singing OF the birds that
seem here to throw a plaintiye thrill into
their warnings. In the South of France
the ancient custom stRl exists, to place "a
copy Of the New Testament in a chair on
Palm Sunday and so carry 1t round the
aisles, in order to tyDiiy the triumph of
Jesus Christ by the book which he in
spired
DURING HOLY WEEK sOIREEs, DINNER
PARTIES, ETC,
are tabOOed. 1t is an epoch of mourning
for ladies. In the fashionable world each
day has its special toilette, commencing
with rather light cOlOrs, and deepening
into the most sOmbre shades. Tuesday is
generally devoted to visiting the convent
or school where you have been educated,
and to receive good cOunsels from the
superiOress or the directress. Thursday
is partially employed at the florists to
order bouquets to be delivered to the
Wears Of tn churches to decorate the
imitation sepulehres and side chapels. 1t
is the last wall of elegant piety, souve-
mir of Madeleine amounting the feet of
Jesus. Good Friday is wholly taken up
in pilgrimages, in abstinence and visiting
the poor. A few hours break was formerly
allowed to do Longchamps when that
open air redOute for the fashions eX-
listed. But LOngchamps was the end of a
promenade to a noted convent. So piety
and wOrldliness happened to go hand in
hand. Easter Saturday is accepted as
the dawn of every day life; Joy COM
mences to replace sorrow, and gayety to
succeed austerity.
Good Friday is a most superstitiOus day
in France. At the seapOrts no crew would
sail on that day; the tars generally de-
vote it to scOurging the efigy of Judas Is
CARROT, winding up by burning it in tar
barrel. Thus, despite all progress, super
stitiOus beliefs are not extinct. There is
in the depths Of the human heart a singu-
lar taste for all that is mysterious; an in
applicable want TO tremble before the
Unknown, and which resists the light of
reason and good sense. 1t has been ever
thus from the origin Of humanity. The
Greeks and Romans, despite their culture
and robustness, had their fatal days, and
marked in the calendar when business
was to be suspended.
Cynical though they be, Parisians yield
to the influence. It is a notorious fact
the receipts Of the Omnibus Company are
70 per cent. less on Fridays than any other
day of the week, and if Saturday happens
TO be also the 18th of a month, the receipts
fall to 30 per cent. 1t is not only because
Jesus was crucitied on a Friday, but that
at the last supper there were thirteen at
table. You would not find a lady in
France to give a dinner to thirteen"
guests 1t is an unlucky number. Dur
! ing the old monarchy in France it was on
Good Friday that the Chancellor sealed
all letters for the remission of penalties.
From Good Friday till Easter Sunday no
church bells rings; the bells are said to
have gone to Rome.
Paris returns eighty members to
the Municipal Council, or four for each
ward The new bill as voted by the
Chamber, and throwed out by the Senate
and re-vOted by the Deputies, henceforth
divides the city into four electoral dis
| tricts, to return about the same number
of cOunsellOrs, but pro rata to the pOpula-
ton and by scrutin de liste. If the sys-
| tenn will swamp the mOnarchal minority
| it will also exclude the amnestied, but
prOfessed communists from being return
ed. 1t is the forecast of the plan of ballot
age for Deputies and Senators, and which
caused the downfall of Gambetta because
! precoclously proposed.
THE STRIKE AT THE AUZIN COAL AND
IRON MINES
augments in. violence; the anarchists
keep "bloWing the coals;" the fighting of
the military is left to the women and chill
dren-the old revolutionary tactics, as
French soldiers would never fire ON either.
NJ. Magois, who leads the Chauvin!st
section of the SueZ shareholders, declares
his party, far from decreasing, has aug
mented. He is confident of securing the
rejection Of the compromise with the
English shippers, and thus maintain the
canal French and have a political grip at
the same time on Egypt, as the route to
the future empire, doubtless, of French
China. Thus, with France on the eastern
and Russia on the western flank, British
India will find itself between the anvil
and the hammer. Only the latter exist
nearer home for both powers.
NJ. Hughes Kraft may reasonably count
upon his statue, as the fever for erecting
such is still rife. He has uncOnsciOusly