The Republican journal., 1886-12-02
European Sketches.
VERSAILLES.

| NO. ..
| Paris Of a Sunday has much of novelty in it
for thoroughbred New Englander. Puritan
ical "down east would never brook such IT.
shown here. AS to our larger western cities,
populated as they are in great part by foreign
elements, nearly the same gay freedom attaches
| to the day there as In many parts of the conti-
nent. But, however great the change to the
| visitor, it soon becomes second nature to regard
the gala day amusements of the people as not
| so very barbarous and to even take quite all
| animated part IN them. 1t is the exceptional
person who will not ''do as the Romans do''
while In Rome. Many who do not approve of
making Sunday holiday in every aspect can
but look with Indulgence at the outing given to
50 many poor families on that day, all that they
| get for the week in many instances. Little
should it matter If they take a few hours in the
Bois de Boulogne, driving happily in their
| cheap-priced phaton alongside the rich equi-
| pages Of the nobility, or linger over their wine
| at some popular cafe where Sunday only finds
| them. or as many thousands do, 90 for the day
| to Nincennes or Versailles, there to idle the
| time away till evening, leaving behind all
| thoughts of work and worry. With the latter
class we found ourselves one beautiful Sep
temher morning, feeling all the inspiration of
the day. and of being in Paris, the loveliest city
in the world, with Versailles in expectation. Is
it wonder then that it was Il most self-satisti-
ell American that paid his two francs that
morning, for second class ticket and compla-
Gently took his place with those piebians who
would not pay five francs for first class:
1t is not a rule that holds good in Continental
travelling that all first class people travel in
first class compartments. Quite the reverse.
\ majority of foreign tourists and nearly all
natives appear to exercise an especial economy
while travelling. There seems to be no easier
way of saving a few francs, with little or no
inconvenience, than in taking second or even
thlrd-rate compartment for short distances.
The cars of this class il a little inferior in ac-
commodations to the Others are certainly far
less comtortless than the same grade used on
American roads, and one can smile TO himself
as he hears the forty to fifty pc" cent. of clear
cash saved cinking IN his pocket For this
reason and no other one finds the second class
cars invariably well filled, and with the better
class OF Travellers while on many trains the
first class are apt to run empty. On the road
to Versailles they indulge in the quccr freak of
running two story ears, the top sto.y being
second class and furnished only with bare
wooden seats, but for all. fairly comfortable.
TO offset this, the view one gets of the encEant-
ING country between Paris and Versailles mere
than compcnsates for the lack of upholstcrino
Then the distance is but ten miles. and person
who is not able to endure a wooden seat for that
ride, should by all means procure chance in
the >tlved. closc-Shut compartment below, with
cushioned seats and carpeted floor. Our car
was crowded and would have been uncomfort-
ably so but for the good natured manner every
one seemed to have of making light of such a
trlflln@ inconvenience. All seemed bent on
pleasure, and to mar it by complaints at being
squeezed into a seat where three took the
room that would ordinarily belong to two,
seemed farthest from their thoughts. No
doubt the same people if general travellers in
stead Of eNcursonists would have taken quick
rights; for the French, among their numerous
faults, arc not slow to anger nor prone to hide
their feelings
As the long train, like a snail, slowly pulled
out of the station, many We're the friendly
partings exchanged between those on board
and arquaintances left behind, perhaps obliged
by the crowd to await the next train, n half
hour later. Judging by the laughter and mrth
provoked by these sallies, a great deal of 9cn-
uine wit must have been sent back and forth
but it might have been Egyptian so far as any
understanding or appreciation on our part was
concerned. So we settled comfortably back to
note our fellow eXcursionists. Next in front
to our great pleasure, was Il yivacious Young
American girl with an elderly lady seemingly
her mother or aunt. Their conversation was
plainly audible. and as there appeared to he no
other Englisll-speaking people in the car they
were most acceptable neighbors. Their talk
turned on the subject of dress and dress re-
form. The Younger lady was surprised AT the
commonplace street toilets worn bv the Paris
IAN ladies. They both agreed that. all thing,
considered, it We're better taste not to display
too snowy an attire on the street The elder
lady considered American women handsomcr
and more stylish, but, if any fault. rather too
deSirous of showing their good clothes. She
disposed of this as being n natural consequence
OF beng of new nation, where every one
seems so especially anxious that the supremacy
OF Americans on all matters shall be paradcd
wherever an opportunity. SO they talked on.
agreeing sometimes, disagreeing more fire.
quently. The younger lady showed much of
the ardor and spirit of youth in her arguments
while the other displayed an extreme watch
fulness over what she said, so characteristic of
the way, kept up an incessant jabbcring with
his wife. His better half was no CIPHER as n
taker, and between them it was perfect hor-
nets nest Of noise all the trip. There appear
ed to be many lover-like couples in the number
drinking in each others graces, oblivions to all
else. Versailles catches many of these of a
Sunday, charming them with her loveineSs
while their hearts become more and more
closely entwined. The majority were of the
poorer class, though all were neatly dressed.
and the ladies, AS rule very tastiiy. A dap
per little Frenchman was quite near us with
his wife and three quite small children, all
girls And three more fororn little maids one
would not care to see. They each wore a
newly starched dress with very wide sash at
the waist, tied into bows behind. They looked
temptingly pretty but We're not comfortable,
poor things, as they We're not allowed to sit
down for fear the bright, new dresses and
sashes would be crushed. The parents were
proud of them, no donbt and wished them TO
look at their prettiest when they reached the
park. In the extreme end of the ear were two
deformed beggars, looking utterly miserable.
Many of them ply their trade in the park un-
molested, on pleasant Sundays, when people
are seeking pleasure and more in the mood for
giving aims than on the hurried working DAYS
In spite of the over-crowded car these poor
unfortunates had all the room they wanted
and to spare. So with laughter and pleasantly
we rolled on, at no lightning speed to be sure,
as stops were made too often for that and,
again, it would hardly be safe to drive these
two story cars, which must of necessity be