Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-27

How Frenchmen and FrenchwOmel
Look Upon Wine When 1t fl Red.
Paris Letter to London Truth

Paris Letter to London Truth
The King and Queen of Sweden have as good
as joined the Blue Ribbon army. At least, so
Mr.. Alex Gustafson informs me- see so much
oil the evils OF Assonamoirs in Paris that hardly
venture to term the prohibitionist zeal of this
| temperance apostle Incorporate or wanting in
discretion. The King of Sweden has been
brought into NJ. Gustafson's views by q careful
examination OF the petitions he has received
since he came to the throne for reprieves, COM
mutations and pardons of cOnvicts guilty of
heavy offenses. The queen, who has long tried
10 rencer the world little better than she
found 1t, has busted herself, as far as her bad
army of vice. She, too, finds that inebriety is
Its great recruiting agent Daughters OF drunk
honor because they are weak of will, afflicted
with bad nerves and iil-reared. M. Grevy told
me, some time ago that he constantly
tenuating circumstance in the cases Of felons
whom he was asked to pardon. M. Barth elemy
ST. Hilaire, few weeks back. said to me: "a
the chambers which would save both the repub-
lie and France. 1t would be one to suppress
every drinking shop at which alcohol is re-
tailed by the glass, in no matter what FORM"
Drunkenness used not to be French vice; but
phylloxera, the manufacture Of brandy out Of
beet-root and potatoes the beer devoid of malt
and hops which floods the cafes, and the
drugged wine, the race is going to the dogs in
the towns. That ability which makes the
Frenchman great artist renders him unable
to resist the noxious effects of alcohol on the
nervous system. When the artisan earning
good wages goes to dine at a gdr00te he begins
with nip of vermouth or absin the, which Is at
once an irritant and a stimulant Then he
drinks halt a litre of "manufactured'' wine in
which there is not u drop of grape Juice. Alter
potato brandy, on which he pours chase cafe,
and finally riacette The rincette is all that re-
mains in the caraJon or brandy decanter of the
liquor, which is thrown into the coffee cup to
rinse out the sugar remaining at the bot
TOM. At gala dinners half a dozen differ
ent kinds OF wines are served; and there is
ator who does not dine out four or five
times week. Formerly, there used to be
then Bordeaux and Burgundy, which had had
time to grow mild in the cellar. "Nous auo,.s
change tout ce1a." The ordinatre is rough,
strong beverage from LibOurne. 1t is followed
at soup by fiery vintage of the sherry or ma
derla type, which is twice offered. This is be-
cause the Orleans Princes have been trying to
make that dreadful zucco of the buc d Gumale
the fashion. Chablis is served with the oysters,
and afterwards the glasses are successfully filled
and Lunel. The champagne in nineteen
cases out of twenty, is heady Vouvray. Cali
fornia champagne-also very heady-s making
It's way at Partisan dinners. Gambetta used to
leave no drinking ceremony oul when he dined
en- vttte until his health broke down, when he
confined himself to old Bordeaux, and took
very lite of that. have often sat opposite
young ministers and observed that they, too,
ran the gauntlet of all the seven or eight wine
glasses that thanked their plates. They were
not apparently anything the worse for it on
leaving table. and nobody would have thought
of charging them with intemperance because
they drank of all the vintages offered them.
But 1t must have told on mind and health in
the long run, and perhaps would account for
their iaXity in keeping electoral promises.
Frenchwomen are not often guilty of the sin of
lnebriety. never saw one drunk or tipSy or in
any way the worse for wine, although at grand
dinners they do as ample justice to the vintages
set before them us any rising statesman. The
old French statesman is generally sober. Gle
menceau is water drinker which perhaps is
why he has never yet broken faith with his
electors. l hear IL said that the o'clock teas
do not promote temperance. Liqueurs
served at them, and at o'clock there is a mild
liquoring-up by ladies who attend them at
fashionable confectiOnerS, and notably at the
cake shop in the Rue de Rivoli, facing the Bo-
dega. The fair drinkers OF nips, l should in
Justice add are more often foreign than native.
One OF the British ducheSseS, who often follows
the swallows patronizes this cake shop.