The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-02-03
TIE TIE GAY METROPOLIS.
CaltY SCENES ON THE STREETS
OF THE FRENCH CAPITAL.
isHc.isss Driving Of the Partisan Jehu-
4 study of National Characteristics
a Troop of Soldiers-Boys,
Girls, Priests, Teachers.

To see what Partisan street is like let us
stand on the corner of one of the grand
boaievards and watch the changing crowds
SO by. The reckless driving surprises one.
Paris drivers seem to have no regard what
ever fer any one so poor as to 80 on foot.
1t is said that when any one is run over no
Is fined for not getting out of the way. At
least, have seen woman with a child in
her arms knocked down by reckless cab
man and he allowed to drive on without be
ing blamed. But Parisians seem to be used
TO 1t. A man was run over recently (y a
three horse two-story omnibus, without be-
ing injured in anything but clothes. But he
was the editor of comic paper Probably
an ordinary man would have been killed.
We see representatives of all the nations
OF Europe pose before us 1t is a good op-
portunlty to study national characteristics.
we notlce scores of tourists, easily recos-
nlzed by the red-bonnet "Baetleker' in their
hands, Americans, scarcely to be distin-
guished from the French, and Enplishmen.
who keep their nationality the world over.
We see the omnipresent italian with hand
organ or plaster casts, street vendors of all
Kinds, with discordant and indistinguishahle
yelis, and the needy knife-grinder, who is
not much patronized by the lower classes,
for they sit down in the street and sharpen
their tools on the fiinty paving stones Once
Ill while Turk passes dressed in short
trousers and u red fez, or a long bearded
Arab with a turban of flowing robes. origin
ally white. Sometimes Chinalnan not in
the mixed costume of an American laundry
man, but III official robes, going to make a
ministerial call on the president.
TROOP OF SOLDIERS
But among the different races represented
an American misses the African Negroes
are very rarely seen in Paris, and the few
that are here are elegantly dressed, and seem
gentlemen of leisure. Report saws they are
retired Pullman car porters Now the
street IS cleared for a troop of soldiers TO
march by, sight which is seen too often for
d Tree republic. The horse guards, leading
the way, wear steel cuirasses and glittering
helmets with white horse tails" waving
remind The foot soldiers wear scarlet
trousers and long blue coats, and bear on
their backs knapsack, a rolled blanket and
a bright lineup, and have a sword bayonet
by their side, They make brilliant show.
but march carelessly and slouclily, and not
with military air
Next. perhaps, funeral procession passes:
tie hearSc followed by hired mourners ami
then 10y friends, all on foot, and, lastly. by
The empty carriages Everybody in the
street. from the banker to the hoothleck
Eoit!s hlS hat i'll his hand as the procession
passes, Faris funerals are all put in charge
oi company, who spend from l. francs up,
according to the circumstances of the family.
AID deposit the body in grave of Pere La
chalSe OF MontInartre. rented for ten On,
twenty years, unless the family is very
wealthy, when the grave is secured for a
perpetual possession" which lasts during the
life OF the relatives. The bones of the poor
are used in decorating the chapels and ar
cades of the catacombs
SCHOOLS OF BOYS AND Girls
Many schools of boys and girls uass
through the street, marching two by two
and usually i'll uniform and followed by a |
priest or teacher with well-worn cane
Among the crowd on the street we find |
lew Parlsians, even of the lower classes who |
gre not neat ill their dress and graceful in !
their manners, As a Frenchman. whose
English was rather limited said with more
truth than he intended; YES, the French |
are graceful, but the English are DISGRACE |
full"
French poiiteness is not a myth; i. NAV he
shanl, but 1t IS an agreeable one-Paris
Tor. Kansas City Times