Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-10

Their Amiebie Qaassases- Sessncs'
or tine Feassntry--Gitnps es

watch he seems ready 10 yawn that
business is dull, though IL would be IN
the French vernaculsr common 10 this
district He has his sword at his SIDE
like the Paris policeman, from whom no
differs somewhat in his uniform, and IN
his bearing is totally unlike the London
officer. A visitor finds it bard to sur
mise what is bis employment among
these sober, polite, and industrious peo-
ple. Equally as polite as the French, they
are not so excitable Tho temper OF the
Swiss seems like that Of the blue
Rhone-the pride Of Geneya-that flows
so earnestly through the city. 1t IS
deep but not noisy. The French are
not merely polite, il may be said. They
are goOd-natured toward strangers ana
aifectlonsto among themselves, and yet
no people are quicker 10 shed blood.
Their fopdness for their home goes
without saying, and get they are always
ia "A oonmotion. The peasants seem too
happy and cOntenied to exchange places
with ANYBODY. Their dissipation IS
much milder than is often supposed.
Fond as they are OF drinkiDg-tho
bouleyards and cafes being hned
with men and women drinking
vet their CarOusals are few. On
ferent Christian workers ahirm that
drunkenness ia rare vice in Paris There
are thousands Of It's citizens that never
saw a drunken man. II Is more common,
/ however, since the commune. But II
must be admitted that their dissipation
enetyates, and is peculiarly ailuung 20
the visiting youth. Their hcentIousness
seems 10 proceed from a national love
. of liberty freedom for themselves AMI
for Others. IT'S ordinary expression Is IN
revolution against government, but lts
root lies dee, in the soil Of the nation
nature. One illustration of this :
found in the fcwuess Of their restric-
tons. They hate bars and gates. Notices
and regulations and warnings against
infringement are cOusplcuously absent.
Most of their public buildings are not
only free. hut have but little red tape
hanging round. Nor are they par-imo-
NOUS al ont reaping benefit from the e1-
hibition OF their history. They can live
Oh rs little as any other people, but Their
manner OF getting Il IL rather more
agreeable than that of some Of their
neighbors. Nor are they So successful
in emblaloning their exploits. Monu-
ments they have there are 5000, large
and small, in the cemetery Pere la
Chai,e-but they are not loud. They
are good peuitents. In many places
they have sought 10 avert the attention
of the public from some spot dlsgraced
by their quick temper and direct It TO
some beautiful memorial near by.
As everybody knows, Church snd State
in France are not united, yet they are
intimately related. Any view of the
countrvs future involves both con
spicuousy. And IL IS the opinion Of
some thoughtful men that neither Roman
Catholicism nor Professionalism, as they
exist here. can ever be the religion ~
the people. III NAY come through one
OF iwo or three Chlistian agencies now at
work in Paris. they take into con
sideration all the needs OF the masses.
They strive to soften the feelings Of the
enraged outlaw, aud TO minister 10 the
suffering survivors Of leaders IN the
commune and other outbreaks il is
related Of a missionary that when thou
sands Of garbage moDgerswere deprive
hv law OF their means OF a hyell-
hood, aud we're on the verge OF
stouing the city, she brought to-
gether their starving families, and for
seven weeks fed thousand persons II
day. This If the religion they Will ac-
cept. otherwise atheism may prevail M n
hundred wears ago. The traveller through /
the rural districts and small towns Of /
Franceand Italy often sees a hlllOck COM /
posed of three small mounds They are /
surmounted by cross or Il standard on /
which is the figure of the Saviour The /
preacher Bernardino founded an institu- |.
ton for lending small sums Of money b I
the poor This he did wherever he went T.
preaching, and these memorials, now
called Mont de Piete, now survive to hi,
honor. This kind OF piety Will suffice to
gam the confidence of the disconnected
masses. The police say to certain
manager Of a mission OF mercy: "You
are helping US; you are nIoralizing the
people.
The hOme-lfe of the poorer classes
has many interesting features. Most OF
the women wear neither hat nor bonnet
not even to church-but their hair is
prettily arranged and their dress, with /.
no trimmings, fits perfectly. The visl- /
tor who may wonder at never finding
them in the midst OF laundry work must /
60 to a layor. There he will see about
a hundred women washing aud ironing
clothes, and for the privilege they pay
four cents for six hours, and q cent for /.
every rub of hot water. The poorest of
them understand something about cook /
ing They make excellent soup out OF
OK tails. The common idea that the
French are not good mothers seems
mistake. They often deprive themselves F.
of food for their children. and nowhere /
do children seem happier. There is /
much poverty and pauperism in Paris, /
and it especially prevails among the /
families OF exiled or slain Communists. /
whose families are in various WAYS ostra- /
cised. There is only one medical mis-
sion in Paris, and that one has an annual /
attendance Of about 10000. COnsump- /
ton and paralysis are nowyery common,
and in 1873 there were about 5000 sui
cides. But times are improving, and I
though no one knows when the republic (
may give way, it may stay long enough /
to allow the people to get quoted down. |
Much might be written of the sights of /.
Parasitic Louvre, Napoleon's tomb, /
the wall around the city, the opera
house. the promenades and fine eqni- |
pages. and OF the curious burial rites aud .
custOms-but hurry on to speak OF this /
interesting Old town of Geneva.
II is wonderously healthy. and affords /
rs cheap living as any city III Europe /
1t is not self-asserting, and often sufisrs I
for It's modesty. It's people are not only /
thrifty, but also ingenious. Yet, having /
no patent rights their patents have often
been pilfered. They clam in official
publications to have invented "stem-
winding watches. and to have FIRST APP
piled the principle Of hydraulics.
Speaking Of is healthfulness it may be
said that Ia 1885 its death rate was by
far the lowest OF forty-eight leading
cities, such AS Philadelphia, London,