The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-09-13
EUROPEAN LETTERS.
PARIsTANs WATER THE COW
INSTEAD OF THE MILK.
An Hour Spent in the GObeIin Fac
tOry-The Cells of the Concierge
rie-The French Capital at Night
Methods of OfI.OcOmOtiOn.
PARIS, August 80, 1SS!

PARIS, August ~, 1889.
Editor Citizen MANY strange Gus.
toms and ways of doing business abound
here, a few of which may make an open.
ing for another tedious letter.
Our time has been too fully occupied to
read much. except THE CITIZEN, of which
a few copies at last has reached us, and
it seems too much absorbed by trashy
European letters to excite much interest
hut on Wednesday morning we thought
to invest in French newspaper, and
after half hours careful perusal sue
ceeded in deciphering the date which was
Thursday, August 90" This is the
way the French keep up with the times,
by dating their daily papers one day i'll
advance.
But the funniest thing, 1--WE had ii de-
scribed by friend who saw it, is the
way in which the dairymen supply their
customers. A man passed through the
streets, driving a number of goats, and
Justify blowing trumpet. When any
one wishes milk he stops one of his goats
milks her to the exact extent required,
collects his pay, drives the depleted ami
NAL to the nearest fountain and fills her
up with water, exactly as our people do
their tin cans, while her companions
patiently nibble the grass, and so he pro-
ceeds, emptying and filling his cattle in
turn until all his people are satisfied.
The advantages OF this system are man
ifest. There is no limit to the number of
people that one man can undertake to
supply, and we understand that water is
much less diluted, when applied in this
manner, than if pumped directly into the
can. We propose to urge this method
upon our American dairymen, as it will
no doubt be far more agreeable both to
themselves and their patrons.
A most interesting hour was that
which we spent in the famous "Gobelin"
manufaCtory, where those beautiful ta-
pcstries are made. In their exhibition
room the walls are covered with their
choice products, which are marvellous in
deed, showing specimens of many centu-
rics and the advances made in the art.
Here we saw portrait of Louis XIV
which we recognized as faithful copy of
a painting we had seen in the Louvre;
indeed, the copy was so excellent that we
were sure the original had been removed
to his place
We found that we were mistaken i'll
thinking that it was made by machinery;
it is entirely hand work, and we saw the
many workmen patiently placing a sin
gle thread at a time, and stopping fire.
Quently to compare their labor with the
painted design, and were not surprised
at the enormous cost, when our conduc-
tor told us that by steady work. one
man could sometimes make a square
yard in ayear, but this only of the sim
pier patterns. Pointing to one most eX-
quisite piece, measuring 12x15 feet, lie
said that nine men had worked on it for
six long years. This statement seems in
credible, and perhaps the Frcnchmen was
complimenting our innocent, lamb-likc
expression of countenance.
The most satisfactory method of loco
motion is by the steamers on the river
Siene. Numerous trans. Omnibuss"s and
"Chemin de Fers" extend in all directions,
but it takes philosopher to comprehend
them, and whenever we Try to 90 north,
we are sure to find ourselves deposited at
the southern extremity of the city. In
fact we were sure that a railroad on
which we took passage yesterday, was
destined to land us in America, but after
patiently setting i'll our locked carriage
for two hours, we found we were only
about two hundred miles from where we
expected to go, but the boats are luckily
confined in their course, and so we feel
safer when in their hands. They are very
curious little craft, built low on the wa
ter so as to pass under the many bridges,
and look very pretty at night, their
bright colored lamps dashing along up
and down the river. One of these nice
conveniences yesterday took us to visit
the Sevres china factory, where we saw
choice specimens of this famous ware and
the mode of its making.
Ever mindful of THE CITIZEN, we
thought one of the vases would orna-
ment its handsome office, but as the price
was only fifty thousand francs, decided
not TO take it. A small coffee cup was
priced seventy-fve francs, Fifteen dol
lars, so we think our friend Law will
still supply our needs.
Yesterday was altogether Il most i'll
tcresting day. In addition to the two
famous factories, we went into the his
Sorical portion of the Conciergerie, and
Stood upon the same brick floor, which
had been trod by the poor Queen, Marie
Antoinette. and looked at the same cru
cifx which we hope gave her strength
and consolation III those awful days.
From this cell she was carried direct to
the guillotine Looking through the
same panes of glass that she used to
look through, we could see, across a
court, still occupied by female prisoners,
the barred windows of the cell of Mad
Queens cell found that in which the
wretch Robespierre was confined for one
night awaiting his just doom. Next to
II oil ~
chapel in which the MANY victims re-
xeived their last communion, before pass
in1 through the narrow slit in the wall
to ascend the horrid tumbrils, which
were waiting for their ghastly loads.
What marvellous changein one mo-
ment to step from these scenes out upon
the streets of Paris, as they are to-day,
crowded with life, hustle, happiness,
gaicty, thoughtlessness. Quite near the
Conciergerie's walls we see flower mar
ket, and oh, such flowers! Don't we
wish we could take you one of the fuch-
sias and dahlias ALMOST as large as
breakfast plate, of every variety of shade
and color.
To thoroughly enjoy the streets of
Paris one must wander around at night
when they are lighted, not so much by
tl.eir own lamps, as by the myriads of
fircfiies, to which alone we can compare
the cabs, dashing about in all conceiva-
bic directions, as though each were de-
terrnined to run down all the others.
We have walked and ridden up and down
the Champs Elysees, in wondering ad-
1niration of the scene it presents. Each
side the groves of trees lighted up with
many concert gardens, with its beautiful
fountains aglow with the electric lights
which surround them, while the broad