New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-03-22
MID-LENT IN PARIS,
FOR ONE DAY THE CITY WAS A QUEENS
REALM

Yesterdays festivities well named the
resurrection of the carnival Of Paris" as Eugene
Sue and the elder Dumas understood il. The
former author gave the most vivid picture ever
painted Of the street view Of Shrove Tuesday
junketings in Paris am glad the fat OK was
not resuscitated this year The idea OF tie
slaughterhouse should not be connected with so
great occasion for INDUCING in mirth as the
carnival in mid-Lent holiday. known here as lie
Mi-Careme7 Instead of the fat OK. number Of
syndcates were formed TO organize handsome
professions in honor of the laundresses who from
time immemorial play the chief part IN mid-Lent
festivities. Tie Town Council. which is always
on the popular side. voted subvention OF 200
and 90 francs 10 he given in savings bank books
containing certificates that small sums Of money
were lodged for the benefit Of those 70 whom they
were TO be given as prizes for beauty, good con-
duct or professional capacity. The great ner-
chants and manu- facturers followed the example Of
the Town Council. which provided the velvet
covered platform on which the jury was 70 stand
in the Place dc Ia Republique while the cars
forming the procession were driving by. Fifty
public aundries agreed TO participate in the fete.
Each was TO provide its and TO elect its queen
and her court. and all the queens were 10 name
an over sovereign. The public laundry is tie
place where all the soiled linen of the district is
first STEPPED in a hot I've and then washed and
dried So much a bundle is paid for the linen
that is thrown into I've watts. so much a gallon
for hot and cold water for subsequent rinsing.
and so much IN hour for the stand az which it
takes place. Drying chambers are hired in TIE
same way. The clear-starching or ironing is
done at home or in the shops Of professional
laundresses In this way all French dwellings.
however poor have an immunity from the smell
of suds. which is one Of the plaques Of humble
life in Belgium. the British Isles and America.
know not how the laundresses came 70 he the
heroines of the Mi-Careme. But they have =
al to themselves. and mean 10 keep il. Tie
queen of queens Louise SicaId. is said to he
the finest looking young WOMAN in Paris She
is Of a PrOvencal race. and looks IL. but was
reared in Paris in the Bohemian district Of
Montmartre. Probably her mother was a painters
or a sculptor's model. Louise Sicard is 4 tall.
statuesoue girl of strong, but not ungracetul
figure She had splendidli- regal air in her
robe of white and gold tissue. with a Medcean
high collar crown Of gold wheat ears. and
bouquet of white liacs. She has regular features.
| big black eyes. wavy hair the color Of |the
| ravens wing, and good-natured lovely mouth,
although large one She not new 70 her
| ROYALTY having been elected queen Of queens two
| wears ago. Nothing could be more engaging than
her way Of blowing kisses to the multitude which
acclaimed her the car on which she was
enrhroned drove around the Boulevard She,
according to her privilege, elected the king who
! was 70 drive with her. He the owner Of
! the laundry where she works. He provided
mail coach hung with cold-frnged red velvet
and decorated with pink and white camellias.
The throne behind the drivers box was canopied
| with flowers.
The cortege seemed endless. and was varied
i 7. in
places impossible for it TO advance along the
boulevards the throng was so dense. Troops
had 10 be brought out to MD the police in opening
a way for the queen OF queens and her following.
| The awarding of prizes in the Place de Ia Repub-
| lique excited great curiosity. Money, wreaths,
plated cups and savings bank books Were the
| forms the awards took There great cheer.
| ing with forty francs apiece were given 4 Miles.
| Labrune and VatOut as prizes Of virtue The
| former had brought up four orphaned brothers
| and sisters. and the latter seven.
The ladies of the old clothes market of the
| Temple and those of the Hales or provisions
markets. had also their corporate professions.
| Madame Godefroy elected queen Of the Tenn
| pie. She is a magnificent fair-haired JeweSs
She wore a white dress covered with rose and
silver embroidery. Her king was NJ RelevaL
also Hebrew. They and their suite were dressed
|
lent the trumpeters of hussar regiment, and
| they sounded hourishes with will
| The hshwomen of the Saint German Market
went in for union and progress which were
| represented in their cavacade. This was COM
posed of four open carriages. declled with what
| flowers this hard season affords group OF
! six clarinet players. car of musicians. and then
| a ncYer-ending array OF maskers and muinIneES
| on foot, III which men played tie parts of women,
| and women dressed up i'll masculine cos
| TUNES in which they the jauntiest and bright
est little beings Imaginable The brides at tie
wedding (which came into the idea of union and
progress. and the nurse in the christening party
were ludicrously loutish. pretty group was
| the Franco-Russian alliance. The French were
little girls in trcolored frocls. and the Russians
boys. no bigger. in the uniform of Russian SOL
| diers.
| | used often TO see in the railway cars between
| Paris and Saint German an old man of a military
| appearance, who wore the ribbon of the Legion
| of Honor. One day l got into conversation. and
| pointing TO his ribbon he said that he believed
| he was the only living mortal whom the First
| Emperor decorated with his own hand His
| name was Alexander Gandi, and he was the soa
| of a soldier who lost his life in crossing the
Beresina. Alexander was also in that affair As
ffcr. He showed extraordinary GOODNESS ana
presence of mind. Napoleon happened 10 be look
ing on. and half an hour later made him nienl-
Der of the Legion of Honor, though he was but
| eleven years old at tie time. lie made good
| match and set up in some small business after
| he left the army, in which he attained the RANK
| of major. | believe he WAS fairly well OH. uanui
| leaves two sons one of whom is colonel
The news is given of the death of Madenoiseiia
de Peyronnet. granddaughter OF 'lconte ue
| cof(' -
| hror,b, On the Revolution of 1880 by helping TO
| throw that King into course Of reaction Mile;
de Peyronnet was closely connected wtn the ducaI
| family OF Bedford. She was "a nun OF the orier
| and fhp