Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-12-31
Letters From Papa and Mamma.
VI.
PARIS, France. Aug. 23d. 1891.

PARIS, France, Aug. 23d. 1891.
Ny Darling Philip
We got here very late on Wednesday
night, and the moon was shining bright
as could be. Papa knew just where to go,
so we took oar small bags in our hands
and climbed up on top of Il bus and rode
in that way TO the very house papa used
to live in. The buses are large and a
good deal like street cars, only they don't
go on tracks, and they have seats inside
tor people and little stairs on the back
platform that go TO the top where there
are seats for as many more. We always
go on top unless it is raining because we
can see so much better. only it is hard
work for SO many to come down in
hurry when the bus stops. We had a
lovely ride that night. The moon shone
so bright that we could see almost as we'll
as if it had been day time and away down
every street we could see the long rows of
street lamps. In one place there is large
open space about as large as the college
| campus, with lights all around 1t every
| where, hundreds OF them there seem to
be. and it is Just beautiful in the night;
and from that there goes very wide, long
street with four rows of lights, one on
each side and two down the middle with
places to drive in between, and all the
carriages and omnibuses have two lights
on them, so it is very beautiful to look
down that long street.
Yesterday afternoon We went to the
garden where they keep the animals that
papa has told you OF. We stood by one
of the little yards where there were some
sheep and watched man iced them pa
per. They would eat down newspaper as
| you do oatmeal. and ask for more. |
| should think they would feel just as hun
CRY as ever after eating it. The monkeys
were in a large wire house with poles and
hoops to climb OIL. way up TO the top. One
of them had roll of paper tied with
string that he was trying to get into.
guess it either had 4 stone or very hard
nut in it. for after awhile saw him chew
ing away on something like that, trying
to break it. but think he didn't succeed.
Two others were running around after
each other, up the poles and around and
down again as fast as they could fly.
Then we went in where the lions. tigers
and panthers were. They had just had
their dinner and were rather quiet, but
the man who let us in made the tiger roar
by striking his hand at him as he lay in
his cage. One of the lions was sound
asleep and the other was walking back
ala >hn,,
seemed cross, for he made great noise
once in a while; perhaps the people were
teasing him. One OF the strange things
were some gnus; behind they looked like
horses, but in front like COWS. In anoth-
other yard was zebra beautifully striped
We thought he would lock very pretty
haruessed up to a carriage, but Uncle j
says they are very hard TO manage and
can never be tanned. Il have seen three
driven abreast in a circus parade.) The
prctticst things were the birds-swans,
ducks, geese and famingoes. These last
are big white birds with some pink feath-
ers in their wings and pink legs two feet
high, so that they look as if they were on
stiits One of them curled one leg up
Somewhere that [ couldn't see aud tucked
his head under his wing and went to sleep
on one leg. Another one was eating, and
the way he did 1t was to run his head
along in the water upside down so as TO
let the water run into his long crooked
bill and then out, while he caught the lit
tie bugs and ate them. There were pea
cocks and sniDes and some very pretty
blue gray pheasants with feathery crowns
on. The storks in the next yard had long
legs; too, and they could kneel down the
wrong way, their legs bending just the
other way from yours at the knees. l
wish you could have seen the pelicans,
large birds with such broad wings. Two
Of them spread their wings and then
iumped.at each other, playing together, |
and they were so big and clumsy that it |
looked very funny. When we had walked !
around the garden we went down to the
river and took steamboat and were en- |
Toying the ride very much when it began |
to rain. and we all had to crowd into a |
little bit OF a room down below, so that |
we didn't see as much as we wanted to.
| suppose we shall get home the tenth OF |
next month. | shall want to fly when |
get to New York. am so glad that you
are all S61ving such nice times this sum-
mer and that you and Joseph are so we'll. |
Give my love to everybody at home. and /
give yourself and Joseph big hug from
MAMMA.