The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1892-12-31
NEW YEARS DAY IN PARIS.
IT IL the Custom to give Presents. but
the Concierge Alone Profits.

II IL the Custom to Give Presents, but
the Concierge Alone Profits.
On New Years day Paris, most un-
domesticated of cities, makes sacrifice
to that dornesticity which is the pride
of other nations in general. and of our
dear England in particular. LIE Jour de
Fan is emphatically the day Of families.
as they call it. which means, that it is on
that day that friends and relations de-
vot themselves TO ench other. 1t is II
day when the intense altruism of life in
Paris is n~loinentarily suspended, when
the family reasserts itself for too short
II time. when the boulevard and the cafe.
and that M. Tout-le-Monde in whom on
all the other days of the year Paris takes
so vast an interest are momentarily left
to their own devices.
II Is the pleasure of the wits and of
the grumblers to complain of this day.
1t is the day of giving presents. and
those who give least are londest in their
grumblings about a custom which they
qualify as an intolerable tax. AS II mat
ter of fact. one duties in this respect
are of the slightest. There IN the CON
cierge to be fed. to he sure. hut IN pre-
senting ones gratuity To this servant one
feels that never WAS largesse better IN
vested. 1t buys ciyility for the rest of the
year-be the gratuity only il fair one
and those who have dwelt in Partisan
flats will know how Indispensable il is to
be on good terms with the porter
1t is through his hands that all the
dodgers letters and parcels pass; it is he
who all questions that visitors
or inquirers may have to put: ii liz he
who pulls the d0orstring to let one III
and ont ut night. When n remembers
that II surly concierge, pretending stun.
Der. may leave II for long minutes ex-
posed TO the present Icy winds of the
Partisan streets before affording lngress.
one sees how well 1t il to he in his good
books. AS IL matter Of fact the porters
are so badly paid tina bu for the custom
of etrennes they would not he able to
exist at all. The sums received on New
Years day form IL part of their income,
and this sum is taken INTO consideration
by the landlord when engaging them
1t Is usual TO give at least Il sovereign.
but i'll many houses Il couple of louis
would be considered Il minimum.
1t Is from the porter that the parisian
on New Years day hears for the first
time the phrase that he shall that day
so often hear. ''Je yous In suuhaite bonnie
ct %heureuse.' Il wish that it may be
good and happy ttle new year, for you.
Elsewhere, i'll answer to this greeting
he puts ont his arms and kisses him or
her who makes it resoundingly on both
cheeks, here. however. 1t is his purse he
puts forth. aud in lieu of the smack of
the kiss it is the tiny tinkle of the golden
pieces that is heard. With the con.
cierge, however. ms things are today in
Paris, the duty of giving begins and
ends. The other creditors of ones bonn
ties have been satisfied long ago. The
postman. the telegraph boys. the dust
man and all the tribe of the humble
servants of the city's social life have al
ready in the early days of December
peer satisfied. What else of nj
then, the Partisan gives on that day are
such as his courtesy and his affections
prompt him to hestow.-R. Fl. Sherard
in London Graphic.
Buy your oysters by the plnt or quart
in bulk of Pike Il Wightman. n