Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-12-31
NEW YEARS DAY IN PARIS.
II IL tho Custom to Give Presents, but
the Concierge Alone Profits.

IL IL tho Custom to Give Presents, but
the Concierge Alone ProRts.
On New Years day Paris. most nm
loricsticated OF cities. makes sacrifice
to that domesticity which IL the pride
of other nations In general, and Of our
dear England In particular. lie Jour de
IAN is cmphatically the day Of families,
as they call it. which means that II is on
that day that friends and relations de-
vote themselves to each other. 1t Is O
day when the intense altruisin Of life in
Paris is Inomentarily suspended, when
the family reasserts itself for too short
u time, when the boulevard aud the cnfc,
and that n. Tout-le- Monde in whom on
all the other days OF the year Paris takes
so vast an interest, are momentarily left
to thoir own devices.
1t is the pleasure Of tho wits and Of
il il the day of giving presents, and
thc?e who give least are lord"st in their
crnmbl'Igs about q ctistGn wtc,i they
suslify az sn intolerabls tax. As mat
ter OF fact, ones duties in this respect
are of the slightest. There is the con-
cierge 10 be fed, to be sure. but in pre-
senting ones gratuity to this servant one
feels that never WAS largcsse better in
vested. 1t buys civiity for the rest Of the
year-be the gratuity only fair one
and those who have dwslt in Partisan
fnis will know how indispenssblei it is to
he on good terms with the porter.
1t is through his hands that all the
dodgers letters and parcels pass; it i. he
who answers all qrestious that visitors
or inquirers may have to put: it is he
who pulls tho doorstring to let one in
and out ct night. When one remember.
that surls concierge. pretending slum.
ber, may leave old e5s ,5ng minutes ex.
posed to tho present icy winds Of the
Partisan streets before affording ingress,
one secs how well 1t is to he in his good
books. As a matter OF fact the porters
are 80 badly paid that but for the custom
OF etrennes they would not be able to
exist at all. Tho sums received on New
Years day form part Of their income,
and this SUN Is taken into consideration
by tho landlord when engaging them.
1t is usual to give at least sovereign,
but in many houres n couple OF louis
would be considered . minimum.
1t is from the porter that the Partisan
on New Years day hears for the first
time the phrase that he shall that day
80 often hear, "Je vous lS souhsite bonDe
ct heureuse." II wish that it may he
good and happy Cthe now year, for You
Elsewhere, in sIswer to this greeting,
he puts ont his arms and kisses him OF
her who makes it resoundingly Cal both
cheoks; horo, however, it is his purse he
puts forth, aud il lieu of the smack of
tho kiss it is the tiny tinkle Of the golden
pieces that il heard. With the con-
cierye, however, ~ things are today in
Paris, the duty of giving begins and
ends. The other creditors OF ones boun-
ties have been satisfied long ago. The
postnian, the telegraph boys, the dust.
man and VII tho tribe Of the humble
servants Of the city's social life have al.
ready in tho early days Of December
been satisfied. What else ef etrennes,
then, tho Partisan gives ON that day are
such AS his courtesy and his affection.
prompt him to tertow.-R. II. Sherard
in London Graphic.