New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-20
SOCIAL TOPICS IN PARIS.
FROM BALLS TO CHURCHES ON ASH
WEDNESDAY-EX-E EMPRESS EUGENIL.

|
| Paris March 3.
| Father Careme, as Lent is styled here, was
ushcred in by heavy rain which somewhat inter
| fcred with the customary quaint spectacle or
dinarily witnessed on Ash Wednesday morning in
this capital, 10 well as in many other Catholic
cities of the Continent, where the churches are
| thronged with people who have been celebrating
| the carnival at private and public fancydress ana
masked balls, and whose fantastic costumes are
| but partly concealed in many instances by opera
| nantes aud long clOaks There is no function OF
| the Church that is rcigiOusly observed than
this ceremony Of the Mcrcrcdi dos Ccndres, partly
| because previous confession is required from
those who attend il. and partly too, because those
| who have been obtaining all the enjoyment that
| they could out Of the Carnival, experience the
| necessity Of making their peace with the Church
| by paying their usual Ientcn tribute to religion
| The number of penicnts who receive les
| Cendres in the seventy churches of Paris on Ash
| Wednesday is estimated az 100000, consequently
abont 5000 TO each church. Les Cendres is one
Of the most ancient rites Of the Roman Catholic
Church. and in primitive times was considered
| in the light Of a penance for repcnting sinners
Last "Wednesday morning the Church of the Made
| leine presented most curious coup d'ocil. for
among the faithful who attended the o'clock
mass at the dawn Of day were number Of most
Heterogeneous looking men and women, who had
evidently but very shortly left the Bal dc rOpera
| and other cosumcd fetes of the kind.
| Near the high altar knelt two girls whose long
| listers ONLY half-cOnccalcd their Vatican shep-
| hcrdeSs dresses. Lace scarfs were wound about
| their powdered heads hut crimson roSebuds and
golden wheatears pceTcd from the folds in the
| most amusing manner, and when they got up the
| flaps OF the tclltalc ulstcrs revealed the short
skirts pink silk stockings and neat little high
| heeled satin shoes proper 10 an opera bouhe
"bcrgere Further down the aisle was " Pier
rot who although he had removed his black
silk headkerchief, had obviously not found time 10
| rub of the white paint with which this amusing
| characters face is always besmeared, and who
looked perfectly CHASTITY in the dim light OF early
| morning As | left the church by side door
even met genuine "pochinc' his mock
I wooden shoes and baggy lIncebrccches of multi
colorcd silk showing beneath his carefully but
| toned ovcrcoat. which, however, bulgcd out in an
| ungaiuly fashion bctwcel the shoulders and on
| the chest, where the artificial humps were
fastened He had replaced the two-cornercd hat
| and pompons by ordinary derby Lat. but hav
| ing forgotten to remove his curly white wig and
| the red paint his nose. he presented a sufii
GENTLY ludicrouS aspect to put my gravity to the
utmost test.
The series of carnival entertainments and rccep-
| lions was closed here by a brilliant soree given
| ON Sbroyc Tuesday by the Due and DuchcSSc dc
Rohan in honor of the Infanta Euania dc Mont
pcnsicr. daughter OF Queen Isabella. The lnfanta
| is extremely lovely and appeared TO uncommon
| advantage in a Louis XVI costume of pale pink
and pale blue ppkin. The MarquiSe IIervcy dc
Saint-D enys who is of the prettcst women
| in the Faubourg," wore Spanish dress of purple
velvet trimmed with crmine, and in her golden
| hair a bncll cnamcllcd fan studded with diamonds
| and rubcs
| II is probably one of the last times this year
| that the salons of the Hotel de Rohan Will be
opcn for Prince Camille de Rohan. Due de Mont
| bacon and Bouillon. head of the Austrian branch
of this old Breton family, who seat at SIR
cow. in Bohemia, and is member OF the Aus
TRAN Upper House, has just had second stroke
of paralysis and a. he is nincty-wo years OF age
| his condition is regarded as hopeless.
new fad has come TO the front and will, no
doubt. help our pretty mondanes to while away
| the monotonons evenings of the Lcnten season
| Mime Paschcow n Russian grande dame by birth,
| but a thorough Partisan by taste and choice, has
inauunratcd some reunions DIES mobiles ouvreres
do Ia charlie where the fair guests work for the
| benefit of the starving Russians Gentlemen are
| not excluded on these OCCASIONS, and are allowed
TO assist in painting fans merely in winding SILKS
| and threading needles for their busy womanknd.
| Evening dress j. not worn at reunions of this de-
scription. and il replaced by highneckcd woollen
blocks Of sever and serious make, with little or no
| Jewels These charitable meetings are frightened
| by musical performances and rccitations. Last
Thursday NJ Andricck, the celebrated violinist Of
the Emperor of Austria, played divinely at Mime.
pascbcow's. while Princess Bibesco accompanied
| him the piano.
The Comtcssc de FranqueNillc has begun her
! Sunday evening receptions through the Carcme at
| In Mucttc which is famous being the only
| chatcau and park within the city limits. II was
! bult by Marie Antoincttc. and after the Restora-
ton was Inhabited by the Comte dArtois, who
afterward became King Charles Y. 1t subsequently
passed into the hands Of Lime. Erard. the wife of
the wcll-known piano manufacturer. Nine. Erard
sunday evening receptions enjoyed worldwide re-
! NOUN and il was at La Mnette that Gounod.
List Tamberck and all the great virtuousos were
70 be heard at their best At her death few
wears ago she bequeahed Ia Muette-which is al
most prceess-to her niece. the Comtesse de
Franouevile. having disinherited her only
daughter. Nine. Scbcfer. III Consequence OF
scandal which led TO the suicide Of NJ. Scheher.
The trees in the park of La Muette are superb.
while the mansion itself is typical chateau
Of the last century. with immense and gor-
ooroeouslv furnished state apartments
ExEmpress Eugene passed through here a few
DAYS aro on her way TO Mentone, where she In
tends 70 make rather long stay. Her Majesty
refused 10 stop az Paris she had been entreated
90 do but merely dned in the public restaurant
Of the Care de Est with Princess Ma'niide'
-Ssre the two imperial ladies attracted but little