Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-11-06
PARIS DURING THE SUMNER.
The Season of OpeD-Air life I'm Which
Parisians Particularly Delight.
THarper's Magazlne.l


During the summer months Paris re-
mans the beautiful city of marvels, aud
although the Tout Paris" or tho Upper
Ten, are supposed 20 have migrated TO the
mountain, the ocean, or the barOnial nail,
the city continues to be animated in q
calm way summer is the season OF that
open-ar life in which the Parisians particu
larly delight. when the popular restaurants
In the city place their little dinner-tables
on the sidewalk. and when the restau-
rants of the Champs Elysees spread snowy
cloths for the weightier purses III the vi
cinity of piashiug fountains and brilliant
flower beds. Then it is pleasant OF warm
and still evening to dine Mt Laurents or
the AMI assadeurs. and 10 recognize many
OF the notabilities of the capital as they SIT
at the neighboring tables, on each OF which
is little lamp that casts opaline renee
tions on the faces of the women. Grad
ually the glow of sunset fades away over
head you hear President Carnots rocks
returning in loquacious bands TO their
nests in the garden OF the Elysee Palace;
little by little the mystery OF darkness
seems to issue from and envelope the land
scape. and then by the time we have
reached the moment OF coffee and cigars
we see festoons Of gigantic pearls. whlten-
ing into luminousness beneath the trees,
aud lighting up brilliantly the under
klnh OF the OElltAIe EItSu
A few minutes later there IS heard clash
iEg of eymbals and tionfOn OF common
place music, dominated at the regular
intervals OF the couplet by the voices OF
singers--Pauius, Elise Faure, Hvette Gull
bert-summoning the amateurs 10 the
gauly JOYS of the cafes concerts.
The cafes concerts, the cirque Pe'e, the
Hippodrome. such are the amusements Of
elegant Paris during the summer, when
the theatres are closed. with the exception
of the Opera and the Comede FrdHodjse. In
September the theatres reopen their doors.
and the intellectual and frivolous. life OF
Paris is resumed with renewed ardor. The
summer holidays are over. In October
everybody is back, and the dramatic
authors imperiously claim atten-
ton for their new pieces. ii Is the season
of first nights" The first performance
of new play is always somewhat OF an
event in Paris. The French stage has
prestige that no other stage possesses and
the French audience dispenses greater
glory than any other European public,
insomuch that those who have not danced,
sung. or acted before Paris can scarcely
be said to have danced, sung. or
acted at all their fame. however
great it may be elsewhere, requires
the ratification of Paris before it can
be considered TO be absolute. Paris, as
victor Hugo Sal1. IL tue slhTliuR DOlub VI
success, the anvil on which great renown
Is forged Therefore, the privilege of
being present at the - first night" psrtic-
ularly if the piece be by an author OF su-
preme celebrity, is highly esteemed and per-
sistently solicited. A premiere is, IN
way, O social function. and constant attend
ance at such ceremonies Constitutes patent
of Parisianism. Certainly " first night"
is interesting it has the charm of novelty
and uncertainty, the attractions of plot
vet to be disentangled, of o witt:cism that
bounds across the foot-lights for the first
time, of scene that will be the talk of
the town for the next nine days, of cos
tune that will be the fashion of to-
morrow. But. above all. one is interested
by the house itself, by the ANNA
ton of the lobbies during the enh'dctes,
the exhibition of we.l-known faces, the
presence OF the great glories of litera-
ture, art. war. aud politics. the con-
soling spectacies to which the eye has
become accustomed. the drdnt-sceres that
reveal the latest arrangements made be-
tween wealthy seigneurs and distinguished
Cythereans, the bdignoires full of mystery,
the balcony radiant with powdered beauty,
the whole audience vibrating with lively
skepticism, and with that passion for
movement and life which characterizes
the elite of adventures, fools OF fortune.
and men and women of genius who CON-
pose what is called the Tout Paris"