Morning journal and courier., 1892-12-26

ers. Thls Is distinctly Parisian. We uey-
er noticed 1t to any extent in New York or
In London, but We pass shop after shop in
FAris which sends out delightful fra
GRANGE to us, and occasionally q creature
In silks and ribbons will sweep past, so
6oontifuiiy endued with perfume as to in
rect the air with sweetness for yards be-
hind her If it were only possible. ss
these Parisian ladies pass by, leaving such
delightful reminders In their wake, TO dis
miss from your mind the old saying, that
where odors of this kind are used 90 free
ly you may suspect the presence of others
which II is desirable to conceal, one could
not only be thankful to these fragrant
Creatures, but might almost be in danger
of admiripg them.
What the feminine complexion Is like
In Paris one can hardly say from q walk
on the boulevards. The furtive elsnces
we have ventured to cast upon 1t have
left the impression that you see 1t In
public under mark. But the mask Is
exceedingly pretty as a work of art
Those who have seen this complexion at
early breakfast ssy that the mssk, 50
generally and 80 skilfully put on later in
the day, is more attractive than the face
Itself would be. Perhaps 1t is; but to
give these Partisan ladies their due, 1t
must be added that their faces are well
AOAGAcd, bhaL I4OtI VI IuGln dIH DleeECQ
with the hveliest eyee, and that the
maintain altogether a very pleasing and
even striking expression. In the latter
characteristic the proud danes of old Eng
land look dull and insipid in comparison
with their fair sisters of sunny France,
and we are not sure that the Partisan
beauty is fully eauslled, In this one point
of wearing hsbitually a gentle and pleas
ing expression, by even the best types
among our own countrywomen.
But We are depressing to talk of the
ladies. Not at all an uncommon weak
ness in Paris, especially with men who
spend much time on the great boule-
wards But in our present description
other beautiful things to be noted. In
fact everything is beautiful, and every
thing is obviously designed to be so.
The shops which most attract you are
those In which articles of luxury for the
household are displayed. If French Ss-
Ions are furnished after the models you
see on the boulevsrds, what nests of Ell
egance and art they must bel After
looking into windows where bonnets and
dress goods are displayed, you hardly
wonder at the passion of Paris for pret
ty toilets or at the craze which has made
this city the shopping emporium of the
world. In the tempting display of bric-a-
brac the Psrisian shopkeeper is simply
overwhelming. Even the butchers shops
are beautiful. Fancy the interior of a
dressed calf decked out with roses. Think
of sheep waiting to be cut up with dainty
paper caps over their nscks, with pretty
pictures adorning their backs and with
green leaf, having an ornamental gilt cen
ter, st the base of their tails This is
Paris, whether you see it on the boule-
wards or on the back strests, and what you
observe in one line of trade fairly repre-
ssnte the artistic genius of shopkeepers in
general.
If by any chance. in sauntering along
the boulevsrds, you should grow weary Of
looking at other beautiful things, you can
turn st any moment and look at yourself,
for mirrors seem TO bs everywhere. Not
only has the shopkeeper provided them
sbundanuy in his show windows, but they
are on the doors, on the sides OF tho entry
way, and in every other available place.
Evidently, too, this ample provision meets
a wide spread want. We had thought it
only weakness of the fair sex to have a
fondness for looking glasses, but Paris has
disabUsed us of this notion. On the
boulsvards 1t is almost rs common to see
men worshipping at this shrine as to zee
women standing in alteration before 1t.
We are not prepared as yet to say that the
we'll dressed Frenchmsn is vain, but the
care he bestoTs upon his fscisl adorn-
ments, and particularly upon his nous
tsche, has raised within usr-wrs-Ron of
this kind, and the psnchsnt he eAows for
posing before theae public and ever pres
ent mirrors has somewhat strengthened
that suspicion.
To start sgain at the Madeleine, you no.
tice at once how the broad sidewalks are
1Ntf cd at GNnr sr,ka L.. L
These are newspaper stands and places
where flowers can be bought Occasional
ly you pass high circular contrivance,
around the Top of which is the word Spec
tscles. These are for the display of the.
atricsl bills, and at night they are illumi-
mated from the top. This Is how Paris
modifes and makes pleasing those bill
sticking propensities which in American
cities are allowed full play regardless of
both taste and decency. But other OBJ
jects on the sidewalks, at intervals of
about couple OF squares, and standing
ont as copspiouously on the crowded boul-
evsrds as elsewhere, will prompt you 10
compare American cities with Paris to the
decided advantage of the former, and will
make you thankful that in certain matters
We still retain on our aide of the ocesn
measurable sense OF delieacy.
Which reminds US, however, that our
own country is represented on these boul
evsrds, and not always at its best. There
are places where they advertise American
drinks, and in the vicinity of the Grand
Hotel you may easily pick up one of your
| compatriots as guide in doing the sights
of this gay city. These are questionable
advant8ges-the latter as much SO as the
| former. But no American can notice
without pride the gaping crowd of Psri-
SLAMS which constantly surrounds q shop
| in the Boulevards des Italiens, where
American type writer's are on exhibition.
Making your way toward the other end
| of this string of boulevaTds. you observe
after time that the scene has changed
somewhat, that the shops are less sumptu-
ous, and the living figures in this stirring
panorama of life less fashionsbly sttired.
Here you see many who belong TO the great
army OF Partisan toilers. and in regard to
the women, you will be struck by the
| large number OF this class, daintily dressed
otherwise, who will be barebeaied. This
is another Paris fashion, but there is hard
| ly enough in il for milliners to secure it g
place in the fashion plates of America.
Perhaps, as you return toward the Made
leine, the scene will have changed still
more by the fact of darkness having called
into play the myriad lights which make
these boulevaTds even more fascinating
than in daylight But Paris by night
must be treated separately a. 7.
|