New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-17
ala SAINT FIACRE.'
FLOWER MASSES AT PARIS TO CELEbkAiE
TIE PATRON SAINT OF GARDENERS AND
UACKMEN-A MISSING PRINCESS.

ala Saint Fiacre" the day sacred 10 ule
memory of the canoniZed Scottish Prince WIZ Is
venerated here as the patron saint not Only VI
the hacktlrivers but also OF the gardeners, horti-
cultursts and florists, celebrated WIN u'e
customary Messe DIES Fleurs'' OH Tuesday last
in all the principal churches OF the me'ropoiS
a. well a. Of the suburbs, and the dense cro"us
that thronged the sacred ediiices furnished apuhu-
ant and pleasing evidence that, 1T any rate 'ere
no growth of rreligion among those VINO are ell
gagged in cultvatng the fairest gifts of the SOIL
As usual, l attended the flower mass at 'he
Church of Sainte Marguerite. in the Fauoourg 81
Antoine a somewhat melancholy fame III the
vaults of which lie the coffin containing the re-
mains that are asserted TO be those OF the young
Dauphin son OF Louis XVI and of Marie Antol-
nette. who was brutali2ed TO death by his laiier'
Simon, in the Temple prison. For once III the
way, however, the church seemed to have lost
its sombre aspect the entire edlice Delng laN-
i-hy decorated with beautiful flowers, the per
lune of which filled the air 10 such an extent that
even the incense burned during the ceremony was
scarcely noticeable.
The principal seats were occupied by the NELL
beers Of the Saint Fiacre Association, which Is
the oldest of all the guild, OF florists Ill fari''
and who entered IN procession with the clergy
aloft a reliauary containing some remnants OIL
the bones of Saint Fiacre. while all the o'he'
persons who took part in the cortege car
ried baskets and punches Of flowers, mostly OF
d,ises and Of marguerites in honor OF the SAINT
to whom the church is dedicated. After the cps
III. had been read a beautiful young girl dreSseu
in white her gown profusely adorned Win fresh
flowers and with fragrant blossoms III her har'
conducted another procession, composed ehureN
of white-robed madens, flower bedecked Ike Ier-
self from the sacristy She carried i'll her hahus
a magnificent basket, OF trophy, OF rowefs' WIN"
she brought ~ the high altar, ana there, WIN
deep obe,ance handed il to the oh'cia''ns
priest, who placed it upon the altar a moihen'
later a third procession lett the sacfis'y anu '"-
vanced toward the high altar. Instead oil young
girls. il was formed OF young men, TWO oil ""o"'
bore upon their shoulders large SILVER 'faE' upon
which. surrounded by lighted candles were all
kinds Of consecrated bread, some OF 'hem eve"
being in the form Of pretzel, Inc 'raS' 'oo' was
l,iJ unon the hi2h altar and both il and tile
basket of flowers We're theiruPo"
censed and blessed before the service pio-
cee,led This quaint and picturesque ou 'e'
mony. the origin Of which dates back hlhufeos
Of wears wah brought TO conclusion Ill '"e
cn,romary pathetic manner, nameiN' WIN
paintivc chant of woe aud mourning LOT '"o'c
members of the guild who had died during 'he
year Or course women predonlhateu III '"c
congrpgation a fact which can scarc"iy nave "c'"
pleasing or agreeable to the saint who's "aS we
were celebrating. For Saint tacre heiu "olne"
in such profound horror that during 'he Ni''
century after his canonization not one menioer
OF the fair sex was permitted to attend tlle ho"e'
mass.
I am sorry to say that there We're bnt 10"
cabmen present. They apparently care less io'
their patron saint than do the gardeners i"i'
:. narl,n> attributed to the fact that large
number of our knights Of the whip here are uh-
tracked PRIESTS and men who, having been edit
Gated i'm semlnaries. have been unable 10 oo'a'h
commitment, TO the relatively limited number of
marshes ut the disposal of the ecclesiastical
authorities. Moreover, the connection between
tha cabmen and the Scotch saint Is oil less
intimate order than between the holy man and
fine florists For, whereas he is on record az
having been pa,,ionatcIy fond of flowers and OF
horticulture. vet nothing is known OF his having
manifested any particular interest in cabmen.
Ird..d il j. doubtful whether there were such
,hinos q. cabs in his days. They were first IN
,,o,rnc.d IN Paris in $780, and the stables and
office. of the cntrlprl-ins company owning the
Nj
Pm. Saint Martin. which had previously been
l,no,,p 49, the Hospital Of Saint Fiacre II
j. prohablv due 10 this that from then until no"
al b,cln.v cabs in Pali, are described AZ
lacrc>.'
Among tha interesting events of the past week,
n least i'm Partisan eyes, have been the recohclia
tion of Mile Reichcmb"rg with the management
Of th, Coincide FRANCHISE aud her return TO the
,t,i.,n IL. Nollrre. This is a subject OF great
d.lioht 10 our pIaygorrs, a. she Is one OF orr
,,,., ron,,lur actresses Her quarrel with VI.
Claretr has been smOothed over, ana Oh i"eSuas
last she made her reappeardnce on thr stage 'h
,le very part in which she had made her Gebnt,
,,,o,lv that of Agnes. in Nlolieres " Ecole dies
u,,,us Sin, WAS received with great deal
oc enthusiasm by the audience. which NAY nave
.erv.d 70 confirm her decision that, after all 1t Is
hotter to serve AT the Theatre Francois than To
,.i,n alone elsewhere The conclusion OF TINS
,n,n will now leave Parisiaus free once more 10
devot. their attention to the difficulty with siam,
fon which il had been diverted by the all-aosofD-
inc conflict between the management OF the Tome
Ji Franchise and its petite doyenne little dean
T,ILirc or Siam. a considerable sensation has
been created here within the last lew days Dy
,h. evnulsion from or capital of the Cambodlan
Prince Duong Chacr the eldest son OF hns
xrodon of Cambodil The Prince had been e>-
Icd bv his father for having organized revolt
,iororv risincs against him. and also for having
underworld to poison him, and after living Tor a
time in exile at Bangkok made his way here, wheie
Ia ouicllv became a source of great emDarraSs-
mont 70 the French Government lie deVelopeu
IN. instincts of IA regular hotel beat running up
a,or,uous bills at the various hotels here, ana
tbou. when presented with demands Tor pay
ment. referring the proprietors TO the fro"o"
Govornment alleging that II had rendered "
self responsible for his maintenance ana 'ha' he
had vast claims against the National treasury
Narrower. he became unpleasantly conspicuous In
connection with his drunken habits. until hhaliy
,h, Goyernment determined to put up WIN MN