Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-08-06
THE QUlTZ ARTS BALL
EHE FESTIVE BEGINNING OF The PARIS RI
OTIS
1 Week Of Delirium in Which Paris Lived Over
Again The CHASTITY Scenes Of the Commune
how Ii All Happened.


Special Correspondents Nst0 York sun,
PARIS, August 3-The best way to
understand the extraordinary state OF
affairs In Paris during the past week
Is, perhaps, 10 recall the images OF
q horrible nightmare or delirium.
There Is nothing In ordinary life 70 give
an idea Of that strange, distorted as
pect which persons and things some
times assume In feverish dreams.
When one attempts 20 describe these
effects there is little left for facts and
figures to deal with than a curious con-
glOmeratiOn Of fantasies without head,
tail or body. II such can be imagined,
that is what has happened to the pop
ulatiOn Of the French capital IL was
like a week Of deIirum, 10 which Paris
lived over again the ghaStly scenes OF
the Commune.
Most OF the crises came on % night
in streets where only enough gas lamps
were left standing to throw long, IN
canny shadows In the dusk. A general
feeling OF awe and agitation IN the air,
with indistinCt masses OF nervous peO-
pie moving cOufusedly on all sides; in
many places the streets peryaded with
a disagreeable Odor OF escaping gas, and
from different directions sudden series
Of exciting noises; here the triumphant
yels Of band of rioters forming bar
ricade, with the heavy fall Of a kiOsQue
or an overturned omnibus; there the
rush OF a squad Of police, quick clat-
ter OF horses hOOfs, the charge OF
cavalrymen aud the wild cries OF
q crowd In panic; suddenly In an
a afanHn ~ 4Hn FHN
shots and a big sheet Of flame going up
TO the heavens from burning barricade;
then the clang Of ere engines and
great shout OF conflict; shortly after,
the thrice repeated roll Of drums and
the distant voice OF the Commissaire OF
Police, grit with his tricolor scarf,
warning the people before ordering the
soldiers TO charge; at the same instant q
pel nell Of terrified people, women
shrleking and trembling, rushing in
their bewilderment upon the bands OF
Wild-eyed policemen; IN side streets,
knocked down and trampled on, and
finally getting 20 their feet trembling
and bloody, 70 creep of sobbing 70 their
homes; rufians and gamins, with long
blue blOuses and high black caSQuettes,
parading, with calls OF victory,
with bright guns AID pistols from q
plllaged store OF firearms, in the hiss
ing light OF a broken gaSpipe; then
finally, towards morning, a relative quiet
10 the black streets abandoned 70 squad
rons or culrass.erS, whose steel casks
aud breastpIates cast sinister CLEANS In
the pickering light OF the lamps.
The whole story from its smallest be-
ginnings has peculiar interest for the
disinterested spectator because II lights
In rare way the inner and more
tal side of modern French habit and
0aracter. There Is are many cosmODO-
iitar'ludSuperGc. al elements IN the COM
plicaJed Partisan life that, under ordin-
ary circumstances, IL is extremely dit
fcult for the observer 10 distinguish
between the fictitious phases that
float without weight on the surface and
the essential traits OF feeling that 20
down 20 the bottom OF the national life.
1t Is also especially difficult. to get at
the real sentiment OF the French in re-
gard TO many subjects, owing to their
excessive politensss and iOndness for
formality, which is usually calculated
10 conceal much Of their inner feeling.
The present crisis through which Paris
has passed managed 70 touch Ia an intl-
mate and truthful way 10 its curious
wanderings an unusually great variety
of subjects and sentiments that are real
~ French.