New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-15
AUTUMN IN PARIS.
BRILLIANT OPENING OF THE SEASON
THE CITY CROWDED WITH
ROYAL VISITORS.


Paris, October l.
Indications are to be found CT every side. not
alone that the summer is at an end, but, what
is more that the winter season, which generally
begins only after the New Year, has already be-
gun Townhouses are being opened in the
fashionable quarters on both banks of the
Seine: the theatres and musc-halls are once
more in full swing after a long period OF what
is known here as "rclache'; the leading clubs
are crowded at the baccarat hour Of the alter
noon; the Bourse is more active than ever
there is difficulty in obtaining tables at de-
jeuner and dinner time in the principal restau-
rants and the Bots is once more invaded by
its cayalcade Of equestrans in the morning and
by the long line of handsome equipages in
tho afternoon Drcssmakers and milliners are
working day and night TO keep pace with their
orders, and the various schools and lycees
are getting ready for the return of their pupils
at the end of the week. The Quarter Latin is
once more peopled with students VINO are
stated to be much impressed by the fact mat
not trace remains of the riot which took place
in July The kiosks that had been wrecked
have been repaired and those TO which the
torch had been applied have been replaced
There is no longer any vestige Of bI oxen glass,
and care has been taken TO repair all other
damage done by the rioters our clubmen and
malyernis no longer venture to show themselves
anywhere in the straw hats which that ell
DERBY Alcibiades, the Prince de Sacan. made
fashionable las. summer; the mosquitoes have
also disappeared. after having plagued us ana
interf ared with slumbcrs; The river baths
have been removed from their mornings OF
the Quai d'Orsay and other places down 10
their winter quarters at Villancourt and Au-
teuil, and last. but not least the cab com
panies have already begun sending out their
covered nacres instead Of waiting. as usual
until the end of October. which has hitherto
been REGARDED as the date fer the beginning
of official cold weather. The consequence is
that people are no longer obliged to drive home
from the theatres at night in open cOnvcyanc"s,
which certainly were a boon during summer.
but which have ceased to be 50 since the pres
ent damp. cold and showeiy weather has set in
Another feature denoting the Inauguration Of
the Partisan season is the presence within our
walls Of 50 many royal visitors. fact which Is
not without exercising beneficial influence
both trade and on society. even though We are
living under a republican government Among
them are the Count Of Flanders. brother of
King Leopold Of Belgium. and his son, Prince
Albert who have arrived here for months
stay. taking up their quarters at the Hotel l}rs-
fol Then we have a large number of mem
bers of the Imperial House of Russia. including
the Grand Duke Nicholas Nichoaievitch; the
Princess Clementinc Of Saxe-COburg has arrived
at Chantilly on Il visit 10 her brother. the Due
d Aumalc and comes into Paris almost every
day presumably to look after the interests OF
her son, Prince Ferdinand Of Bulgaria. and 10
purchase the layctte for the expected heir TO
his throne The Teigning Grand Duke ana Grand
Duchess Of Mecklenburg-StreNZ are at the
Hotel du Rhin for month, while the widowed
Duchess de Montpensier is at the Hotel Meurice
for similar period.
The Duchess presents n most striking con-
trast to her sister. Queen Isabella Of Spain.
Unlike that very frsky. rcd-wigged ani
artiicially complexioned ex-sov"reign who.
Notwithstanding the fact that she is many
times a grandmother and Of cephantine
proportions. still arrays herself in the most
juvenile of toettes. the Duchess Is Of veneer
able appearance. Her hair is snow white. and
she looks what she is. that Is 10 say quite the
old lady, one. TO. who has forsworn the pleas
ures and fIivones of this world and turned her
thoughts 10 religion TO the extent even Of big
otry She il as enormously wealthy as Queen Isa-
bella is deeply in debt. and as austere In her raj
ment and In her demeanOr as Isabella is the re-
verse. Nothing can be more odd than 10 gee the
two sisters together, and they have been good
deal with one another OF late time having
healed the bitterness Of feeling that formerly
kept them apart-a bitterness which was mani
tested to a far greater extent by the Duchess
than by the Queen All her life long the Duchess
had hoped i improve her position at
the expense Of her elder sister When she
was welded TO the good-ooking and stalwart
French Due de Montpensier at the same time
that her sister was united to the dwarf-like
and Notwithstanding Prince Francis of Bour-
bon IL was with a conviction that the prom
ised childessness Of Isabella's marriage would
give the succession of the Spanish throne 10
herself and to her children. TO her dis
may Queen Isabella gave birth to large fam
ily Of children. She did not even attempt 10
conceal her disappointment and anger not
Withstanding all the efforts of Isabella 10 atone
for these interesting events by most generous
gifts of estates and hOnors ana. indeed, she
co-operated with her husband the Duke, when
he brought about his sister-in-law's overthrow
and exile in 1868. The restoration did not mend
matters much, the Montpensers manifested
the same animosity toward the late King Al
fonso and toward his widow, the present Queen
Regent. they did to Isabella, and on two
occasions requested by the Government
Of the day to leave the country in conse-
quence Of the intrgues which they were TO-
menting against the throne.
The Duchess is the mother of Don An
tonic, who visited the United states last
spring in company with his wiIc the In
fanta Eulalie. Owing to his being regarded as
a Spanish prince and as a member of the Span
ish royal family. drawing Government al
lowance from the Spanish Treasury. he has
not inherited his fathers title Of Due de Mont
pensicr, which passed instead to the second
of nd
will likewise inherit the major part OF the
vast wealth Of the Duchess With regard to
the Grand Duke and Duchess of Mecklenburg-
! Strelitz l may mention that Her Royal High