New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-11
TOPICS IN PARIS.
SOME WEEKS OF GAYETY.
.ou.v,cr,r r1osptTAIJTY-LENT NOT OBSERVED
THE ANARCHIST sCARE-GooD-Looh-
ING DEPUTIES.

with their customary love for topsy-turVyuoH'
Parisians Sc en- TO have inverted the seasons anu
after an abnormay dreary and tame Carhi'a'
we are now in the midst OF Lent OF utterly
unprecedented gayey Nine Carnot led the way
with a grand ball at the Elysee on lhuisuay
of last week, and since then dinners concerns
amateur theatricals and dances have succeeded
one another in bewildering succession. Inc
Dowager Duchesse de Maille is giving weekly
receptions which will terminate with grahd
ball on Easter Monday at her mansion In the
Rue de Lille which has undergone little chahge'
internal or external since she went there as
bride more than thirty years ago. She Is an
ideal duchess with her powdered hair her old
fashioned and somewhat imperous ways, ana
her entire freedom from narrow-mindedness ana
from those prejudices which form distinctive
mark of the bourgeois!e.
or another type is the Duchesse de Gramnon''
who gave on Monday q grand dinner foiiowed
by n dance at her house In the Champs Eiysees'
A perfect fortune has been spent on the deco
ration furnishing and Encouragement OF this
mansion. which has every appearance OF a pal
ace The Duchess IL n member Of the Rothscmid
family and a sister Of Lady Rothschild she
presents the appearance Of daughter OF her
race with her large black eyes. clear Creole
complexion and beautiful failures. She is ami
/
formed and is a thorough musician. Then, the
widowed Marqulse Hervey de Saint-Denis has
reopencd her doors and gave party on Friday
night at which the actress Jeanne Granler
was the chief attraction The Marqulse de
Vnlcneuve is also entertaining quite largely.
and so TOO are Comtesse Amedee de Germiny,
Nine. de Chamblne the English Ambassador
and the Spanish Ambassador. The latter has
lust had conferred upon him by the Queen the
title Of MARQUIS de las Palmas. There Is no en-
bassy here that has done so much in the way
/ Of house-m as that Of His Most Cathohc
Majesty The mission has been domicied in the
Rue de rUnivcrs,e. the Place Vend0me, the Rue
de Clichy. the Rue de Grenelle, the Rue de
Courcelles. the quail dOrsay, the Rue ST.
Dominique and now in the Boulevard de Cour-
celles The house used formerly to belong TO
NJ lambert de Sa,nte-Croix the we-known
leader OF the Orleanist party In France. IL Is
mansion Of grand appearance. particularly well
fitted in every respect for the headquarters OF
an embassy. Especially remarkable is the monu.
mental staircase leading TO the long Louis A'l
gallery and 10 the throne room where hangs
neture of the little King At its foot Is the CHAIR
OF state turned toward the wall, as is the custom
/ Of all rnonarchical embassies. The object Is l
suppose 70 prevent any indiscreet visitor from
presuming 10 take a seat upon the throne
The principal guest at the Spanish Embassy
on Tuesday was Queen Nathalie OF Servia' VINO
/ has since departed FOR Barritz. after having re-
c.ivad a considerable accession 10 her already
large fortune through the inheritance OF the
entire property OF her aunt. the Princess Morussi'
The United States IS represented at the Spanish
Embassy by the charming American wife OF the
Third Secretary. the Marquis de San Carlos de
Pedroza The Second Secretary Is the Marquis de
Guel. whose mother is the Infanta Josepha, sister
OF the Spanish King. Francis OF Assist Her
romantic marriage TO the Cuban poet Huei
Rente constitutes one Of the most romantic pages
OF the history Of the House OF Bourbon
Nor have the authorities been backward In
contributing TO Lenten gayety. There have been
banouets by the Grand Chancellor OF the Order
~ tho Legion of Honor and by the Governor OF
tho Rank of France The latter entertained in
| the historic mansion which was once the abode
Of Queen Marie Antoinette's lovely friend and
| relative the Princess de Lamballe. whose heau'
after her death on the guillot.ne. was borne
through the streets Of Paris on pike There
has been a party given by the President or the
Senate at the Paais du Luxembourg. ana a
| dinner of over 100 guests al the Palais BOURBON
by NJ Dupuy The latter seems determined TO keep
nm the reputation for hospitality which the Presi-
dents OF the Lower House Of the National Legisla-
tire have maintained. With the solitary eXcep-
ton OF NJ Meline who Of such an economical
turn Of mind that he used to take his daughter
/ on Sunday to a cafe In order that she might
read the illustrated papers free or cost, each one
of the Speakers has contributed to the magniti-
/ cence Of this official abode and to its interior
decoration. furniture and equipment Thus the
superb SILVER plate which figured on NJ Dupuy's
tohlc last week was purchased by the Due de
,,.hii
70 give theatrical entertainments at which comic
/ OPERAS composed and written by himself were
performed The silver bath. with it's hydro
| nathic appurtcnances. recalls the Presidency OF
Gamhetta who endeavored TO rival In point of
magnlncence and luxury the Due de Morny and
the Comte WalewsN People still speak with
hated breath of an entertainment he gave, for
which the entire corps de ballet of the Opera was
engaged It was entirely unprecedented so far
as expense was concerned. the card tables even
being furnished with bowls containing gold
twenty-franc pieces for the players. Gambctta's
object was TO give lesson to President Grevy.
whose parsimony at the Elysee was matter OF
considerable ridicuc. and 1t was with this view,
too, that ne engaged the services of the famous
chef Trompette, who long presided the
kitchen Of the Due de Noailles. The most re-
marlable figure of the Palas Bourbon Is the
Presidential cat Coco :" by name. which has
been there since the days OF Morny. and appears
to be the only permanent nhabitant of this once
Royal abode. No one knows how old he is. and
he is treated with the utmost consideration and
even respect by all the officials and servants OF
the establishment. which he seems to regard
with dlgnifed contempt Indeed the only per-
sons whom he appears to consider worthy OF his
attention is he who for the time being Is the
President OF the Chamber. The cat Is accus-
toned to take up his place every morning in the
Presidents office library where he sits by
the hour eying that august functonary. and oc-
casonally passing a paw over his face in re.
Elective manner as II bordering upon the muta
bity OF political life in France.