Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1894-09-27

OF which General Sheridan defined as
involving certainty OF purgatory and
chance of-well, never mind-and we
steam into the city known as the para
disc of dogs and the inferno of horses
Paris and Constantinople are the two
cities that are supposed to possess the
maximum of the canine population
Certainly they are spoiled and petted in
Paris, and every one-the porter who
unloads your luggage, the cabman that
transports it, the concierge that takes
in your letters and even the market
woman who sells fruit on little bar
row-every one you meet has dog at
his or her heels. And they are sociable
quadrupeds, too, and though they are
usually uDdisguised and unmitigated
mongrels neither they nor their owners
seem aware of the fact.
For very amusing expedition we
would recommend our readers to go
to one of the three canine tailors in
Paris-two ON the Palais Royal and one
in a side street-where all sorts Of dog
gish attire is put up for sale. These, Of
course, are for dogs of high degree, and
the prices were quite as great in pro-
portion as Worth would charge for his
swellest creations. There was displayed
to us travelling ulster in white wool
for mountain wear" with a large
white hood, under which the pointed
nose and bright eyes of a black and tan
appeared with monastic gravity of as
pect. Here was waterproof coat Of
dark blue buttoned along the spine and
with the four legs incased in the worst
ed stocking, finished by tiny water
proof shoes. This was for the dog to
wear in the wet. An extremely swell
coat was in dark red velvet edged with
tiny border Of white fur and with in
itials and coronet in gold embroidered
on the left side
Another simple travelling coat was in
strap, and the strap was finished by a
small handle, like basket, SO that your
pet could be carried as if he were a
bundle of shawls, which would certain
ly be grave affront to his dignity. This
coat had tiny outside pocket, presum
ably for a handkerchief Then there
were harnesses Of all kinds, with lead
ing string to match. One particularly,
which was charming, was in pale pink
leather, studded with gold, with bunch
Of artificial violets as an appropriate
finish Then there were hoods to keep
the sensitive ears of the canine darling
from cold when he drove out They
were very elegant hoods, dark blue
lined with red being particularly fetch
ing. Attached to this and detachable at
will was fashionably undulated coach
mans cape in the same colors. When
the cape was on, the forlorn dog looked
very like a monkey on hand organ and
seemed keenly sensitive to the absurdity
of his own appearance. Then there were
funny little nightshirts for the favored
pets that share their owners couch
made of the finest cambria, embroidered
with dark red and with a lace frill
around the throat, or for travelling in
red flannel. In this manner one can
anoint long haired dogs for the improve
ment of their coats without soiling my
lady's embroidered sheets. Some of the
nightgowns have nightcaps attached
in case the dogs ears need treatment
The fashionable dog of Paris, the
handsome and shaggy French poodle, is
really very difficult animal to keep in
order. If he is not neatly clipped every
month, he is very shabby creature,
and his washing is a matter of much
time and great care. Still in Paris de-
mand creates supply, and every morn
ing in winter a melancholy, monoto-
nous cry may be heard proceeding up and
down the principal streets Of Paris:
"Clip your dogsl Here is the clipperp'
In summer the sight is more pictur-
esque The dog washer and dog clipper
installs himself with majesty ON the
banks Of the Seine. Thither come his
regular customers with their respective
dogs to have them put in good order.
Prices of course vary. A short haired
dog can be washed for the modest sum
of cents, soap and towel extra, which
the owner is at liberty to provide Poo
dies, on the other hand, if artistically
clipped, washed and combed, cost as
much as 80 cents for the. entire opera
tion, but after which they emerge vi
sions OF fluffy and curled loveliness. 1t
is picturesque sight, if you are sailing
up the Seine, to watch the proceedings of
the dog washers, with the buckets
wherewith they souse their hapless VIC
Tins neatly ranged before them They
are painted dark green, these buckets
with their owners profession in large
yellow letters upon them. They are
marked alternately washer" or ''clip-
per-" and on warm summer afternoons
all sorts and conditions of dogs sport
around them-perky water spaniels and
Newfoundlands, who, after their bath,
swim vigorously in quest Of sticks;
wretched mongrels, who know what
awaits them and flee madly, to the great
enjoyment of every one but the owner
and the washer, who have to catch
them, while a series of howls come
from a shed in the background, where
the completed dogs are predicting suffer
ing to unwashed comrades, thus causing
Bchorus of lamentations-and the neigh
boring bridges are thronged with spec
tators who divide their attention be-
tween their canine friends and the
ubiquitous fisherman, who sits day after
day whipping the turbid waters Of the
Seine in quest Of some fish who would
be silly enough to come up that high
way Of traffic for the special purpose of
being caught in the midst of the roar of
ferryboats and the uproar of dogs. The
French are supposed to be an excitable
race, but when they fish in the Seine
their excitability subsidies into placid
ity of patience worthy of more sue
cessful cause. However, hope springs
eternal in the human breast, and the
fishless fisherman, like the gambler, al
ways hopes for better luck next time
and invariably returns cheerfully to the
bank, where be never catches anything
but cold.
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