The evening world., 1895-01-20
LleHT AND sRADl n PAllA.

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| Especial corrsspondsses sf Ths worid)
| PARIS. Jan. 6-Every weil-regulate<
French family in France II celebrating
lie Jour des Rois" (KingS Day.. Tc
do 10 il to follow the tradition. II 10 q
day OF great ceremony. The famil,
armoire. which contains the table inery
is sought out and all that 10 finest ant
richest in cloth and napkins 10 brought
forth. Flowers in profusion adorn the
| table. Nougat-that delicious confectior
Of almonds and caramel-in the form oi
two royal crowns. is set before the host
and hostess. who serve their guests with
| the traditional comft. A certain wine
hot and spiced. Is served with the hand.
soonest ladle that can be mustered and
from the largest and most honorable
punch bowl possessed by the family.
Thus the fine folk.
A practice that 10 time-honored Is held
to among the masses. The "feve" q
species of BEAM is placed inside cake.
Whoever chances to have the piece con-
tanning the bean Is lord of the feast and
of the day. The bakeshops are full OF
these ''galettes." and few families are
So poor that they do not buy one for
their little feast.
An old Bourbon King had the custom
Of giving a great feast on lie Jour des
Rois." choosing for king the poorest
and plainest child of the kingdom. This
child was richly clothed and placed upon
the throne. after which Louis distrib-
uted large sums OF money to the poor.
The poor Of Paris have other bits Of
cheer on New Years Day. A rich man.
NJ. Vincent by name. left legacy Of
%. 900 francs. the interest Of which 'is
to be used In buying toys to be dis
tributed on New Years Day among the
poor children Of Paris"
The origin of this legacy is interest,"
ing. 1t appears that Victor Hugo was
accustomed to collect each first day Of
January a crowd Of little folk recruited
from the poor families Of his quarter. A
feast was prepared. at which he pre-
sided-one can imagine how graciously-
and at the close Of the feast there was
a distribution Of toys and other gifts
which had been made or purchased by
the grandchildren Of the great poet.
This gave the finishing touch Of happi-
ness for the little guests.
NJ. Vincent was once invited to be
present at one Of these fetes and was
SO touched by the Joy of the children
over their newly bestowed toys that he
resolved to add to the happiness among
the poor Of Paris in the same way.
Hence the "vincent legacy"
This little gleam Of light across spaces
Of dark shadows Is welcome, for there IL
no denying the fact that the poor Of
Paris are very miserable. That they are,
as a rule. patient in their poverty and
persistent in their efforts to keep their
families warm and nourished on their
far too small wages makes their case
the more pathetic. A vegetable soup
made from almost nothing may through
skill be pal.,table. but It is not nutri-
tious. Deaths upon the street and upon
tops Of omnibuses have been frequent
during the month Of December and yet
the mercury has not been at the freez-
ing point. This II, the story of insult
ficient clothing and food. Free SOUP
houses are open in all the poorer
quarters. but many q hungry crea-
ture Is unwilling to make use OF
the means offered. These silent
moor" struggle on. but every day sees
more than one succumbing from cold
and want. Decent wages would cure the
evil. for the working people are thrifty
| and Industrious. No one makes q little
money accomplish SO much as the
French peasant. But he must have that
little wherewith to manage.
Among public New Year gifts that OF
Russia to France Is noteworthy. Rus
sia. desirous Of expressing Its sympathy
with France. resolved to offer to Notre
Dame a monumental bell. 1t Is now
finished. has been baptized 1.-THE Bell OF
Peace" and is about to be expedited
1t will be sent by rail to Odessa. theme,
to Marseilles by a special ship. ant
from Marseilles to Paris by rail. The
bell weighs 5000 pounds and the archi
tects have demonstrated that the towel
Of Notre Dame cannot support such 9
weight. 1t has therefore been ar
ranged between the Russian committe,
and Cardinal Richard that the bell shal
be placed in the tower OF the Convent o.
the Sacred Heart.
Within the walls Of this convent I.
the Cemetery of Picpus, where only tn,
representatives OF those noble families
whose ancestors died on the guillotint
are buried. Here lie the Rochefoucaulds
the Lafayettes. the Talleyrands ant
others OF great names, not to mentor
the group Of 1900 buried 'victims"-tht
flower OF the French aristocracy.
And 1t is among these historic. patri
clan shades that the Bell OF Peace will
, sound its ironic peals. 'Ironic." since
just over the border a young Prince /.
buckling on his armor. and stands
ready at the right moment to appea
to the army and to his party to aid hin
In mounting a throne that does not now
exist and restoring an order that has
long since vanished.
VIII 1t be this Bell Of Peace, swingins
In Its tower. In the shadow Of which
| these old-time fine folk are turning tc
dust. that will serve to announce the
new order?
Now that the bell Is about to make
the journey to Paris. 1t Is a question
of the tunnels between Marseil!es anc
Paris being OF sufficient height to admi
the monster to Paris.
|
| By way of official New Year Gifts