New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-12
TOPICS IN PARIS
vARNisHINd DAYS. PAST AND PRESENT.
THE DUKE or AosrAs BErRorHAL
THE CAB STRIKE.


be the fashionable occurrence that II was In years
gone by. when the attendance was restricted 70
oil that was most eclectic In the great world. y
the official world and In that designated under the
head OF artistic. II was n privilege indeed TO -
admitted 10 the "vernissage" In those days: for
there was no crowd met none but nice and In
teresting people, while every woman donned her
daIntiest her newest and most original toilet.
The inspection Of the pictures used invariably 10
be brought to a close by "dejeuner la four.
Ghetto" In the restaurants connected with the
Salon, and at o'clock one was at home again
ready for the ride or drive in the Bois and with
feeling OF having spent a most delightful morn.
ing in improving ones mind by the examination
OF works Of art and by conversation with brilliant
and witty people, All this, however. Is at an END.
The rising wave Of democracy. although as yet u
has remained barred out Of the still ultra-chic
Concours Hippique. or Horse Show. has invaded
the Salon on vanishing day the Salons are
simply crowded with horde Of utterly unknown
and extravagantly dressed people who tramp ON
ones feet, crush the daintiest toilets. stand
around the pictures ten deep utterlns ridiculous
criticisms and monopolise all the best tables at
the restaurant.
one OF the features OF the Salon II undoubtedly
Matthey's superb portrait OF the Duke OF Orleans.
and II this sngulary unfortunate Prctender suo.
ceeds In recovering any OF the popularity which no
enjoyed for a moment at the time OF his arrest
and imprisonment for the violation OF the law Of
exile pronounced against him II will be mainly due
10 this very iiatter,ng portrayal ~ MS by NO
means uncomey presence. To American eyes
his attitude may appear as strained ana as AZ.
fected as that which he adopted when ne followed
his fathers coiin with his arms folded across his
here by storm. They .aIi It crane; and it was %
his "cranerie" Of appearance more than 70 any
thing else that General Boulanger owed his other.
wise unaccountable popularity. Boldness and
youth are the dominant features In this painting
OF the Duke. and they appeal with especiai torce
TO the feminine visitors OF the Salon. This being
the case. there Is no saying what results this
picture may achieve. since. In spite OF her being
kept officially In the background, woman exercises
quite as much influence in the affairs OF France ~
In days OF yore.
Apropos Oh the Duke Of Orleans no one can
help being surprised at the satisfaction wnicn
everybody here, Republican as well as Royaiis.s
and Radical as we'll as Clerical. manifests In the
impending marriage OF the Duke OF Aosta 70
Princess Helene OF Orleans; and the Dukes
younger brother. the good-humored and merry
Count Of Turin. who has been staying here LOT
two days on his return from visit to his future
sister-in-law In England. has been the Recipients
Of the most unusual welcomed welcome partak.
society, OF oificialdom and Of the press Indeed
everybody seemed to be bent. on showing now
pleased he or she was with the projected mar
rage. for II is impossible to ascribe the attention
shown 10 the Count 70 any other motive. No one
seems to be able to give any reason for the popu.
larity Of the match. Indeed. there are many
grounds why IL should be eminently Unpopular
seeing that Italy. which owes to France Its pres
ent unity and existence as nation. Is member
OF that Triple Alliance organized against France
and that moreover, the Roman Government mas
for ten years given innumerable Indications. COM
mercially and politically of Its intense hostility
toward France. Yet the other day, when the
Court Of Turin rode out with his equerry Count
de Robilant, in the Bots de Boulogne almost
every member of the great world that he met on
horseback thought fit to turn and follow In his
train until on his return along the Avenue du
his progress assumed the character OF a royal
procession his escort consisting OF all that was
most illustrious and most arstocratic in the
French nobility
The Count is tall young fellow. with very
bright black eyes and dark-brown mustache.
He Is the particular favorte OF his uncle. Hum
bert, and the most popular prince OF the retgning
House Of Italy Humbert Is asserted to prefer
him not only to his other nephews. but even to
his own son. the Prince of Naples: for whereas
the latter since his infancy has been treated
with a strictness verging on downright harsh
ness by his father, the Count OF Turin. had he
not been such good-hearted lad. would have
been utterly spoiled by the indulgence Of his
uncle who seems to have carried over to this
particular nephew the almost touching affection
that he used to bear for the young fellows
fathe., his only brother. Amadeus. ex-king or
Spain. The Count Of Turin Is the Italian Prince
who Is best known TO Americans. as he shows
marked prediction for the society OF those visi-
winters at Rome. He Is not much OF book.
worm, and makes no pretence OF being clever
above the average. But there are two things at
which he does excel. namely. dancing and rid
ing. He is master OF the hounds to the Roman
Hunt and about two years ago broke his leg
while waltzing at the house OF Nine lie CHAT.
the popular wife OF the Belgian Minister at
Washington. He seems TO have charmed every
body with whom he came into contact here. from
President and Nine: Faure to the venerable Due
celebrated French Order Of the Holy Ghost. TO
whom the young Italian Prince manifested
courtly and touching Difference that may serve
as an example to many OF our young men here In
their behavior toward their elders.
Bcycsts and cabdrivers have been having our
streets pretty much to themselves during the re-
cent omnibus strike, which caused no end OK IN
convenience to all those people OF modest re-
sources who live In the suburbs for the sake OF
cheapness and who cannot anord other means OK
locomotion. For tramways are the exception
rather than the rule In Paris. and the principal
means OF public conveyance are those huge. lum.
boring. three-horse omnibuses. which are so heavy
that they rattle the window-panes OF the houses
as they pass, cause the furniture to tremble and
silence all conversation with their deafening noise.
They constitute the particular terror Of wheemeu.
since, owing TO their weight the impetus which
they gain when once going fast renders II almost
impossible for their usually incompetent drivers
TO pull them up sharp enough to prevent accidents
1t would take too long to enter into the merits Of
the strike which kept some 5000 men out OF work.
1t has ended BY mutual concessions. but the Gov
eminent. with altogether an unwonted degree OF
energy tnat mas UNIVERSAL appreciation, mas oS~
rested and imprisoned the two principal organ
izers OF the strike. who turn out 10 be mere pro.
fessional gitators Omnbuses are very ancient
institution In Paris. and were nrst put on the
streets Of the capital In February. 1867 By num-
her OF mobiles. chief among whom were the Duke
OF Roaunez and the Marquis de Crenan, Grand
Cupbearer to the Crown. and II may interest New
York patrons OF surface cars and stages TO know
that as far back as 1886 number OF police DEGREES
were published here providing for the punishment
OF omnibus-drvers and conductors who refused 70
stop when signalled by wouid-be passengers
BY the death Of Count Leopold Hugo. the tile
the great poet by Emperor Napoleon !. passes to
young George Hugo. who now becomes chief OF the
house Count Sigisbert Hugo. VINO wae :ereated
Count by the First Napoleon for his gallantry In
battle. had three sons, Of whom the youngest was
the great poet, Victor Hugo. while the eldese
bearing the name ~ Abel. was the father OF Count
Leopold who has Just died. Count Leopold lived
very retired life. devoted entirely to seograpni-
cal and mathematical studies. lie had one dauen'
ter a only child. who died at the age Of twenty.
and his title therefore passes 10 his cousin. the