Evening star., 1896-12-26
! being non-committal, and without assump-
| tion Of intimacy, must always forrn the
mainstay of such presents.

being non-committal. and without assump-
tion OF intimacy, must always fornn the
mainstay OF such presents.
The Exchange of Gifts.
Among the French themselves ones atti-
tude at New Year Is taken as criterion
for ones treatment throughout the year.
. If the card or visit comes with a substan-
tial gift, 1t is a sign that you desire to
stand well with them. If ones card comes
simply, there may be disappointment Or re-
sentiment or contentment or Eatter-of-
But if, by some neglect. one sends no card
at all, ones name is likely to be scratched
from Off the list.
With our American disposition to a call
this New Year calling takes on in the col
ony all the old jelly features of the day as
known to our fathers. Every maid and
matron in the colony appears to have a
special recipe for making punch. Here
flowers and bonbons are in order also, and
among good friends the habi. of the French
OF making all substantial gifts on New
Year and not Christmas is beginning to
prevail.
This present-giving side of New Year day
Ill Paris cannot be exaggerated by any en-
thusiastic description. Christmas may be
the day for children-thougn a republican
society likes to ignore the sacred anniver-
sary-but New Year is the day for youths
and grown persons. So our Americans in
ais, dSSiSteu ny Tie ldte arrival Ol JndHy
a gift from home, learn easily to look for
gifts all through the week. In society
where many have only known each other
for short time an unexpected gift at
Year and the specially religious character
of Christmas day in France assists in max
ing the change easy.
Another species of present-giving our
Americans are forced to learn distaste-
fully. The postman. the concierge, the
milkman. the bread man, the grocers
clerk, the policeman on the beat, your own
house servants, and those of all your
friends where you are intimate-in fact.
each menial with whom you have been
brought in contact through the year. ex-
poets gift in money. And these are not
small gifts. You can never give less than
a two-dollar gold piece and social servants
| like ones concierge, expect substantial
sums.
Mere cards are never wrong. although
they take shapes among the French which
appear strange to us. 1t is custom oe
French gentlemen to put their dignities
honorary titles or other qualifications of
merit on their ordinary visiting cards.
These sometimes take ludicrous shapes
Here, Tor example, Is Eugene Baudin.
formerly mayor of the tenth ward Of
Paris" The ,Comte de s. has borne for
brother of Gen. Z, wounded at Sebasta-
pol grocer had after his name Can
didate for the presidency of the republic"
L nave seen the card Of a large farmer
| near the Belgian frontier, which had in
| scrlbed beneath his name Decorated with
| the order of Agricultural Merit, which he
preferred to that of the Legion of Honor
when his choice was offered him by Presi-
dent Carnot." These are serious, as Sc
| rious as was the effort of the little French
girl who thought she ought to send an
nouncements when her married sister gave
| Dlrth to baby, "Mademoiselle Irma has
| the honor to announce to you the birth of
| her nephew Anatole. Both aunt and child
| are doing WE'LL"
STERLING HEIIIG