Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-03-30
rpressed It, "My God, let me die ii

peace"
It IL very easy to see that they have no
society with the long name In France. In
America man would be imprisoned for
months for such an offence, and would
be arrested for carrying such an instru-
ment of torture as their long whips, let
alone using them.
There are also many other things one
sees on the streets that people would be
arrested for In the United States, but
they are too shocking to be mentioned
here. A young girl, who recently came
from New York, told Us that II her
father and mother knew what she was
constantly being surrounded with, they
would not allow her to stay here another
day.
No matter how Puritanical and
straight-laced one may be, they very
soon become accustomed to the desecra-
tion Of the Sabbath, and Of everything
else that IL sacred. Sunday is the great
gala day for all sorts of sports and
auusements, except to the working
class, who have TO build houses just the
same, for no traffic or trade Is stopped
on Sunday. To euumerate all the mirth-
provoking sights one sees on the streets,
would take volumes. The painted
beauties come In for good share, for
the nrt of Paris does not stop at inani-
mate objects, but extends TO the walking
subject as well, for the amount OF yellow
ochre, carmiue, inside white and outside
black the women use In their makeup
might make the Louvre turn green with
envy.
We met Nocturne In black and yel-
low coming down the street one day.
That she was Of uncertain age was GER
tain. Her hair was bleached to that in
describable hue that never existed under
natural conditions. Her thin cheeks
were painted brilliant carmine, and her
upper eyelids shaded to match, while be-
meath her eyes black circles had been
improvised. The balance Of her visible
cuticle was OF that blue skim-milk
quality one sees in cheap crockeryware.
Lips vivid red. Her eyebrows were
heightened out and arched with black
pigment Ia Chinsman, and her eye
iashes besmeared with so much black
paint that they stuck together In spikes,
which made them look either rs II she
had been using some doctors sticky
preparation for sore eyes, or else she
had not washed her face for many
moons. And, by the way, We have seen
good many girls who ought TO know
better, who seem TO think II a mark OF
beauty TO make their eyes up In this
same manner, but we confess We cannot
see any beauty 10 diseased optics, or an
unwashed face.
Her dress was Of yellow and black
stripes, and around her neck black
fluffy fur something, unnameable, which
extended over her shoulders on each side
like wings, and down TO peak In the
back, and front ditto, which aggravated
the size OF her waist, or the place where
her waist ought TO have been, or once was;
from whence depended sn orange color
ed sash. Ga her feet were shoes with
heels a foot high, II not two feet (no pun
intended) and fastened with gold
buckles. Her dress was buttoned down
the back like a school girls frock, and
the enormous hat OF black feathers and
yellow roses that was perched on the
lofty pinnacle OF her lemon-colored
curls, was wonderful triumph OF fam
boyant architecture. Yellow gloves to
the elbow, and a yellow ribbon with
little black dog ut the end, covered with
a blanket OF black embroidered with
gold, completed the costume, for the
costume you must know, would not be
complete without the necessary dog APP
pendage. This time the dog WAS OF that
atom-like species which Is affected to a
great extent, each person striving TO out
do every one else In the littleness OF their
dog.
In Boston and New York this side
show would have been looked upon as
probably belonging to some dime mu-
scum, and II II should light down in the
street Of your town you would doubtless
think il some tropical bird that had
strayed away from Bsrnum's menagerie.
bat here the spectacle was not striking
enough to attract more than passing
notice.
About every third person you see on
the street Is priest. Their costume Is
a wide-brimmed, black felt hat with a
low round crown, and long black gown
reaching 10 the feet. IL looks very fun
ny-if we are permitted TO see anything
funny about priest-to see them hold
ing up their gowns with both hands.
like the women, to keep them out OF the
mud.
Every where one sees women as well
as men harnessed into carts drawing
heavy loads, and women driving dray
teams, and leading horses through the
streets. This class Of women are always
bare-headed, no matter what the weather
il; but IL they don't wear anything on
their heads, they wear enough on their
feet to make up, for the working classes
OF both sexes wear heavy wooden shoes.
Great blocks Of wood from which hole
has been scooped to inject the foot. In
the Place de rEtoile (the space around
the Arc de Triomphe) one day We saw
man In the act of dressing his feet. This
interesting process consisted in winding
q dirty towel around before euvel0ping
the autepner In their wooden easements.
The street seems to be favorite resort
In which to indulge in the pastime OF
higher up In the social scale.
They literally take up their bread and
walk here, IL not their bed. for it is fire.
quent sight to see women hugging a
great loaf OF bread SO large that IL takes
both arms to hold II, and very often II Is
as long as the person who carries it.
This is explained by the fact that all the
bread ia bought, not made, and Is sold
by the pound.
The public conveyances are quite
numerous. On the Avenue de la Grande
Armer we see no less than dozen diff
ferent modes Of locomOtion, among them
long train of steam cars, with rails laid
right In the public street, and also the
omnibus and tram cars, the same as in
London. The motor, or horseless car
riage is used great deal, both for pub
lie and private conveyance. There are
several different models, some for two
or three persons, and some can be used