The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-12
'PALAIS DE La FEMME
A Glimpse Of the ''Woman's Tenn
pie" at the Paris Fair.
IL Is Being Made Evident That the
French Exposition Is DeveIopfnr
into an International Triumph of
the Een,inine-BriIiiant Showing
Made by americans-Attractfo

the Feninine-Brfiifant Showing
| Made by Americans-Attract
| 1t would, Of course, be an exaggeration
to call the Paris fair woman's exposition,
although Its main entrance is surmounted
/ by monumental statue Of La Paris
/ ienne." A female charioteer is the high
est and most prominent figure rising above
the Guaeriga on top of the expositlon,s
most ambitious edifce. the Grand Palace:
other female figures preside over the Patti
/ Palace, the Chateau d'Eau and the Pal
ace of Electricity. which gives the keynote
! to the entire show. The first royal visitor
to the Exposition wa. wonsn-the Q.een
of Saxony- The persons who have SO far
purchased the rarest and most beautiful
masterpieces at the Exposition are women
! the Princess TenichefI. of Russia, and the
Baroness Alphonse de Rothschild, who ia
making important additions to her famous
collections. 1t was. moreover. on July
that the finest tribute ever offered to
France exclusively by womankind, the
statue Of Washington, YVES unveiled or TIE
Place d'TeHa by Mrs. Daniel Manning and
/ Mrs. john P. Jones. in behalf OF the women
OF the United States. 1t is nevertheless
true that as stated by Mrs John A. Lo-
gan, the management of the exposition has
been against separate wornan's exhibits.
but the other women commissioners have
been daily recognized whenever they have
presented proper credentials, and have re-
ceiyed everywhere the greatest Official
courtesy and consideration.
Among the distinctly feminine features
Of the fair. says writer in the New York
Tribune" are the Palace of Costume,
where the fashion3 that prevailed at each
period in French history from the days of
the Medicis to the Third Third Republic are SO
admirably displayed; the superb exhibits
OF the leading Partisan dressmakers. bat
makers. and linen diapers; the "F:onde"
newspaper. written, edited, printed. pub
lfshed and sold exclusively by women; the
wofnan's congress. where women delegates
meet daily. and. above all, the Palais de
la Femme. in the Champ de Mars.
The Paiais de la Femme is a large. high
nuiioing. with a facade in pure white pIas-
ger; anu constructed in the Louis XIV
style. IS sitsstsd just TO the west OF
the tiNei ROVER Ii is a woman,z<sa
tuary. and contains Illustrations of .wo-
mans progress during the eeofury. The
ground floor is devoted to needlewsrk, and
lar back as the days of Penelope and COIN
ing down to the latest bits OF hanaiwork
Of the seanstresses OF the Boulevard du
Temple. The principal part of the palace
serves as an art gallery containing stat
ues of Jeanne dare. Catherine OF Russia,
Elizabeth of England. Isabella OF Castillo,
Maria Theresa Of Austria. and Mrs Harriet
Beecher Stowe. There are paintings by
Rosa Bonheur. Nine. Madeleine Lemafre,
lille. Louise Abbema. Miss Kiumpke, Miss
Consuelo Fould. and other well known wo-
men artists. There arc statuettes by Sa-
rah Bernhardt and by Mrse. Dieulafoy. In
another portion Of the building may be
seen objects, sketches. and diagrams illus
trating the advance made by women in
education. housewffery, cookery, and
science. The walls and staircases are COW
cred with an infinity CT tables and charts.
From one OF these 1t appears that out OF
one hundred living representatives OF the
fair sex forty-foCr ara not yet married.
four never viii be. and ffty-two remain en-
the list Of those already married. but
whether happily or otherwise is not stated
Other tables tell ID that the average age
OF marriage is for women. twenty-three
years and five months Each family COM
prises on the average three children. not
two. as has hitherto been supposed. Fami-
lies Of more than seven children are very
rare-only twenty-five out of one thousand.
The duration of married life furnishes an
interesting topic The average period OF
legitimate union is twenIy-severr years:
the average age at which women die Is
thirty-seven. while the average man has
20 right to expect to live more than thirty
three years. The data are supplied not
from French women alone but the women
of all the countries wherever trustworthy
statistics exist. are made the basis OF the
calculations.
Perhaps the most attractive feature of
the Palais de la Femme is Its cool and de-
liehtful theatre. which Is managed by
Nine. Leon PICARD, and where all the per-
formers are women or girls the only men
on the premises being the scene shifters.
and ffremen. There Is de-
lightful ballet pantomime danced and acted
by young women. whose ages vary from
twelve to sixteen. There is remarkable
OF the daily life of Marie
Antoinette at the Petit Trianon. 1t is a
graceful little one act play, written by
Nine Jenny ThenaFd. and excellently ait
ed by the stock company OF the Palais dc 3
Femme, which has been organized and se-
lected by number OF great Partisan wo-
men and theatrical amateurs
On Fridays there are excellent musical
performances at the Palais de la Femme,
and a frst-rats restaurant, where the cook
ing is done, not BY CHEFS, but by good, old
women. who have re-
ally earned their Gordon bleu. The Palais
de Ia Femme serves moreover as a sort
of women's club in the exhibition. 1t is
frequently BY large numbers of women WIS.,
itors. who for the entrance fee of one franc
each are, provided with comfortable arm
chairs. writing materials theatrical and
musical entertainments. galleries of paint
ngs and sculpture. 1t is beautifully fur
lished and decorated. but owing to the
arg sums expended in payment for the
and owing to the great cost of
he buildings. its financial success Is some
What doubtful. 1t is an excellent institu-
ion, however and is perfect boon to sin
sle women Of French OF other nationality
Who visit the Worlds Fair.
An Executive Wife.
There is really no use of having a man
about the house. At least that is the