The Daily Texarkanian., 1900-07-10
PARIS LETTER.
From Our Regular Correspondent.
PARIS, FRANCE, June 20, 1900

Yesterday was Sunday, and the
day of the Grand Prix or the great
horse race at Longchamps, about
four miles from the city. Why is
it that in all Catholic countries,
Sunday is selected for sports and
amusements' In Spain, bull-fghts;
in Italy, pic-nics and excursions; in
France, automobile, bicycle and
horse races. 1 did not go to the
Grand Prix. saw it twenty-five
years ago, with the then President
of France, Marshall Mcmahon, on
the grand stand with the Shah OF
Persia and the ex-King Of Spain
Amodeus as guests of honor. Once
is often enough to see a Grand
Prix or to 90 Summing. 1t may be
necessary to know and understand
some things but it is not necessary
to wallow in them. [ remember
Just how it looked; with its I'M
mense throng of people in car
riages, drags, four-iu.hands and
cabs; thousands on foot; gamblers
and demi-mondeines, the fast set
from France, England and Ameri-
ca. The demimonde is always con
spicuous in fine carriages or on tai
Ily-ho-coaches, wearing for the first
time the Partisan gowns and hats
of the season, which will in an in
credibly short time be initiated in
every nook of our own country,
Pity 'tis, 'tis true. Rerar was
perhaps right in his hatred of ex-
positions and in blaming women for
| them.
There are many kinds of exposi-
tions. Yesterday, President Lou
bet and his guest of honor King
Oscar (Bernadotte) of Sweden went
to the races in separate drags,
each drawn by four horses and each
left horse ridden by jockey or
postillion. The drags were accom-
panied by platoons of dragons
Republican simplicity has not pene-
trated France. The manners, the
forms, the state etiquette are all of
the empire or previous monarchy,
which has passed only in name.
Names are more easily changed
than conditions rooted in countries.
But France is no doubt more pros
porous and freerfrom war and from
the Catholic church than during
the days of the last empire.
The exposition buildings during
the week, when there is an average
of 100000 visitors, are quite well
| filed, and on Sundays, when there
are nearly a half million, it is un-
comfortably crowded. But now
5000 cabmen have struck, and
thousands who depend on cabs will
not be able to reach the grounds.
The omnibuses, cabs, street cars
and Seine river boats we're, even
before the strike, notoriously mad
equate. After waiting for twenty
minutes on several occasions to get
a cab or a seat in an omnibus, !
have changed my lodgings and now
have room within half a square
of one of the entrances, and am in
dependent of all kinds of transpor-
tation.
In spite of military revcrses, the
South African Republic day before
yesterday inaugurated its building
in the Trocadero Gardens. The ex-
position is composed of three parts.
the official pavilion, the Boer
House, and mining plant. The
official pavilion is of the Dutch or
Flemish style of architecture, with
columns in white and gold and
bright interior decorations. At
the entrance is seen bust of Pres.
ident Kruger, upon which a large
tri-color bouquet has been placed
with a card bearing the words
Homage of a band of patriotic
Partisan worEingmen", Pavilion
contains a number of objects of sin
ister suggestion and memory One
is big clumsy cannon, now very
rusty, which a Boer foundry man
made in 1880 and which contributed
to the Boer victory at Majuba Hill.
Then there is a library with text
books, showing the public school
system; plan of the johannesburg
mines, photographs of the country
and model Of the old.time Boer
wagon. The house is an exact re-
production Of native buildings with
it's four rooms, two bedrooms, a
kitchen and a kind OF parlor or sit
ting room. The floors are of earth,
the bedsteads of iron. A bible aud
an old organ are part Of the scant
and simple furniture. In the min.