The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1918-01-05

wore veil of sad tears and
brave laughter? That IS Paris
just now, after three years of war sor-
row and war triumph, writes james
Milne in the Graphic. She has let sore
tears fall, but, like the tears which
make pearls, they begin to shine in the
sun of assured victory. Paris puts her
trials behind her, resolute that they
are over and must be forgotten. She
lets the smiles Of naturally merry
heart light the road before her, know
ing how TO play the heroine in these
great days. rs She played them In tue
great days of old. "Paris vault bien
une messed" said Henri 0uatre. If he
came back to her from the royal
shades, he would think her worth
many masses.
Perhaps one knows a French lady
who, in her elegant self. seems to in
carnate War-Paris. She will wear
black for somebody heroically dead,
or in tribute to the nations "lost le-
giOn," who are not really lost, only
gone before to prepare the way of a
touch of white somewhere to tighten
the black, as the sun breaks through
clouds into clear sky. Maybe she
has been nursing, this French lady,
ever since the war began. But there
is no WEAKNESS in her bright eyes, no
forgetfulness of the art, simple, subtle,
instructive, with which the French
woman wears her clothes. You sym
/ pathetically ask for tales Of tragedy
begotten In her circle by the hard ex-
cursions Of Armagcddon. She bends
her head revcrently, flash in her
face. and tells you the latest good
story of inimitable Monsieur poilu.
Women Capable and Serious.
That, If you please, is Madame
Paris, rs you meet her in Boulevard
and Bots. 4 woman who mourns for the
departed, but In the cause Of their de-
parture finds new moral inspiration.
You understand her and salute her. in
maid, wife and widow. How capable
they are, how serious, how detached.
to all appearance, from the frills and
furbelows Of the WomanS life as we
used to regard it. But they remain
complete women, with cOQuettish
response for a compliment, If it be del
icate enough.
Even Charles Edward Stuart, an
cient bachelor as he is, Philistine as
he fondly thinks himself to he, takes
off his hat to the Parisienne in this
war time. lie is dear friend Of ours,
he lives in Old Paris, just as the youn.
pretender might have done. up wind
Ing oak staircase SO dark that the
concierge gives you a candle to light
1T. and that is why we add a word to
his rishttul name and call him Charles
Edward Stuart. YES" says he. the
Pariaicnne is ut least as fine as the
Partisan under the war ordeal. some
might say finer. Il better EIettic OF the
French pasture. She is a consolin-
force. ut high surge like this Of the
fascinating and repulsive, mysterious
and commonplace. awful and trivial
life in which, God knows why. per-
hnpS, we have been pitched for q few
moments"
In Old Paris.
When new book appears, read an
old one when you want to understand
the spirit of today's Paris, go down in
to Old Paris: So we went to st. Etienne
ilu Mont, near the Pantheon. I'VE are
lucky" whispered Charles Edward
stuart, as we stood within the sacred
walls, "in being here under the best
conditions. Look! that CLEAN of sun
falling on the little red-robed acolyte.
And the clouds Of incense from his
swinging censor-it is great" Mar
guerite de ValoiS would think so her.
self. and the founding of st. Etienne
,!u Mont goes back to her That was
the old church, and window shows |
the removal of the shrine of the |
"Sainte" to the new church.
It Is. you see, the Paris that the Ger
mans wanted to loot, and they would |
aot. like ourselves. have stayed out
HJe the door Of ST. Esienne du Mont