Year: 1869

PariSidn EcOnOmy-PrincesS Bdcci0chi-


The Last Ball of the Season at the Tuil-


eries-Empress' Dress--Prince Napoleon


Mysteries of Parts = Emigration to
America.


PARIS, Feb. 10, 1869.


To the Editor of the Press:


When the multitude had eaten and were
filled the divine injunction was to gather up
the fragments that nothing be lost Brilliant
Paris in the midst of her meridian glory, her
Haussmanic pride, has through her admins
tration given orders to engineers of bridges,
and stone viaducts, etc., 10 experiment On
the water of the sewers, where from different
pipes it empties into the large pipe at Asni-
eres, a little village near Paris. These liquids,
purified and rendered salubrious, are to be
employed for agricultural purposes.


From liquid manures to the last ball at the
at the Tuileries you may say is an ungrace-
ful transition. Not at at all; l can prove to
you that the association in this case is the
most natural in the world. The last ball was
on Wednesday highland the news Of the
death of'the Emperor's cousin, the Princess
Bacciochi, reached Paris at five o'clock. II
was too late to suppress the fete. Still you
say what has liquid manure to do with an
aristocratic pageant? The Princess Baccio-
Chi was Bonaparte indeed, a very clever,
strong-minded woman, and she had an i'm
mense estate in Brittany and she had pas
sion for improvements in farming. The En-
peror has been in the habit of visiting her
model farm. Then when l said to myself
how clever in the city government TO make
chemistry turn meanest things to gold, so
that nothing should be called unclean,
thought of the Princess Bacciochi and of the
agricultural improvements which she tried in
vain to teach the Breton peasants.


The Empress who at the aforesaid ball was
dressed in white satin with very sweeping
train and long sash of the same mate
rial, trimmed with large shells of white satin
that is mantua makers description--no
ticed the Princess death by wearing in her
hair black feathers with white aigrette and
stars of diamonds, and minglng with the
diamonds on her neck long knot of black
velvet. Their Majesties entered with Prince
Napoleon, passed through the rooms twice
and disappeared. Prince Napoleon gives to-
day, before his departure for the South of
France for the restoration of his health, a
farewell dinner to his friends, and large
evening entertainment.


A singular affair, the Rue de Pontisure
mystery, as it is called, excites momentary
curiosity in busy Paris. Madame B. who
lives in this street, am going to gossip
Of the mystery-and has a sumptuous
apartment there, is one OF the beauties of
Paris, and her elegant manner and bright wit
make her person very recherche, and her
relations with a certain so0rld are varied.
In the circle of her gay comrades she had
often met Monsieur K, a young man of
twenty-five years, of Polish &igin, and whose
manners apparently shew forth wealth and
education. A week ago to-day, towards
noon, this gentleman presented himself at the
house of Nine. B., who received him in her
boudoir. The customary conventioalities be-
ing over, he said to her that he had need, for
the management of an affair of extreme i'm
portance, the aid of beautiful and intelli-
gent woman; his thoughts had turned upon
her, and he asked if she would consent to acf
upon his indications and thereby gain twen-
ty thousand francs? The lady replied that
she was agreeable to the winning OF the sum
if they believed her capable, and asked what
was required of her. In the first place."
replied the cavalier, "are we quite alone?
This affair requires great secrecy
For the the satisfaction of his thought N. K.
opened the doors lea ding into other ROOMS,
then returning to himself he continued,
"Wbat have to confide to you is of such
grave Importance that must consult one of
my countrymen, student in medicine, who
is interested in this matter before giving you
further explanations. l will be here again
this evening"" He took bis leave but kept his
word, and returned at eight o'clock. Madam
B. amazingly puzzled waited impatiently for
the disclosure. After being assured that no
indiscreet ears were near he proposed to Mad
ball of the Opera in company with his friend,
the student, told her that arrived there he
would point out to her man to whom she
should attach herself, and by fattering CO.
quetteriss prevail upon to accept at least one
of the bonbons contained in. a box with
which he would furnish her. Without at
first blush suspecting serious consequences
Madame B. accepted these little preliminaries
she soon thought that the twenty thousand
francs might be the pay for criminal act
she asked for the motive and inquired what
effect the bonbon might have on the un-
know A sudden death, replied K, which
will be attributed to frightful attack of apo
plexy. He observed that twenty thousand
francs was not an easy sum to gain, yet that
she had nothing to fear, that it would be very
easy to quit her cavalier and disappear in the
crowd as soon as he had swallowed one of
the bonbons prepared by the student in med
icine, and that that the bonbon would take
effect in ten minutes. At this confidence
Madame B. trembled with horror but keeping
an apparent calm she assured them that they,
might count upon her, and engaged M. K. to
come and conduct her at midnight to the ball.
Saturday morning she found M. Bellanger
commissary of the police of the quarter of
the Madeline This gentleman in his turn
found colleague, one versed in civic feats of
arms and together they concerted to join in
this bitter sweet intrigue before it reached its
final scene. So hardly was the elegant cava-
ler in her saloon, where the police-agents
stood before him and indicated in police
terms, the motive of their presence. The
elegant Pole was agitated, he stammered, he
could find no answer. They searched him
and in his pockets they found box full Of
various kinds of bonbons. While this scene
was passing IN the parlor, a small neat car
riage stood before the house of Madame B.,
and in this pleasant vehicle was young
man dressed in domino for the ball at the
Opera The agents of the police who were
on the watch gave notice of his presence to
the comnaissaires who ordered the man to
be led before them. As he assembled the
stairs he threw from his pockets bonbons;
the police agents picked them up. This DOM
ino was the student in medicine, the compat-
Ii