Year: 1879

i
the little town of Nanterra, near Paris,
Jared during the warg but it ought to
have well. There must always be more
than an average ten of the righteous in
it, and that we know was once accorded
more than enough to save q city. For
Nanterre has been from time immemorial
the typical town of all France for high.
in the sense of holy, living. Year by
year it has never failed to furnish q
Rosiere for the prize of virtue, ard as
this immaculate young person rarely
does more than win in the race by q
neck, the average of merit in this district
must be exceedingly high. This year
alone was there poor race, indeed-it
was only walk-over.l Mile Delphine
Collet, who won the crown of roses last
Sunday, was without single competitor.
Scores of young girls who would have
taken the first prize In any other town,
recognized her transcendaat gift of good
ness and kept out of the field.


France has almost the monopoly of
this idea of rewards for virtue, and Nam
terre has the first reputation of all the
towns of France for the article In ques-
ton. In fact it produces little else than
virtue and pork sausages, though careful
trade statisticians mention also its build
ing stone and kindred material known
as the Nanterre cakes Once a year its
municipality meet in solemn convoca-
ton, and proceed to consider the claims
of all the candidates for virtues crown,
and for certain collateral rewards in the
shape of clothing, sum of 500 francs to
form q marriage portion, trinkets and
other gifts. IT is worth 1000 francs, all
told, say those who ought to know. The
question is settled by vote, and on the
Sunday of Pentecost the winner is con-
Quoted to the Marie to receive the
trinkets, to the Church to receive a
blessing, and finally to her own home,
to continue that private practice of vir-
tue which has been her title to public
distinction. Her innocent town's-folk
and some of the most cynically corrupt
men of the capital attend the ceremony.
The local fanfare is blown in her honor,
the gallant sapper bumpers other-
wise the fremen of Nanterrel, precede
her with blast of bugle and beat of
drum, and the whole region makes holi-
day at fair and ball. Nanterre revels in
the consciousness of her own perfections,
and who shall deny her right? 1t would
| be hard enough to be SO good anywhere,
but to be good within two hours walk
of Paris IS virtue, indeed.


! The Rosiere, it ought to be stated, is
chosen on no narrow and conventional
estimate of the qualification. Virtue in
the eyes of French prize-givers very
properly means goodness all round.
| Thus it was even taken into account that
Delphine was an orphan, and, though she
was not exactly rewarded for this, it
was considered to augment the splendor
of her triumphs. Her positive qualities
were industry and thrift, devotion to a
young brother, and to an aged uncle and
aunt, sweetness of temper--in fact, all
the attributes of the angel of the house


Report of her was sent mp from the
laundry where she works by public fame
to constituted authority. Constituted
authority deliberated on the matter with
what result we have seen.


1t rained on Sunday most persistently
all the morning. Delphine was to have
been fetched from her home at o'clock,
but her escort thought it prudent to
defer her triumph for half an hour. I'm
patient callers could get no news of her
beyond that she was for the present "at
the c0ifeur's over the way" Presently
she tripped lightly back, not to be seen
| again till she appeared in all the glory
of her white frock. Meanwhile NJ. le
Maire and the other local dignitaries had
begun to assemble at the Marie. There
was the Deputy of the Department; there
we're the seven Mayors of the canton,
with Secretary General of the Prefec-
ture of the Seine Some had hopes of
seeing even the great Prefect himself,
but he was not visible to the naked eye.
Presently great crash of brass music
and roll of drums announced the arrival
of the procession. Delphine had picked
her way through the muddy streets and
was at the Marie door. She came ina
cloud of white, preceded by another
cloud of larger volume, which incased
last years Rosiere. Last year she had
the advantage in beauty as we'll as in
bulk. She looked dignifed, but rather
sad it was the end of her mayoralty of
virtue. The latest incumbent of the
Office was thick-set, plain-faced peas
ant with the red hands with which
she had toiled her way to emf
nenee ready to burst through her
white gloves She was quietly ree1eiJlie
in manner, perfectly steady and self
possessed, but all the time you felt that
if any one said word to her she might
begin to cry. Nobody said word to
her therefore, only good deal was said
at her. A notable took up the parable
and invited her 8sarrdine-a godmcther
selected for the occasion-to deck her
with her trinkets, brooch, earrings and
such like. There was, of course, a cry
for ''pins" at this semi official toilet, and
none were forthcoming. The Notable
made joke about the want of them,
at which, although the whole point
was in the subject and not at all
in the way of treating it, we all laugh.
ed. 1t was the day of smooth sayings
peace on earth, good will toward women


Then the Notable called out the order oi


procession. One dignitary was to take


the naayraine, another the retiring Ro


siere, and the Rosiere of the day was te
give her arm to "a distinguished visitor


from London-Mr. Fleming Jenkin, o.


the Royal Society" The Frenchmar


applauded, but they did not like it; ant


one of them cut in before the tardy


Fleming offered his arm and bore OF


the prize, leaving the distinguished Wis


itor from London to make bad secons


on the other side. In order or no order


the procession went from the Mairi
through the narrow, old-fashioned street
to the church, escorted as before by tn


fremen with trumpet and drum. TIL,


Rosiere of last year, with the n,arrdine
filed off to covered seat in the nave
the new one advanced to the altar, wit
four small children in white, who bor


her crown. The crown was sprinkle


with holy water; the Rosiere knelt i
prayer; the service went forward wit
great pomp by the help of a powerful
: rural choir, reinforced by stars from th
: capital. The church was crowded, an


with motley congregation-her NJ. I


Lesseps (who has promised to give th
r Rosiere the first share in the Darie


Canal Company, there Mark Twain.
z Among the Frenchman hardly a sor
4 seemed to pay the slightest attention I
L the service; and when the rather croal
+ ing voice of the old priest took up th
Il chant after the choir, there was q title
v at the very altar rails. The old ma
) preached O short sermon, in which b
y was evidently airing his period for I'll


edification of the Paris crowd--talked (


the Rosiere's consulate of virtue" an
Z, sketched her history in narrative frol
IS the cradle, and prophecy to the grav
It Then Delphine. leaving the altar for II
|. seat Of honor in the nave by the side
a her ns0rTdt1e, was solemnly crowned b
i that matron with wreath Of white rose
l. and with triumphant ontburst of sor
d the ceremony came to an end. The pr
D. cession was formed once more. and Il
~ pr.asa-o xr,xxr. 1..o AL L. 4