Year: 1870

How Letters are Written-Two stntcme ents In


the same Document.


Tours correspondent of the n. Y. EUening
Post writes:-


The balloons seem to do their service pretty
regularly, too much so indeed, to be always
Trustworthy, although the cancelling of the
postage stamps on the letters is tolerably good
evidence that they have. really been posted in
the city.


have seen several private communications,
all written in the most enthusiastic, not to say
hopeful terms but they seem to have been die
tated under pressure, either by desire OF with
holding unfavorable intelligence from the enemy
should the balloons be captured, or by a fear
lest they might be examined by the authorities
and condign punishment awarded to him who
would dare to say that everything did not wear
o roseate hue.


One of these effusions l translate as it was
communicated to me by friend who received
il, and who carefully pressed it over with hot
iron, bringing out quite a different statement
which had been written in sympathetic ink be-
tween the lines of the apparent document


'PARIs, Sept. 29-For week we have been
cut off from the outside world, and neither let
ters nor papers reach us; but as news is often
doubtful blessing, and as we have enough to do
with our own affairs, we are willing to put up
with this temporary inconvenience. Paris is in
its worst possible state just now and yet is still
as ever the pleasantest city in the world. Liv-
ing is little dearer than usual; the restaurants
are as well patronized, the cuisine and wines
quite as irreproachable; indeed the only things
we miss are milk, Ostend oysters, and fresh
fish; but this is not astonishing, as Fritz stops
them on the way for himself and his uhlans.
We hear that we WILL in a
few days, be put on an allowance of six
hundred oxen aud five thousand sheep
per diem, but this is merely precaution, and
shows that our patriotic authorities feel that
they can make long resistance. The weather
is splendid, with just little touch of fresh
ness to warn us OF the approach of win
more if it comes with an unusual amount of
sleet, rain, and snow to drown our enemies, who
are already dying with dysentery and typhoid.
We miss our promenades in the Bois, but we
still have our holidays, and Auteuil was never
gayer than 1t is now on Sunday afternoons. The
shops are all open, and resplendent with costly
silks and rare old china and curiosities-very
little cheaper than they were before the war. The
show of arms is more marked than before, and
every one peeps into the windows to look at the
coats OF mail warranted to stop bullet at ten
PAGES. Very properly the theatres and dancing
gardens are closed, and citizens go Instead to
listen to patriotic speeches, or to the cafe,
where they sit and talk as usual until the fatal
hour of 10 P. NJ. arrives, and then all go home
quietly and wonder how they have learned to
live without gas and go to bed at II o'clock.
During the day time the streets are crowded
with merry groups of gentlemen in uniform,
and well-dressed ladies, who only show their
appreciation of the state of siege by going
home before eight in the evening to avoid
unpleasant mistakes in the nightly battue made
by the National Guards. The freedom of social
intercourse, always one of the great attractions
of Paris, is more than ever apparent. All classes
cling together in this hour of common peril
and the feeling of mutual kindliness is growing
daily in strength The millionaire shoulders
his musket in the ranks by the side Of his former
valet, and cheerfully obeys the orders of his
commanders, who once were probably his trades
men. In this daily contact all learn to admire
each other and forget that social distinctions
have ever existed.


''In conclusion l will say:-Courage! Mon ami
we will triumph over these modern Vandals, or
die like Marius among the ruins of Carthage ~.
Affectionately, etc"


SO much for the body of the letter; the inter
linea tells different tale, and was written in
dislointed phrases Things are as bad as they
well can be without an actual .emeute, of which
there are symptoms. The Gardes Mobiles refuse
who have brought them into trap (sourtciere),
whence there is no escape. The streets are full
OF drunken men and women, who insult every
welldressed person they meet. Great fears are
entertained OF a famine panic. At Duvals (the
great butcher's), at A. NJ on Friday, nearly
five thousand people blocked up the Rue Tron-
chet, and were only kept by the armed Garde
Rationale from sacking the establishment; by
7o'clock there was not an ounce of meal in the
shops. Men fought with each other, and women
tainted in the crowd. A very large number OF
runaways from Chatillon and Issy have been
privately shot, as / believe have been several oi
the Garde Mobile. Admiral Fourichon has re-
signed, refusing to serve in position where his
orders were disobeyed. There are serious dis
sensions between Trochu and the other mem
bers Paris will not hold out any time, because
there will be Red revolution. / wish TO Goo
that the Prussians would get in, if for nothing
else to save us from the rabble. Not one O
our sorties has been really successful. Burr
this"


Such are the two statements contained in the
same letter.


DIAMANn IAND