OUR PARIS LETTER.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 455, 30 November 1880, Page 2

OUR PARIS LETTER.

(FiiOM our own Correspondent.)

Paris, October 17. M. Grevy ie like the honest women, considered to be beet, when not talked abeut. Some legends are associated with his country residence at Mont-seus-Vandrey. It is not an eagle's nest like Rob Roy's ; it is a simple chateau, situated in a plain, and there is not a mountain within twelve miles: the new is built alongside the old mansion, in the midst ot green fields, \-enerable trees, and gardens. The resident does not pass all hie time shooting, for there is bnt little game on the estate, or in the neighborhood: he cannot thus gire shooting parties; excepting the immediate members of hie family, no company ie received, and if "any, it is to breakfast, where business is familiarly dineuesed. Then follows ft game of billiards, drives in (he neighbourhood, or finhing lhe well-stocked Lim'io close by. Tlio dinner is strictly - a family affair, after which there is a little music chess and, cards. Early to bed and early to rise is the motto. Mr Grevy reads al the journals of the capital, marking with a red pencil, 4ny important item. Hβ receives two epecial couriers daily from Paris, and devotes four hours at least to correspondence and signing documents. The re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Mexico, is an important event not only for France, but for Europe. Mexico is a eplendid country, and in closer connection with European nations, she can count upon a brilliant future ; the wrong inflicted upon her, was the work of an intriguing dynasty—net of the French nation. The exports of Franco to Mexico amount to 30 millions francs per year; financial societies expect to reap golden harvests, by lending money at the current rate of interest in Mexico, 6 to 12 per cent, p'The Duke of Wellington observed, that high interest was but another name for bad security. Some improvements, taking place in the Rue Saint Louis, recall the site of the kennel—not house—where Crebillon, the great tragic muse, resided, and died in 1762, aged 88.. It was the most tottering mansion in Paris, and the first floor was occupied by the poet, and his 8 or 10 dogs, which set up a terrible howling when one knocked at the door. Crebillon begged to be excused a second,; till he finished a stanza,, for t the printer or an actor, for, like Pirbn,' he wrote and corrected all his v?oiks- i -first in his head, and counted on his memory to reveal them The Writing finished, he perceived the visitor was standing, for each dog had its 'arm chair, while the master had but a stool and an old table j'jgjblow of a whip cleared the Ichairs, and an apology and a pipe, soon made |he new comer at home. Eugene Scribe, had on his palatial home in the country, a motto that recalled his early days; it ran thus; "The theatre paid for this country seat, to you who pass by, thanks, as perhaps it is to you I am indebted for- it." X costermonger, aged 37, has comfinitted suicide in at onceistrange arid frightful; .he .lost his wife a few weeks previously' and could not console himself for her loss : he shut himself up in a room, and when , discovered he had a razor in one hand and his wife's photo n the other: 'he ; was' bleeding profusely from a gash in the threat, where all was severed, save the carotid artery : he made a few signs to a drawer, in which was , found a note, that he could not survive his wife ; he had a fortune of 100,000 francs. ' ' ' " ( ■

M. lVmiier owns a menagerie, and comjilui.iK tint his wife devotee more other tMtie an.,l cure, to tame hearts than lionpj liters, nud panthers: he demanded a separation ; pending the decision he was to allow his wife 200 francs per month, and she was to' reside in Marseilles. One night nhe came to the menagerie, and abducted two cubs, the old lion making no objection : but her husband did, as he had her 1 arrested;

The present is what the French call, the season between the dog and the wolf, to-day the sun will be warm, arod brilliant, to-morrow, it will rain or freeze. In the ■country, fires are lighted ; charming the first fire of autumn ; how the flames •dance and the .„ sparks fly; it interests like an.old acquaintance refound after a long absence—soon to become fatigued with it, as too well-known and insipidIt is in the country residences that the rehearsal of the coining Paris season is taking place; tho age of fire brings about that of the Salon, and to have a merry, as well as a warm fire side, invitations are freely addressed to you from the four coin-rs of France \ to go to Chartrain, to •eat partridges, to Perigord to enjoy truffles, to another locality for theatricals, and elsewhere to sing in operetta. Not a few persons run up to Paris to receive their rents — tins being quarter dayreturning to the place from whence they came, on the plea- to kill rabbits, but really to enconomiee. We have our usual eupply of travelling royal princes, and ■a vory rich and fast Italian Duke— Torlonia, whose grand papa was a tinker, named Torlonge, and followed the army of the first Republic into Italy, where he managed to make a little money; then he settled down at Rome, as an army contractor and banker, and eventually bocame the Kothechild of Italy. The theatres ore full of country cousins ; I know one gentleman who prides himself on divining the character of ladies by the" loudness of their toilets, just as others; "recognise foreigners by their abuse of the Paris fashions The most showily dressed, is ever the most ganulous.

The correspondent of the Figaro has been "doing " Ireland ; he prints his hote* bill at Cork, where the " attendance" ■exactly equals in price the meals furnished.