A LADIES’ LETTER.

Evening Star, Issue 4075, 18 March 1876, Page 2 (Supplement)

A LADIES’ LETTER.

Paris, January 22. French ladies would be fully justified in . calling an indignation meeting to protest against two torments—‘the elections and the :t£aw. The frost held out some prdapect of • amusement, a compensation for the disorganisation produced in the fashionable world by *ll the gentlemen being engrossed either in making themselves or unmaking others, senators and deputies. There was a time in the history of France when attentions, towards ladies dominated even State affairs, and battles were undertaken to amuse them, and Ministers thwarted to afford them excitement and pleasure. Now all is changed; the aspirations of modem ladies are disposed of by a two franc (telegram,’ and their calculations upset by a postal card; politics usurp the place of .love, for not only have men not the time to .“propose,” but those engaged to be married defer the ceremony to a more convenient Reason. Four days’ calisthenic exercise on the ice is not much out of the 365 or. 366 ; then the prospect of a fur masked ball, and a col-lation-cold,: of course—at one in the mornmg, with the pocket thermometer (for that urns as essential a. hrdoque as tin-case hotWater mittens) marking twenty degrees below freezing point, was a sensation of no ordinary kind. A fog arrived . expressly from thejj Thames, dissolved those prospects SP charming, and was sufficient to justify the platonic alliance with Russia, in order to seoure.for France the benefit of the favored nation clause, respecting her Siberian climate. Some very pretty costumes had* been provisionally commanded, and, though in plain fur clothes, it would require a Green, Lap, or other “lander,” to distinguish the sexes. For the sake of the poor who were to enjoy the receipts, it is to. be regretted the intended midnight skaters did not send their subscriptions all the Same, During the day a military band per* formed music under difficulties, and even the “Esquimaux, Quadrilles” were announced and dedicated to Captain Naimes and his “Boys in Blue.” You know we have a skating rink to fall back upon; it is a winter garden with a tropical zone temperature and Icelandic ,vegetation. The only flowers, including the ladies themselves, consist of the hand bouquets sold at the doors for two sous each. : , The skaters roll along on wheels, sa,ve. when the rotUet ’es cry out for oil and the machine threatens tq take fire, * The possibility of being consumed on a pair of such skates ought to be noted by the Accidental Insurance Company, The first thing performers do on entering the ring is to strip for the work, a fashion common to Other rings also; then is the moment for getting a glimpse at the latest fashion. It is not the less strange to see the rage for wearing furs in atmosphere where the solid flesh threatens to melt. The. ladies and gentlemen “round about the cauldron go,” for the. asphalthm floor recalls the inside of a monster pot. Sherry cobblers are the favorite refreshments, sipped through a Belgian qtraw ; ices, of course, are banished, in order to. maintain the illusion. It is curious to, note how well ladies of what an evil world palls “uncertain age ” roll along in maiden meditation fancy free, stately as an East Indian . clipper under full sail. The married Teazles say their sisters qfe in search of that, other moiety of cherub, which Plato or some other divine philosopher states, parted from us at our pirth.

Lamartine has always been a favorite with the .ladies, and so they will ba glad to hear he is to have a monument in Paris, near the Hotel de Ville, where his Ministerial life began and ended; instead of expounding bis claims for such an honor, on the grounds of being a charming poet and exquisite writer, politics are thrust forward. By all accounts he failed as a statesman, and he constantly deplored having ever attempted to govern his fickle countrymen; his wojst enemy was himself, and his extravagance and neediness were the gossip of* France for yeufcs; after spending his own fortune, he squandered that of - his •wife. Bat jwhen nrere poets ever renowned for book-keeping, •five Victor. Hugo, who it is said makes a memoranda of every sous a&he does of all his thoughts. Hugo has again suddenly re-ap-peared as a politician, and has dedicated a proclamation to the French people, just like Marshal MacMahon; he wants his countrymen, to -rally to the Republic, which is the representative of a Ithe virtues, and a desire for,which comes to like, that as Dogberry •observed, of reading and writing by nature; he would, indeed, deserve a statue'before his death,or to have a whole'' Boulevard named after him, could he convert his fellow-coun trymeh.to love some one forth of government and put an end to the horrible family broils. Hugo commenced life as a staunch follower the;Comte de Chambord, when that monarch was most merry—namely, in his swaddling clothes. Jhe theatres sre struggl&ig hard against the bad election fever, which may be the prelude to other' plagues; it hi Reported 'that ; dumg the severe frost complimentary.' admissions were never so numerous, in order to' wand the house and fire the actors. The occasion' t?aCs ; not badly selected to bring out the famous Russian drama “Dani9heff, ,i where the gentlemen are in furs, and the ladies in hot houses j the playj undoubtedly, draws, because Alexander Dumas has. polished it, mid the subject reveals Russian society, concerning which Frenchmen had 'no idea. They believed ali Russians to be princes, all their ladies politicians and card-players, that ' they had the diamonds of GolConda at thipir back, and that when haughty, they were sent’ to. Siberiafb' graduate for the dther world. An old ppchess, as absolute as Catherine 11., in order to prevent her •hly son ,marrying a r pet serf, wheedles him a Why for a twelvemonth, and instantly marries the girl to her coachman. Now, this John regards the wedding only as a nominal transaction and preserving the bride for bis S master, becomes mbnk, in order to rjs his union. What an amelioration for Parisians, if a few hundreds of cabmen w'otild enter into orders. But I forget 1 the incident of the drama—'the young Comte Danicheffs declaration that his countrymen will be ever ready,to help the French, .if attacked by wild ; beasts. Such an offer of'detection is naturally Applauded, ahd the stamping on the floor is not a bad exercise when 'men wear top coats and mufflers in the pit. " Perhaps, this sympathy on the part of the Cossack is reciprocated by the increased rage of the ladies to wear furs, for imitation is the successful mode of flattery, Be this as it may, no dress appears to be tn honnfi riffle that is not largely trimmed with ffirs, irrespcctiye of the natural heaviness of materials. "Perhaps' it is to the W’eatber we me indebted for tbe adoption of chin-bandages with hats; frein these to Vdrdes, J iti tylack tulle and lace, ’is .but 'a tuMotejJ, strings follow as 'a matter of dpnrse v : Tfie littef are in ribbon assorted to Hie bonnet; ''apd( ‘the ends when tied ought ribfc'to ' itfnfinclies.'' At the' ' dpid&i’hatsinrose tulle or pale bluje, with iarpes to match, , present a very elegant appearaficP'/' Lace is the rage, a mixture of : bl&ck' : and' cream color, being most in favor. ; Td’ ri pfPdu’ce . this desirable shade, cream, laundresses replace the blue by water colored with clear becomes . transformed.* f,K is lftot todbe understood that white lace is discarded >j«itifeito be mefc .. as fichus or scarves for evening toilettes, black Spanish or the fashionable ISp. ;

light coffee shade, is employed for trimming velvet as well as silk. Thus employed for the Jew tunic, it is a means elegant and practical for rejeuvenating purposes. The Jew form can be well adapted to transparent gauze, light tarlatans, embroidered tulle, &c. Indeed nothing can be more charming than a Jew tunic of while tarlatan, and worn over a rose faille robe. Neigeuse is the name of anew material; -it is a course woollen, with a kind of nap on a white ground to represent snow. The polonaise marches from success to success; it bids fair to become an indispensable, because it is not only simple and elegant, but presents the advantage that, whether made up in cloth or velvet, it shows off the gracefulness of the figure. There is no change in hats ; they are to be me' - , with in cream felt, sea blue, and black velvet; the foliage is in velvet to match ; a large ribbon encircles the border, knotting behind; the feathers surround the shape, or fall directly from the front backwards. The velvet spencer has many admirers ; it is made separately from the rest of the toilet, and can be clear or sombre colored, according to taste. This corsage is low-bodied and sqiiare, its borders covered with cream-colored lace, with inside fichu of tulle, same shade as the lace. It is in vogue at theatres. Paris cannot be said to have any balls at present, so the evening parties are called raouts. ,It seems it would be something like sacrilege to enjoy life when the nation is] solemnly occupied manufacturing legislators; it is then among the foreigners who colonise the city that entertainments take place, and where it is necessary to demand a “Mirth admit me.of thy crew.” The Americans are foremost in dinners and balls, and force the contagion to spread; they have also introduced, and successfully, their “rosebud parties,” limited to happy girls in their early teens, and that no adult eye is supposed to regard, save by stealth or behind a screen. The Russians prefer suppers to dinners or dancing parties, and cards to music and conversation ; they lose a great deal of money over a rubber, but generally the proceeds of the pool are devoted beforehand to some fixed end Many marriages are taking place this season among Russian society, and when such is announced the Greek Church is besieged by flaneurs in advance ; the ceremony pleases the spectators very much. On arriving on the threshold of the Church the Pope blesses the bride and bridegroom, places in their hands a taper, and when rings are exchanged the procession passes insidetheedifice ; pending the ceremony the young couple place crowns on one another’s heads, drink out of a cup of wine three times, each being accompanied with a shake-of the hand; then succeeds another procession, where the couple march hand in hand ; at this stage two pigeons are set at liberty, this is said to be an indicatiou of wealth; in quitting the church the happy pair embrace on the steps ; the rings are in. different metals, gold for the man, to show his superiority, and silver for the woman. It is said the Czar only can authorise a divorce.

•> The movement set on foot to form sewing parties among French ladies has failed ; this might have been anticipated, such an institution is foreign to the very nature of French women; they love gossip, chat, scandal; to go to theatres, to promenade in the Bois, to kill time at the pastrycook’s, or to tail? chiffons with modistes ; as a rule, everything in the way of work that can be given out, is studiously given ; home where it exists is a castle of indolence, where a lotus-kind of life is led, mixed with the stimulant of some intrigue. In this respect, and the class of well to do society to which these remarks apply, there is an immense amount of valuable woman-power running to waste, that might be applied by forming some of those associations that exist in other- to occupy the hours of the unoccupied. lJi#ghters have never been shown the example, and so we cannot expect it from them when they become wives ; when girls, their whole attention is directed to appear wholly ignorant of the world, and to remain the convent pupil until provided with a husband, arid mothers take good care beforehand that the bond shall contain no clause that would letter the do-nothingness of their daughters w hen elevated to reign over a home of their own. This state of things may explain the very little happiness to be found in French marriages, and were it not for the Mahomedankindofresignation with which both parties submitto their fate, and the little respect paid to them if they seek a separation the institution, of marriage would be seriously compromised. To leave each other free, so long as no scandal can be reproached to either, and uo act committed to publicly shock the proprieties of home, such is the maxim acted upon in French married life; and when separations cannot be avoided rest assured Dante had n,o horror equal to what that dog and cat life .must have, been before peace was declared to be impossible. These reflec tions are suggested by the demand of General Douay to be separated from his wife, the daughter of a distinguished general; she. had the habit «to leave her home fOr two or three days at a time, travelling from one end of the country to the other ; she left by a window and entered through it by means of a step-ladder, and when her husband reproached her she applied a. hqrsewhip. vigorously,across his shoulder^.. There is a story going the rounds, at the expense pf a well-known financier, on whom Napoleop 111. conferred not nobility but a title; he was humorously upbraided as to the. antiquity of his: greatness, and seriously explained that the reason why his ancestors were not at the Crusades was in consequence of their -being Protestants. While , pn religious topics I maybe permitted to observe on the latest fashions that the foreign Protestant clergy, by common accord, wear billycock hats, “ Uhacun a son gout, and the flock will be well guarded.”