OUR LADIES' LETTER.

Evening Star, Issue 4216, 31 August 1876, Page 3

OUR LADIES' LETTER.

Paris, July 8. Like their elders, the children are deeply interested in the "Eastern Question," which consists of a piece of iron wire, twisted so as to resemble fcnree eagles, single and double headed, so as to represent the three Emperors. A crescent—"Turkey"—is suspended on the wire, and the problem is, to extricate it from the claws and beaks of these peculiar birds of freedom. The trick is far mope interesting than despatches from the seat of waf, where all belligerents are at once victors and vanquished; indeed, the fate of the Turks or the fortune of the Ser: vians gives France but little concern as yet. She is _ interested only in Germany, and would like to contract a mairiage de raison with Russia,,but safety;is felt not to lie in that direction, and' there is a little trepidation that England may effect a similar kind of marriage with all Germany. This wedlock view -of foreign politics interests ladies very much, and they are quite active in match-making, and, strange to say, they are; shrewder-in their; previsions than the gentlemen, who are all for the Great Bear, out of pique for England's not fighting by their side in 1870; but the lades do not feel the! union' With the Rrifesian would be happy. Then, as dash and daring captivate woman's heart, and such haying been displayed lately \>y England; the, latter the majority of the fair sex on her side. The accounts of fashionable life at the seaBide this year are not enthusiastic. Everyone confesses the late spring has spoiled the season; rents have been increased proportionately, to compensate for the time lost. This extortioa dias simply caused mortals, for whom a constant moving to and fro is essential to their health, to change their programme. Many will go to England for greater cheapness, and not a few English will come to French bathing-places for greater dearress. Holland is coming in for much patronage from the birds? of (passage. If the truth must be confessed, ladies find this roving kind of life involves " much weariness of the flesh," A quiet bathingplace is dulness itself, save on fete' days, Sundays, and when husbands, brothers, and lovers can run down from. Saturday till Monday; On the contrary, the notorious seaports resemble by their crowds the city one has left, less its comforts, facilities, and attractions. But those who have girls must bring those girls out—give them a chance, in fact; and the girls are mostly occupied in the monotonous,work of toilettes of chiffons! A French 1 mother, always the vigilant guardian of her daughter, is more than ever 1 so when away from home, and feels, the want of occupation for 'both. Then the casino balls are never select, so are mostly left to the cosmopolitans. In Paris, a lady

ordinarily gets up between seven and eight, visits the "nursery' —for such she ever regards the bedrooms of her children be they infants or adults. After the orthodox cup of chocolate she drives to the central markets ; here she bargains and purchases with the air of a connoisseur j she presents and recommends her friends 1 to her purVeybrs, smiles at the latter's compliments, and exchanges a repartee with an old trader—for nothing smoothens your wayso much in France as a piece of wit or % capital joke, and social relations in France are free without being familiar, independent without.'being disrespectful, and obedience., -«tops at servility. Materfamilias has her phaeton full of little baskets of strawberries, cherries, and little pots ef fresh cream; to say nothing of the large bunches of flowers she has bid for at the public sales. Perhaps in driving home she may do a little shopping; it is the most agreeable portion of the day for such busi- I

ness. .arrived ac nome by eleven, she superintends baby in its bath, sets wooden ducks to float and cork red carp to swim, in order to calm the crieß of the little rebel, whom she dredges all over with perfumed starch after being dried, and then rolls the ball of living fat in a flannel robe. After dtfeuntr, ever a light meal, Madame converses with the servant respecting household reforms; then she indulges in one of those thousand boudoir occupations always awaiting execution ; she paints a fan for a lottery, some glass for the windows of a village church, executes a thank offering work, for her baby has passed successfully through the measles. From four in the afternoon Ma-

dame pays or receives visits j after dinner to the opera, or theatre, or ball, or perhaps she muffles herself in a cashmere, and sets out with her husband for a promenade in the Bois de Boulogne, looking as much as pos nble like a newly-married couple.