LADIES’ LETTER.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 225, 27 February 1875, Page 3

LADIES’ LETTER.

Paris, December 26. Nothing pleasanter in the merry-go-round life of Paris than to go shopping in a sledge, with a Moudjik for driver, who is as innocent of the French language, as M. llouher of his famous or infamous —the difference being a mere matter of appreciation —Committee of Appeal to the People. Then you must have real furs, no joint stock association of cats’ skins, or what amounts to the same thing, hire them along with the vehicle ; the crowd will stop to take a good look at you (one of the tolerated impertinences that Parisians succeeded in being appended to the rights of man), and will conclude you are either a Nabob or a donkey, or both, for the union is not incompatible. Another real delight for the female descendants of the Hardy Norsemen, is skating, and in leather petticoats ; this material is called crocodile {>attern, not because it is as thick as shoeeather, but from its wavy or pearly design ; it is nearly as soft as foulard, and when bespattered with mud, blacking and brushes must be avoided ; all ladies agree that there is nothing like leather. More French ladies can skate than can talk English, and are excellent performers in describing curved lines of beauty, or attempts at squaring the circle. I never yet knew a philosopher to be a skater, it would be a delightful thing to keep up a * running conversation ’ with him as you both skirted the lakes in the Bois ; no other companion is left for your strides abroad but politicians, and you can imagine how interesting a tetc a tete must truly be with a Frenchman just now, who is most truly composed of politics and cigarettes, and has as many solutions for endowing his beloved country with free and definite institutions, as the number, three hundred and twenty, different ways laid down in French cookery books, for dressing eggs. The liberal fall of snow, for Nature is profuse in her gifts to France, has positively encouraged the fine arts, as statues are dedicated to Thiers and Gambetta, till the scavengers carried off the modelled figures as quickly as would the Uhlans a distinguished member of the sovereign people ; the Government remained neutral in this slight to the the men who respectively saved and ruined France ; indeed, it is a common observation, that the Ministers take sides for none but themselves, and await their coming doom next month like) Roman senators in their curial chairs. What a droll role for administrators, that of attempting nothing, and saying nothing, succeeding in both, and being unanimously badgered for .triumphing in the masterly silence, the Solomon section of the Assembly urged them to adopt, as being the least compromising for their portfolios and best suited to tranquillity of mind. That horrible Prussian Count d’Arnim, has caused some bitter discussions in French circles; if French ladies could ever bring themselves to allow him to come within one hundred miles of their salons, they would torture him to death with pins. Just think of him describing Madame Gustave Rothschild, one of the most popular and accomplished of our elegantes, as a person of unfinished education, because she, an Alsatian, felt ill at the idea of being asked to sit beside the Comte at a state dinner, he, the representative of her conquered Alsace. Why not respect a woman of feeling as well as a man of feeling; and ought one to expect from a patriotic lady the stoicism of a Brutus, or the strongmindedness of a Medea? Let the Comte abuse Thiers, de Broglie, or Gambetta; laugh at Henri V., and snub the money-grubbing propensities of the Orleanist family (and he can never do this new kind of work better than the French themselves); but let him be polite to the fair sex. What a signal honour, too, for Mme. Rothschild to be mixed up with the question of Papal infallibity and the payment of the French ransom, and how strong a claim the Comte’s correspondence makes out for our sex at least to possess “ old” women’s rights. However, the season is neither appropriate to games of speculation in politics, nor drawing morals from nasty diplomacy ; it is all-hallowed, to festivities, presentation schemes, downright fleecings, and gastronomy; literature might be included, as it engrosses as much attention now as drums, toy-revolvers, boxes of soldiers, speaking and speechless dolls, sweetmeats, and sausages. A book is said to be a book although there be nothing in it; but now it is essential to have all its utility on the outside, so as to look well, and Alexandre Dumas has just written, that millionaires without brains (as if it were fools who have the gift for making money) ought to be applauded for furnishing their library with the costliest bound books, as they do in their own kind, billiard-rooms, stables, and fnmoirs. The volumes can never be surpassed as to being excellently preserved for future generations. Some way or other it strikes me the rising generation does not take to these gorgeous bindings; s they are too awfully grand, pleasing and deterring at once, like a Lord Mayor’s show or a Bceuf Gras procession. Having performed our religious duties by attending the Christmas Eve midnight mass (as one does St Peter’s at Rome), and listened to Faure at the Madeleine, where he formerly was a choir boy, and Mme. Conueau, who warbles as sweetly now as when in the heyday of affluence and influence, when her son, “Young Conneau,” was the bosom playmate of the Prince Imperial, the visitor has next to do a supper in a restaurant, preferring a portion of the historical dish, goose garnished with sausages, but which are really black puddings. It is strange why the custom is universal in Franee to patronise pork during the small hours on Christmas morning, unless to vex the Jews, for the French, according to Carlyle, are a “ Messiah” people. The Parisians have only this one Walpurgis night throughout the year. Formerly ham and sauer kraut formed the dainty dish for the revellers, but the individual who would command that mesa now, flanked with a bock of beer, would run the chance of being taken for a Prussian spy, would see neighbors gradually moving away from him, and the garcon casting leerish glances at the chimney clock. For those who prefer an indigestion to a headache, onion soup and cheese, is above international suspicion. The writers of one of the chief sporting papers here have the good, or misfortune, to receive specimens of the animal creation of the strangest nature from their subscribers, to pronounce if such be good for food. Two of the staff died during the year, martyrs, it is said, to this duty; and during the siege the _ Fir min publishers and their editors constituted the “tasting committe” of all articles produced as substitutes for ordinary food. It is thus posterity has been secured admirable reports as to the comparative coraestibility of the inmates of the Zoological Gardens, ■ from vultures to

flamingoes, from the wolf to the rhinoceros, ami indeed all kinds of “os.” The philanthropists in question have just essayed lion’s flesh, and have pronounced it only to be so so. The heart was found to be as tough as J. 8., though stuffed according to orthodox receipts. Lion is not likely to become popular as a piece de resistance; and besides, Bottom the weaver asserts that such among ladies is a dreadful thing. The general French custom of exchanging presents is not in itself reprehensible, provided the gifts be not extravagant, and the reciprocity be not like the Irishman’s, all on one side. Many sensible mothers encourage common breakable toys, as more suited for infants than works of art, gold, or bank notes, and so say all of us: The shops are full of elegant things for presents, the choice alone is difficult where money may be no object. Jewellery is very enticeing, the false as well as the true ; butterflies in precious stones appear to be very much in favor for ear-rings, brooches, and pins ; sugar has been baked into a multiplicity of strange designs or freaks ; there are admirable immitations of chestnuts boiled and roasted, to suit all digestions ; there are bundles of raisins, and superfine chocolate, where flour does duty for cocoa nut, just as there is excellent wine independent of grapes ; there are beautiful mushrooms warranted not to poison, and corks that would melt rather than stuff the mouth of a bottle. What are called useful presents can only take place between near relatives, and comprise large sashes in Renaissance or damasked ribbon with bows to match ; Marie Antoinetteand CharlotteCorday fichus, in tulle or China crape, fanchons for the theatre in knitted wool, in a word, head-gear of all sorts; a box of gloves, a scented coffret of handkerchiefs, pretty aumonieres, with belt and chatelaines, sacs in Russian leather, do not come within the degrees of prohibited affinity ; nor do fans, provided they be not of the exploded giant form, nor perfumery, hand glaces, psyches, and bonbons ; the latter and flowers are safest for all other friends a little more than kin and less than kind. The children are everywhere looking happy. Christmas was made for them, and St. Nicholas or Noel, has paid their two shoes and dressing tables, his annual visit, leaving behind sunny memories. Look at the toilettes of these pretty cherubim. Up to four years of age they are dressed alike—Russian blouses, with flat and pressed plaits, fitting to the figure by a large belt of cashmere or ribbon, knotting behind in a coquettish bow, with streaming ends. The stockings must be coloured—blue, red, or maroon, but ever in keeping with the sash and cravat. The material of the dress varies between velvet, Scotch plaid, and cheviot. The hat should be in grey felt, the form Prince of Wales, with a deep band of same color, and a wing at the side. The Russian pelisse, or Hungarian paletot, in cloth velvet, and trimmed with fur, is a necessity for out of doors. After eight years of age the Jillettes are dressed as little ladies, observing, however, the greatest simplicity. No second jupe, few or no flowers, no pouff or anything approaching to it. The military capote replaces the polonaise. It is an article of dress neither elegant nor beautiful, but it is most serviceable. Pending school days, keep out of the heads and hearts of both boys and girls all attempts to represent the vain pomps and vanities of this wicked world. For children of a larger growth red—no political allusion, be it remembered—is the prevailing colour both for out-door and ball dresses; the latter make up well in two shades of grey. All warm materials are fashionable, because a necessity, and your whole wardrobe of furs will not be too much if you can cunningly find a place for them. Matelasse is a material in great request, and this beautiful stuff, when set off by jet, looks very elegant. It can also be bordered with fur or feathers. Don’t be uneasy about hats; provided you have black felt you can shape it as you please, and baptise it as you wish. Hats are becoming, like the human countenance, no two alike. Jet is very much worn in hats, and feathers are grouped either as a plume or falling and spread out like a weeping willow. As many birds as will nestle may be added as ornaments, and the love for ornithology is so great that a feathered friend is even employed as a fastener for the collar. The cravat is an essential bagatelle for the toilette, plain white, in cambric, muslin, or silk, with fine guipure ends, is to be preferred. Rule general, let the toilette, like the furniture, be ever in harmony; adapting yourself to the fashion, not the fashion to you. Ladies are on pins and needles in anticipation of the inauguration of the new opera; and Mine, Nilsson, for overcoming her scruples to sing in scrap scenes will be, when she performs Ophelia, drowned in bouquets, instead of in streamers and duckweed. New toilettes are concealed as rigorously as diplomatic correspondence formerly used to be. Madame Macmahon’s two “ White House” balls will create a stir, and life will be more intense after the holidays; for the moment the official and ambassadorial worlds are endeavouring to extinguish one another with big dinners and weary and dreary receptions; visitors now rest en garde, since ambassadors act the part of the “chielamang us, takin’ notes,” and “faith they’ll prent it.” The Aztecs are the only human phenomena we have within our walls at present. These curious little people seem ever to “go in pairs, like rabbits and hares;” they do not create much sensation. Then, again, France has had a “troupe of royal pigmies” since the reign of Louis XVIII., and she requires no more of them. She is already burdened with another king, his Majesty of Auracania, when he can reach his kingdom; butaplain attorney when outside it. There is quite an inundation of farces and drawing-room proverbs, at the expense of astronomy, in connection with the transit of Venus. The savants ought not to be disturbed in their calculations, since a second would make a terrible difference, it appears, between the closeness of our relations with the sun. The members of the Reformed Church of France maintain the ‘ squaring attitude’ respecting the differences that separate them. The Government halts over pronouncing a divorce, and the late lovers will not live together for the future. The ladies have entered as volunteers into the battle, doing, it must be candidly candidly confessed, more harm than good. The opera balls continue to be well supported. A lady is not expected to say she has ever witnessed one, though there are logos where she can obtain a peep at the pandemonium below. Did not Mrs H. B. Stowe dei dare she found nothing objectionable in the Jardin Mabillc, and another, and a more recent high authority, the Shah Persia, found the pliee to be only a “Feast ot Roses,” broken by laughs and light echoes of

feet, recalling perhaps his young Nourmahal. But “ A Persian’s Heav’n is eas’ly made, ’Tis but black eyes and lemonade.” It is, however, agreed that the costume are not at all a reflection of the light of other days! That gentlemen prefer the plain evening black dress to any “make up.” Moralists and out-fitters explain this degeneracy by the fact that the hiring of a costume costs as much, as the price of a full dress suit to-day, viz, twenty francs. Divine Villiams, you are right as ever—“ the apparel oft proclaims the man. Gentle reader, for the past, amities cordiales.