PARIS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 238, 13 January 1875, Page 2

PARIS.

(from our own correspondent.) It is not exactly knowu which of all the political leaders whose guest he was, the Prince of Wales most sympathises with. Perhaps he acted on the principle, how happy could I be with either, were t’ other dear charmer away. The Legitimist due de Bisaccia beyond doubt received him the most sumptuously, and yet without display ; the miuutiaa of the reception was most studied, and so delicately, as uot to display the slightest evidence of preparation. The Prince might be excused a momentary embarrassments in believing himself to be at Marlborough House or Sandringham, so much did the apartments preparedjfor him recall auld folks at hame. Then the ladies appeared dressed in English materials, reps and plaids ; some had the second jupc retrousse, and fixed at the left side, terminating in a scarf upon the shoulder, Scotch fashion. The Prince expressed his admiration at this delicate compliment. Hats were in colored felt, in harmony with the costumes, and had feathers, with bright flowers running along the left side. The marabout is the feather par excellence for the ball room, so one young lady created a great sensation with a coiffure composed of diamond ferns, mixed with marabout feathers, which admirably suited her blonde hair, and vapoury toilette of lace, gauze, and tulle. There was also a robe very much admired, in two shades of blue trimmed with feathers, the first jupe being raised by an anchor in diamonds and sustained by a chain of precious stones. The Prince has the reputation of not only admiring elegant aud graceful toilettes, but of knowing when they are such. He was very liberal in his munificence to the English poor and needy resident in Paris, happily tbeirnumber is not great; he did not neglect to pay his accustomed visit to his old French tutor, and at the theatres he felt much more at home than if he were at. London. The French, so exquisite in these matters, thoroughly respected his privacy, viewing iu him and his Princess, but one more distinguished lady and gentleman in Paris. We are apparently about trying to acclimatise horse-racing for all the year round; there are steeple-chases on the card up to the close of November, and only the sporting world must, have a little rest to balance their books, it would defy the very elements, like King Lear, to do their worst. Book-keeping will henceforth be very simple, and must be “ single,” for the devotees of the horsy world, as the betting offices, have been suppressed, much to every sensible person’s satisfaction, save small boys, male aud female servants, calicots, waiters on Providence, and waiters in general. Toy race courses are very much in vogue, and appear to be as entertaining as automaton pianos, which latter save all the disgusting nonsense of pressing persons to play, or sing, whose concealed desire to do so struggles with the conventional reluctance; then the performer expects no compliments, no insipid tam-tams with the palms of the handstand can be stopped without any bounding of the amour propre-, neither ought to be forgotten the amusement of the speaking portraits, where ladies and gentlemen dress themselves up to resemble public characters, passing into a frame and there standing just so, as motionless aq Hermione in the Winter's Tale. A few attempt the tableaux

grandfathers in alabaster. Private theatricals are becoming more and more the ’ order of the day, aud the leading artists, when they have played their parts, often make a collection in character, for some charitable work; they can thus display their costumes to their friends at the same time. Generally, ladies succeed better as sock and buskin amateurs than gentlemen, the latter seem to feel they are ever making fools of themselves, which they often succeed iu doing, and generally finish by modelling their lady partners, hence the feminine character of ail drawing room theatricals. Fordownright fun the lottery alphabet cannot be excelled ; shake up the letters of a dozen alphabets in a curbcille, and distribute them ; every person is bound under pains and penalties as vigorously applied as the laws of the Aledes aud Persians, to compose at least oue sentence, often a droll question, and a happy reply ; if unable to do so, if a rule of syntax or prosody be violated or no atteution paid to the right placing of P’s aud Q’s as far as the Academy has published its orthodox dictionary at after centuries of labor, the law must tak«|r its course. Some of the blunders prove laughter for a mouth. Such is the rage ? at present for ornamenting dresses aud foulards with feathers, that legislatures will be compelled to pass large, as well as small birds’ acts. Not only the desert bird and the Sultan of the poultry yard are laid under contribution, but peacock’s feathers form bands for dark grey failles, and guinea hens contribute their plumage for iron and nutcolored cashmeres. One lady has even ordered canary trimmings for a black jionet de soie, and a Russian princess had a dinner black velvet dress garnished with rose-dyed ostrich feathers. Ladies should study “ Hints xtn the Poultry yard,” and the “ Management of cage birds.” That powerful modern Juno, fashion, has even knocked at the door of the colleges of the State, aud reminded grave professors they must brush theinselvesup, and wear gowns when lecturing; the armj’ too is changing its coat, without being less loyal, and its head gear, that one is puzzled on encountering a new uniform, whether it is a Russian, Prussian or Austrian that passes by. The present race of soldiers arc fine, martial, intelligent and healthy looking fellow s, nothing of the premature old man about them, and all the result of regular exercise, stern discipline, and no intoxicating liquors. Burke’s recipe of “brandy for heroes" is rejected as used. It is whispered that since the catholic clergy have been forbidden to write to the newspapers they have fallen back on cigars; the “ naked beauties of one,” do little harm according to Mr. Spurgeon, nor half a dozen, following the Papal Nuncio here. The protestants are in hot water in France, not about Thirty-nine articles, but one. Tranquility alone reigns with the hair dressers, they have adopted the “ firmament” model of head-dress, as created at their late exhibition.