OUR PARIS LETTER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2572, 5 January 1889, Page 1 (Supplement)

OUR PARIS LETTER.

(from our own correspondent). Pauls, November 3. jn.w OF ARO. Tjioitoii tho French are next to wholly absorbed in the questions of revision, income tax, amended new fortresses, Boulanjjism, and reconstruction of tho navy, they still have economiserl a few moments for the microscopic examination of the exact locality where Jeanne d'Aro was born, Seven cities disputed for the honour of having given birth to Homer ; three departments of France claim tho Maid of Orleans as native to their manor born. Up to the present Joan has been popularly accepted as born in the hatnlot of Donarcmy, on tho Mouse, on the borders of Burgundy and Lorraine. The department of the Vosges includes Domremy, and somo French savants declare tho poor, but glorious, peasant ghl was born in Champagne. The rivals as yet do not raise tho question of her being French, but it would not be surprising, when the patriotic: legend has been once called in question, that the Vosges, being on the confines of Alsace, some German professor would demonstrate from his inner consciousness that Joan of Arc was German. That would bo t.ho culmination of Teutonic audacity. Hud Joanne lived in tho time of ancient Some, sho would have been ranked as a goddess, and temples would bo erected to her. Domremy being iu Lorraine, patriots still decline to worship iu any mount iu Champaguo. It. is there France keeps her Palladium. Orleans puts itself under the of tho Maid. Rouen has a statuo to her martyrdom — tho cruellest, perhaps, recorded in history, while Paris shows the country how to enshrine her memory. This pricking , of holes in legends, and examining anatomy evidence with the electro-microscope, will kill history. Kverythiug is to he expected, since Richard the 111 is said to luve been defamed by Shakespeare ; since Henry the VIII has been whitewashed, and the cruelties of Nero declared to be mere Teazle slanders. J3y the bye, what has bncume of the movement to have Jeanne d'Arc canonized ? M.UIRIACSB OF MDLI.E. BOULASO EK. The marriage of Madle. Marcallc 13oulanger, the General's second daughter, was made the occasion of a inanifestiou in favour of her father. She had the offer of a husband in the highest political and financial circles, hut her father would hod cross her choice, aud approved of her marrying Captain Duant, of the Tunisian Zouaves, whoso sterling character and brilliant capacity, the General had been able to test these qualities, and his pay of about 400 fr. a month constitute the bridegroom's fortune. But he had linked his fortunes to the star of Boulangism, and so his destines may reasonably ha regarded as bright. The bride was fairly endowed by her family, and had the General consented, his followers would have soon subscribed a robust Out. The mother was against the match ; like the generality of mothers she aimed at the " something higher." The General played a trump card, as a democrat and a soldier, by uniting the lovers. The Government made a mistake iu preventing officers from attending the wedding. That was a tribute to the force of Boulangism. and enhanced the importance of tli'i prohibited fruit. At the two ceremonies, the registrar's and the religious, on successive days, the crowds lining the way were very dunsn, and cheered Boulanger very warmly. At the secular ceremony, the General was iu private costume, but he appeared at the church in the full uniform of a dashing geuer.il, a blaze of decorations and medals ; ami every medal represented a wound received for France ! The church was filled to overflowing by members of the political, financial, and social worlds. Roohefort was side by side with the Duehesse d'Uzes ; so much for tho opposite polos of politics. In point r>f family Rochcfort is her superior, as he can trace liis pedigree back to royalty itself—not bad for a Communist. The bride is about nineteen and graceful, and pretty ; possesses her father's winning manners and energetic character. Do you want to know tho history of her love? Read it in that delicate novel, see it in the play of the same name — (Abbe Constttiiliti, a novel that seems to have secured all the heiresses, all the handsome girls, for the French army. I'HK.SI'U FORTS. There are two matters on which the French are chewing the, cud of bitterness ; the necessity to still further fortify their fortilications—due to the discovery of melinite, and which will entail the expenditure of one million of francs ; and secondly, how to raise that aud other moneys without resorting to an income tax. The inquisitorial nature of the latter is its chief iniquity. In France that inquisition can serve as a political weapon of no mean power. It prissi'SsuH tho ivdcr'iiint; iVahire that all pari.ics cm use it •ii', , . , ; and. li-.inu o.'):inx!->us. tviil .stand. '>u!y irritttiiii!, pdj-jfii!!/ and Mi.-u:n.,g laws lu-eu rlii'ir grip on the siutuo booii, section, Medes j

and Persians. M. Algavß, who boosts that an additional one-third of the total revenue of the country—an extra one milliard francs—could lie raised )>y tin . Government taking to itself the wholesale and retail monopoly of spirits, as in Switzerland, is likely to come to the front again. If the brandy bottle destroy, it can save a nation also. Kills an.l cures like Ithuriel'sspear. woman's rio ;its. Madame Ueraismes is I , resident of the Woman's flights Association, ami has issued her annual address on the inequalities her sex has been subjected to since Adam. No revolution, no constitutional reforms, ever has recognised the rights of women. She claims for her sex in j'Yaiue merely the few liberties her sisters in England nnd America have won, and announces that an International Congress will be held next year to α-lvaucc the cause. VIVISECTION'. Madame llnot has also hclil her annual protest against the vivisectionists, leading off by a warm attack on that " .Shepherd of the Microbes," I.V-iteur. A phalanx of medical students, as usual, was present to vociferate their protests. She declined to speak any more till the students had graduated in gillant.ry, ami to show their willingness withdraw. Thru the meeting being of opinion that Pasteur must be insane to pass his time cutting up live cats, dogs, pigeons, itc, would not be surprised if be ended his days from an attack of hydrophobia, or an invasion of all the morbid microbes he has b, tfc'.ed up. all s.vr.vr's u.iv, All Saint's Day wan as evor foggy, rainy, and gloomy, and quite in accordance with the mournful promenading to the cemetries, to decorate and visit the graves. The crowds were unusually great, a fact I ever notice when the French are Buffering from hard times. The newly-erected crematories was perhaps the only "novelty" this year at Pcrfc Lachaise, while at Montmartre a road and bridge have been made through a portion of the grave yard. During the last year the taxes on funerals amounted to 07!',000 francs, and the receipts for graves sold for five years or to perpetuity 2,500,000 francs. It is out of these sums the poor are interred gratuitously, and the clergy partly pain. A XKW (JCSTCM. A curious custom is springing up, that of having the clergy to bless a new house before the owner occupies it. Why not, when a benediction is bestowed on launched ships and the locomotive that inaugurates a new line of railway. 1 assisted at 30111 c houses being " purified" after the peace of 1371, and that had been for some time the head quarters of the invaders. HALLOON" RACKS. Tho late balloon races came off in torrents of rain. Five started, but were lost to sight when arriving over the chimney pots. One balloon positively refused to go up, though the croud helped to "push" it skyward?. Arcballoons headstrong like horses ?