NEW YEAR'S DAY IN PARIS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 122, 15 February 1908, Page 12

NEW YEAR'S DAY IN PARIS.

OVER 20,000 BEGGARS. | £125,000 FOR NEW YEAR FLOWERS. Writing on Now Year's Day, tho Paris correspondent of a London paper states: — It is computed this evening at the police headquarters that no fewer than 22,000 beggars to-day infested the streets of Paris. On July 14 and on New Year's Day they are freed from all restraint, and swarms of them oome from the suburbs and invade the central and prosperous districts. A very large number of them exhibited horrible deformities—many of them genuine enough, but in the majority of eases "falced." Outside the Grand Hotel I found no fower than fourteen mendicants at an early hour this. morning. Three of thorn wpro armless, had neither arms nor legs, und two of them had no legs. "Pity for a starving cripple," shouted one. "Baron, throw me a copper for a happy New Year," screamed another. "Viscount, don't forget your unfortunate brethren," cried a third; and a fourth, not to be outdone, shouted, "Prince, I have had nothing to eat for forty-eight 'hours." I threw them a handful of ooppers. There was a wild scramble. The two legless men belaboured each other .with their crutches, one of them receiving a severe cut on the head. Beggars were , not the only nuisance. On,e could not go into a cafe without the waiter pouring out a second glass. "Allow mo. to ofFer this to . monsieur. It is New Year 8 Day." A tip of about sifc umes the valuo of the drink had to be paid. Billiards were free to all customers everywhere; . , ■ An extraordinary tratw was done in flowers. Every married man orders elaborate bouquets of flowers for his wife, and every dutiful son brings offerings of flowers to his mother. Every person who wishes to \he considered a man of the world sends a box of gaily decorated chocolate creams to all the hostesses at whose houses he has dined, during the year.',': , ... ' ' ~ , •' The humble classes carry their own presents, and crowds were hurrying to and fro with parcels of all sorts and sizes; for holiday visits and presents are compulsory under pain of giving mortal offence on New Year's Day. , A moderate estimate places the. value of flowers sold to-day by Paris florists at between £125,000 and £150,000, Almost any price was paid that tho florists'liked,to ask. Cabs were also at a premium., for ■ snow was falling fast. In spite of their taximeters, the cabmen only gave their services to the highost bidders.