OUR PARIS LETTER

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 17, 21 January 1928, Page 15

OUR PARIS LETTER

- » IN NOTRE DAME REVIVAL OF AN OLD CUSTOM (From "The Post's" ReprtscntatWa.) - PAEIS, 23rd November. For the first time in forty, years % special service, is to bip held in Notre Dame CathMfal to-day in connection with the opening of 1- the Parliamentary session. This service, .known, as th« Mass of the Holy. Spirit, isVan. old institution which . Cardinal Dubois; tha Archbishop of Paris, has decided to Tevive, because, as he said yesterday, th« coming year is likely to be of great importance in the history of France. Tho - electoral, campaigns, which are already; beginning.. to take shape, he believes, threaten to assume exceptional .keenness, and it is "much-to be desired that the forthcoming political" debates should be penetrated by the spirit of .wisdom, justice,, and charity which make up the true peace spirit. .. In: .Great Britain the dividing line between Church, and State is not so sharply defined, and the Parliament at St. Stephen's.opens j every,day with prayers. In the ParliaI ment of ,the United States also tho [day's proceedings open with prayers; THE DOOS' CEMETERY. In the November days, when the thoughts of .many people in France are tamed to tbose who are.gene, it is interesting ■>fb note that thousands also make a pilgrimage to that xjuites useful institution, the: 3}bgs'-^Cemetery, which is situated*oh- an> island of the Seine on the: main, highway; pleading | from Paris to Asnieres." It is.a.very rei markably well-kept burial ground, where j animals which have been family pets I can be buried by theirownerg. There arc all sorts of monuments ,-md all sorts |Of tombstones. Most of ;thc auimals, | where their ages are recorded, have reached fourteen or fifteen, years, which is the outside age that'the ■canine usu.ally attains. Indeed, the cemetery is i* tribute to the hold that tho. dog has upon'man, and that if people'will get fond of dogs'the.day must come when, 'as Kipling wrote:—'.' '■"-.■ " • - You .'will discover hpy, much., you. ■ arc And will giver your heart to a dog '" .to. tear. •_. ■.■;.' ' .-.".'_ ";;. .'", Nor arc dogs the only pets buried in this little demetery. There ia, tho grave of Troytown, the famous Irish steeplechaser, which was killed in the Prix des^Drags, ia June, 1920, after having *wbh the Paris Grand Steeple-cbase-»in 1919' and the Liverpool Grand National in. the following year. , Troytown, too; was evidently loved' by hia owner, for on the stone slab we read, "We never shall see your like again." SERVING TWO MASTERS. The ever-increasing competition between the . theatre and tho cinema is exemplified by a letter from M. Sachs Giiitry to .the Union dcs Artistes^- protesting amicably, but firmly against the practice of . allowing, aet'ort Jandj actresses who are appearing in plays, at night to act for films during the 'day, j Actors who reach, the theatre barely-in , time to' ; dress and makeup, tired out after a day'a work; in a film studio, their faces' drawn and their eyes- dazzled, are not in a fit condition, he says, to play their parts, and as a. result everybody connected withi the /production suffers:—author, manager,- And fel-low-artistes.. M. Andre Djibosc has replied to!'Mi Guitry-in; a-letteif: which begins, M My dear master, m)r dear managor, my dear comradey" * suggesting that it is hardly logical' ior him \ (M. Guitry),Wbo is making an immenrefortune as manager, author, and actor— and even as journalist—to object to those who lire merely playeri doing two jobs in order to make ends meet. Moreover, M. Dubosc holds that1 it is possible to serve both masters without letting either of them. down. BLIND MAND'S BRIDGE. M. Scapini, who presided over th« great meetings of the congress *<of exsoldiers at Versailles, and who,, having been blinded in the war, Tead his, opening address from a copy printed in Braille characters, which ho traced with his finger, was a rising member of the Paris Bar..in 1914. He makes a gallant'fight against his glorious infirmity. Among '.Ma. numerous a«com.plishments is that of .playing a firstrate hand at bridge. He uses an ordinary pack of cards, partially .perforated on the back with pin-points, which are unintelligible to the o{hcr players,,- but are sufficient to" enable; him. to. identify each;.card.- -His partner has only' to' tell him the dummy*; hand-when it is exposed, and to announce tach-card as it is put down, and M; B'capiili: playa the hand with a' rapidity And decision of whiclK few; bridgers are capable. A GOOD «'BAO^' : , : In their first night's campaign against motorists who disregard the; lighting regulations, the-flying squads of the Paris police made a^ood bag. Jn'the"courso of two - hours on one suburban.road alone, the names, of ,ten drivbrs were taken for using dazzliog headlights, failing to reduce speed when meeting another car, and so on. The best capture was made by M. Peyrot dcs Caebons, the commissioner in charge of the operation. The proprietor of a- ear, brought to a sudden.stop by the police whistli, was furious. "I'll, have'you dismissed for this," he-shouted;to the policeman, who was noting his number. • M. Peyrot .dcs Cachons is a great friend of mine, and I shall report you to him." He collapsed completely when M. Peyrol dcs Cachons, walked out of the roadside darkness^ And mildly remarked: "You surprise me considerably, as I have not the honour of your acquaintance." v EXECXITIONEB TO REMAIN. M. Dcibler, the French public executioner, has no intention of; retiring from office. Dame Rumour recently • said he wa« to be replaced, but -M.-de Paris," through one of his assistants, .denies the report. Deiblei• .lives in . a quiet little house in the avenue de-Versailles, but spends most of his/ leisure' time—and happily he has a good deal-raway fishing. "Eeplace him by a public official —impossible," said his assistant. "The business is not learnt in a day, and just at present, with'M, Deutnergue as_ President, there is not much -doing. And, moreover, who' would; want tho | job? At the best it is badly paid." |-So.- -it is-to be presumed- -Mi -Deibler j will go on with his "grim occupation-at !'dawn. ' ' ' •'.''"'.' - . ; • .'