Parisian Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XV, Issue 28, 4 November 1887, Page 13

Parisian Notes.

Tmb mobilisation of the seventeenth army corps has been carried out with success. In three days 26 battalions of infantry, with the accompanying cavalry, artillery, and commissariat, have been placed in the field. The soldiers have had no child's play, as the weather in the South bas been bad, and, owing to the incapacity of several of the municipal authorities, in many instances both men and horses have been left without food and exposed to the rain. A story is told of a certain officer of commissariat who once complained to the Duke of Wellington that General Picton had threatened to shoot him unless supplies were ready at the appointed moment. " Dirt Picton say that 1 " asked the Duke. The reply was in the affirmative. " Then you had better look feharp," returned his Grace, " for nothing can be more sure than that he will keep his word." Some commander of equal resolution seems required to deal with the provincial magnates referred to.

Some of those who already appreciate the Orleanists at their proper value will find their appreciation of them enhanced by the report that an adverse tone adopted of late by the Btleil and the Tempt towards Irish affairs is due to the influence of members of the party in question, if not to their chiefs. What lends colour to the leport is the fact that distinguished adherents of the House are either themselves landlords in Ireland or the intimate friends and connections of such.

The versatility of the section of humanity that ekes out its ways and mean? by preying in one shape or another on sections of humanity not so engaged, received a new and startling illustration here a day or two ago. An unfortunate man, evidently with suicidal intent, leaped from the parapet of one of the bridges into the Seine. He was, however, instantly followed by a devoted humanitarian, who not only rescued him from a watery grave and brought him safe to land, but also poured into his poverty-stricken palms the little wealth he had about him, in the form of a franc or two. The example was contagious, and a crowd of bystanders hastened to do the same, hoping; by the alleviation of bis misery to deter the unhappy victim of suicidal mania from a repetition of his reckless deed. He expressed himself relieved and repentant, and went his way accompanied by his rescuer, who naturally took an additional interest in bis fortunes. A watchful guardian of the law, however, also followed, who seemed to smell a rat — as, indeed considering that there was a question of the famous eau de Seine, he might tmell many things. Both men, in a word, beiook themselves to a public-bouse, where they were expected by a circle of friends, and where the policeman speedily discovered the nature of their game. The whole affair bad been got up between them to collect money from a soft and sympathising public, a fair portion of which may always be found abroad in any great city.

The Saint Arnaud of the cafe-concert, as M. Jules Ferry called General Boulanger on a recent celebrated occasion has become the subject of comic refrains in the classic regions alluded to. His praises are now repeated in musical verse, but rather equivocal words, by Mme. Demay, who is one of the pracipal queens of song on this particular stage. General Boulanger proceeding to take up his command on a locomotive as nightly described by the fair lady brings down the house immensely. Another of her triumphs, it may be added, consists in the description of the singer's personal prowess as shown in ao ability to break hazel-nuts by simply sitting down on them. Mme. Demay and all her vocal sisters are, nevertheless, still thrown into the shade by the veteran songstress The>e"sa, who sings or declaim?, or combines song and declamation and grimace, 88 cleverly and, it may be added, as loudly as ever. Theresa, nevertheless, bas remained stationary in the cafe-concert, while others who began there, as. for example, Judic and Theo, have moved into a higher ppi ere. But oDe who perversely chose the lower course of her own lree will and havii g better opportunities open to her could scarcely ba expected to rise again. Th<* esa's former relations towards a lady of gieat rirjk, wife of one of the principal Statesmen of his day in Euiope, wtre in tt,e mouths of all Paris many yearslago and, although her career on the qucstu nable stage she adorns, and which has been fctigmatisLd even by il. Zola, was already brilliant, much astonishment was expressed at the choice she bad made.

A monument to il. Thiers has just beeu unveiled at Pere la Chaise in the presence of Mile. Dosne, the sister-in-law of the deceased Stat sman, M. Baithe'tmy Saint-Hilaire and others. It consists of a chapel in the Renaissance style, and will henceforward be among the principal features in the cemetery.

Among the advanced marks of our civilisation is the announcement of a boxing match which, if the police permit it, is to take place iv the Bois de Bolougne. Still more advanced, perhaps, will be the cockfight to come off on the same day. The champion bird rejoices in the name of Franc- Pipard, and is recommended to the sporting public by a valiant record of having slain twenty-five opponents. It must be admitted, then, that the chief city of Europe takes a worthy place in the light of the closing century. But, still, it might well be wished that boxing and cock-fights were the worst.

The Under- Secretary for the colonies has devised a plan* for the promotion of emigration to New Caledonia and Guiana. He proposes to utilise convict labour in those settlements in clearing land and building villages which might then be offered to immigrants on a system of deferred payments. He invites the assistance of the governors of the respective colonies in furthering his project. But were such a plan adopted with respect to New Caledonia, it would afford an additional excuse for the transportation there of the reeidivistet to which the people of Australia and New Zealand are so much opposed.